The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-11-04
4 NIM.tLS In PLAYS.
PARTS WHICH BIRDS, BEASTS, AND
FISHES TAKE ON THE STAGE
Chat with the Keeper of an Animal and
Bird FancIer's Store = Fish for the
"RIack Crook" -iermaids
Under Water.
New York Times I

looking at himOfrom different points, any
where between 50 and 100 years old, keeps
an animal ami bird fancier's store on Fulton
street His long life among what he calls
his pets has given him most curious voice.
1t changes in soun1 and intonation as he
talks to the different animals.
His CONVEX saLon with tine Newfoundland
dogs is carried on i'll a deep bass, while a
shrill treble answers the singing of his
canaries. For 40 Years this man has bought
and sold BIRDS fish, and four-legged ami
mails, and uring that time has dealt with a
variety of peopls. Anecdotes are his chief
delight, and q reporter happened in upon
him the other day jpst in time to hear one.
The old fancier was reading an advertise
ment calling for an eagle for use on the
stage, AMI in short time had answered
it, Offering bird.
"Theatsrs" said he, lifting his parch ment-
like face from a writing desk, "are my best
customers, although you wouldn't think 1t.
It isn't long since real animals began to be
used the stage, but the great improve
ment in scenery made it nece 5sary. just
think Of having clump OF woods on the
stage and no birds in it," and the old mans
face expressed much disgust. "What are
they used fora Well a good many things.
In the Kerry Cow now, some carrier
pigeons are sent off in the race-track to
carry home the news OF the victory. When
ter sold lot OF canary birds for the scene
on the river, and maybe you remember how
pretty they sounded"
slave you had any demand latelyp
mot since about a year ago. Then
young follow, who had play with scene
of bird store in it came here and bought
the birds. He got some of nearly every
kind, and when the show broke up
bought them back. That young man said
then that the only thing that made
him glad he failed was that he could get rid
of those birds. He never had much
trouble over anything in his life before. But
the largest demand 1 ever had for anything
for the stage was for fish. You needn't look
as if you didn't believe it, because it's so.
The Black Crook was running at Niblos,
and lot of mermnids were wanted the
stage. So built some water tanks" and
he pointed to four glass tank, each three
feet high, four feet long. and about foot
wide; those are they very ones.
"Well, we filled them with water, put
several hundred fish and lot Of shells and
coral in them and then stretched them
across the stage long trap door. All
the stage back of them was cleared, and
thsre ths mermaids walked around. Each
of them had long fshy tail fastened on,
and this tail stuck up aLove the level of the
tanks. The mermaids all struck out as
though they were swimming, and the effect
tuo auueuco WIS very duIlHe
Markham was the fairy, and had to.walk up
from the water, but, bless your SOUL she
never got wet. Just walked up little lad
der back of the tank, and there she was"
AFTER THAT THE DELUGE.
"But how did you ever get the tank
backf"
That's the best part Of the whole story"
and the old mans face became a huge
wrinkle he tried to laugh. II had told
Il Il
wasn't strong enough to hold all of that
water and one tine evening, just before the
curtain went up. the whole thing broke
down. The mermaids were all down under
the stage and the shock knocked them down.
the water flowed all over them and the
poor ii.hes got down their necks ami fright
eneI them almost to death. After that l
bought back the iron frames, put new glass
in them, and there they are.
"Do you that owl over there. Well
that bird has died l, $50 times, shot in the
head every time, too. He belonged to
theatrical company that broke up. and all
he had to do was to sit on stone and be
shot When the gun was fired soneb body
from behind would pull him off the stone"
The old man had done large business,
he said in selling lap dogs cats, and large,
tame birds for in drawing room scenes.
The eagle that he had just agreed to sell
would, he thought, be taught to sit on the
bough OF tree in some midnight scene and
scream at the villain OF the play, who
fleeing after having murdered the
heroine.