The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1884-02-07
AT A FLEA THEATRE.
The Performance of Trained Fleas
Behind the Footlights,
Which Goes to Show that 1.-THE Do
nestle Flea Is Creature of
Considerable InteIii-
gcnce.''


cited by one which bore the following in
scription: ''Pariser Floh Theatre" Tempted
by a man who told us the performance was
''just about to begin" we accepted the tick
cts he almost thrust into our hands,
and crossed the threshold of the
tent. There was certainly no reason
for delay, as we found some
what to our embarrassment, that we constl-
tuted the whole of the audience. But, as the
famous flea theatre was about the size of an
ordinary tambourine (Which instrument it
greatly resembled), we should scarcely have
had so good a view of the performance if the
spectators had been more numerous. Taking
our seats as directed about a small round
table, we looked with interest at certain card
board boxes which stood beside the theatre
One of these was open, and showed number
of tiny vehicles, carriages, bicycles, engines
Roman chariots, all as minute as possible
The other boxes, with lids, contained the ac-
tors themselves.
The enterprisng manageress, stout lady
in a cotton dressing gown, placed herself OPP
posite at the table, and prefaced the. enter
tainIuent with short but interesting ad-
dress. 1.-The ordinary domestic flea" she be-
gan, lis a creature of considerable intelli-
gence, and capable of high degree of intel
lectual cultivation We have no less than
three hundred in this establishment. They
are not hungry" she added hastily, i'll an
swer to some slight expression of anxiety that
doubtless portrayed itself on our counte-
nances. Il engage man to come every day
and feed them He bares his arm, the three
hundred are placed thereon, and they suck
until they are satisfied Our immediate APP
prehensions thus allayed, the lady pro-
ceeded to explain that the first pro-
cess in thegreat work of tanning and educat-
ing a flea was to fasten an invisible gold
thread around its neck by means of which it
could be lifted at pleasure or harnessed to any
of the vehicles displayed iE the box beforens.
A well-nurtured specimen will often live to
the age of years; and with evident
pride she remarked, 1--WE have several among
our troup who are already 6 years old"
and so saying, she handed us a powerful
microscope, and gratified us by the sight of
one of these venerable fleas (magnitied to the
size of a wasp, kicking and plunging vio-
lently, in no wise impeded by the weight of
its golden collar.
The entertainment began with a chariot
race by feas of various nations. The Rus
sian was attached to its native drosky, the
Siberian to a sledge. England, France and
Germany had each their representatives, the
former harnessed, l think, to a common Lon
don omnibus. Each competitor was supposed
to be able to draw body of six times its
own weight. The stage was slightly tilted,
however, in order to assist the runners. re-
greet am unable to give you the exact result
of the race, which would doubtless be of in
tense interest to your sporting friends, but
the start could not altogether be
considered satisfactory. The English steed
went off at a steady trot, without waiting
for any one else. The German lay down to
have a nap by the way, and most of the
others bolted off the course. This being over
the lady resumed her lecture.
1T is not every fiea," we were informed,
that is gifted with the power of saltation.
So far we had seen only, as it were, the
beasts of burden-docile insects, indeed, but
with no other special accomplishment. Now
we We're to be treated to a ballet, as danced
by some really superior artistes." So saying
she opened one of the cardboard boxes, and
extracted thence with a delicate pair of
pincers a dozen of dancing feas, each ele-
gantly attired in-or rather should perhaps
say, covered by-a petticoat of tissue paper,
red blue, green, yellow-ail the colors of the
rainbow. Each dancer was announced by
name as she entered upon the scene: Mess
Elizabet, Fraulein Anna, Mamzelle Barbe,
etc. and each and all, encouraged by the
voice of their directress, performed the most
astonishing evolutions, whirling and hopping,
skipping, leaping wildly into the air in
way that was comical to behold. 1t was as
if the minutest of ballet girls had been cut in
two at the waist, the lower half performing
minus the head and shoulders, OF like Sab
battical dance Of fairy lampshades be-
witched
Now and again, after some unusually pro-
digious leap, an artistic would be upset. hen,
beneath the gay voluminous skirt the strug-
Cling insect was for a moment visible;
quickly replaced on its legs, however, by the
watchtul care Of its mistress. Now came act
the third, when the interest was supposed to
eliminate; and with much verbal flourish of
trumpets, a female rope-dancer was produced,
second only in renown to the famous Blondin
himself. This young lady's name was Eliza.
She lived in nest of cotton wool, with
one other companion, who was prob
ably in delicate health, as she
was not called upon to perform.
Eliza not only danced on a rope, but twice
traversed an imaginary unfathomable abyss
ON nearly invisible wire suspended between
two pins. Finally to conclude the exhibit
ton the box Of cotton wool was held upside
down at distance Of nearly two inches
above her head, and at the word of command,
"Jetzt, Elisa, sIringem Now, Eliza, jumpg
the intelligent insect sprang with one bound
into its warm and cosy nest We were
charged for this entertainment the not i'm
moderate sum Of pence apiece, and as We
walked away, remembering the man who fed,
and the lady who taught the fieas, we could
not but marvel at the variety of ways in
which it is possible to earn ones livelihood in
this our work aday world.
1t is thought that the earliest patent in the