, 1885-05-02
EaclNArloNs q 4unAN gzIc-b.aRac
Auuremsnts OF the Dime Maseum Ru-i-
LalI In the Receipts

LalI In the Receipts.
New York Tribune
a1'he dime Museum pushes Is positiysly
fascinating, said an old manager of those
cvanescent enterprises to a reporter tho
other day. @Once In it. you stay there.
The whole thing is so like gambling that
those whom it enthralls fade away, when
distant from cannibal company. and simply
perish while basking no 1snger in the Circas-
sian heauty's smiles They say there's
money in it SO there isl But 1t is the
money OF tho faro bank, and when made
floats away on the same swift wings I have
started. OF assisted in starting, over fifty of
thee shows in all parts OF the country, and
II there Is anything new under tina sun that
l haven't exhibited, and which will take"
with dime museum patrons, ] should like to
soc it,
-How do you organize such a queer. now
companylr
"Nothing is easier, aud again, nothing is
more difficult There are always some mon
strosities out of a job-the dwarfs, the giants
and tho fat folks, for nitance-but, except
it be in n fresh place out west, they will not
draw unless invested with the lustro Of
strange romance made plausible by new
names In a town that has never enjoyed a
galaxy of our profession, It is simply a pic
mic to set up in business We hire a three
story building, and fix up the interior with
bunting and green and red cloth. In the top
story we put a few monkeys and arrange a
row Of gaudily colorel pictures behind
magnifying lenseL II we can hire a coal
mine, salt works or saw-mill cheap It Is
placed on this same floor. Don't look
as~tonished; those thing are in minia-
ture) After having thus contrived to
prepare the visitor who begins at
the top for greater things, we put on the
second floor the stars. These are the terri
bly, ~hackneyed human monstrosities, the
magnetic and optical Illusions, the glass
blowers and the irresprassible Punch and
Judy. Tho hold which the latter nave ON
the people is simply astonishing. l awe
seen persons visit museums several times a
week, and while they might grow Indifferent
to everything else, they never tired Of
watching this tims-honored drama. The
trick of the electric boy is generally very
soon discovered, as 1t consists in tho simple
fact that his touch establishes tho connec-
ton between tho poles of a battery. But
the variety business on a little stage on the
first door is the climax Of the whole estab-
lishment and OF our patrons delight
How long dec the popular enthusiasm
astf7
about three our four moths. Then the
smart Alecks in the community nave visions
VI 100 mucn Wealth lhaus by tha proprie-
tors and the first thing you know thers Is a
lull in your receipts. You try to liven up
matters by engaging at a stiff salary tho
two headed girl and the Yankee whistler,
but suspicion is rife AMI you can't overcome
it, After struggling II few wooki you give
up the ghost, aad sell out with a fcw hun
dred dollars profit. The next man Is as
good as new, however. lie will make very
nearly as much money Us you did, and will
lose it in precisely tbs same manner. SO
will two or three after him. Thenceforth
the place will settle Town for a humdrum
life that would kill men liks me.n