Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-09-11
SOME POINTS ABOUT "sARkeRs." "
Orators who stand IN Front Of Dime Mu-
-eums and Lure the Public In.

-euul> and Lure the tnbliC In.
Its a peculiarity of a barker" said a
Bowcry Snowman the other day as he
stood IN front of his dime museum and
listenel 70 the sonorouS tones of gentle
man near hIm who was setting forth the
attractions of the entertainment within,
that he can never give up barking after
lc has uucr got thoroughly into the bust
ness You know how fascinating singing
: to people who think they have voices
Many an old man and faded woman 20
on singing through advanced years quite
convinced that they are giving pleasure
To their hearers, whereas they are only
distributing large blocks Of pain around
the he igh horhoOd- Burkcrs are the same
way They get stuck on their voices Did
/ yuu ever watch bIrker's face Look at
this one
The Snowman directed his gaze toward
the man who was walking slowly up and
down Just within the wide doorway of
the museum and talking to the world at
arge while he slapped his right leg with
| flexible rattan cane. Nothing could eN
Ceed the Complaisance and atflhility OF
the barker's manner as he rolled of the
periods with infinite unCtion. \ vowel
sound was a choice bit not TO be thought
ieSsly tossed uff of the tongue, but to he
turned and fondled and sent forth with
/ due resonance and drlihe:atiOn. There
was the musical rhythm of blank verse
. in much that he said His ey.s r"umed
over the various objects around him with
a careful scrutiny, AMI it YVES evident on
looking at him closely that his thoughts
were far away from his words.
! "Bai Kers are proud continued the
>hOwman retleCtiNely, "and usually very
| friendly with the freaks. don't know
what maks EN- proud, unless il Is being
so prominent in public life. There's nu
reason why barker shouldn't help clean
up in the morning, lend a hand with the
brOOms, sell tickets till it's time for him
, to bark in front, and otherwise improve
his time and add to his purse, but he
won't lie fee that his public position
couldn't stand the strain. Another thIug
is the inability of the barker to bark I'm
less his conditions arr Just right. You put
a strange hat ON him and his voice il
/ falter and his eye shrink. One man needs
TO have a tonthpick in his mouth for the
proper effect To be attaine |, another must
have hit of ribbon Of n certain shade of
! red in the lapel of his coat "A tn ird is most
eloquent when he has an unlighted cigar
| in his mouth, and SO on. Their whlms are
absolutely innumerable.
One day" he continued, lowering his
voice cOnfidentially, there was a process
sion of cOuntrymen moving around the
corner and coming this way. 1t was 4
| groCer's association or something Of that
! sort from back of the state, and it was al
| hour before my barkers regularsime. But
he was standing near the gutter talking
with some high-tOne friends of his 'n-0nt
| of 'um has a brother what on the pc rliCt
-smOkin' a l0cent cigar. ! seZ: Hist
| Billy, out here an bark FIR a minute
will you, Go on, quick, so as to gather in
all this here muchness driftLu, down here
Hurry, an III go the beers an cigars fol
self and and friends.
What? he scZ Me bark now"
"'Of course
But amt got me cane'
No matter. 20 on
Well, he did make the effort, but he
put no heart into it, an if he didn't blush
crimson | hope | may be doin' the dog
faced boy act within week, Them Coun-
tFymeu,' continued the Snowman, we nj
10y without glance. an tn barker wa.
too sore to look his friends in the face
But | didn't blame him bit know,
their feelings well. Salaries: Bout $lg
10 Sl4 week. When they gets to be pro
fessors and lectures about curiOsities in
side they get more. the freaks are very
fond Of them. cause the barkers speaks
in such glowing terms Of them, an all
freaks is fond Of having their deformities
tlattered New York sun.