Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-12-24
THE EDUCATED FLEA.
CONTRAST BETWEEN HIM AND HIS IN
tanned BROTHER
Second Cousin 10 the Fly-Taught to POrego It's
Lsapng Pppensides - Dancing the
- Tgh; Rope-TiHy Soldiers
and Horses.
CEHH sun Francisco caH.


/ was walking up Broadway, and upon
reaching Union square, just above Titfa-
ny's, noticed sign which read: Prof.
ReSanu's Educated FleaS; reserved seats %
cents" Always having considered the edu-
Gated flea q myth, determined to investi-
gate, and climbing several pairs Of stairs
found myself in a small room near the
roof, for which the smiling professor apollo
gized ,remarking quite truly that fleas did
not require much room. In the centre of
the apartment was a small table bearing 4
bottle, a small platform and large magni-
tying glass, while on each side OF the table
stood two chairs, one beingreServed for the
professor, while the other was presumably
the one referred to rs being reserved ut the
nominal rate of - cents, aud having paid
the amount in advance | took a seat and
grasped the big glass.
"HOw do | educate them?' said the pro-
fessOr. well, that's what you might call
leading question, and you would hardly
expect me to give away the secrets Of the
business. You might be going to start an
opposition" and the professor laid his
forefingeT along his slender nose and winked
i'm a knowing way. | assured him that |
had no idea OF branching out in his line,
and finally, apparently convinced, he rolled
up his sleeves carefully, and remarked:
Some of my performers keep on'me. ]"
as he pointed to two or three enormous
heas that were clinging there. Bite? oh,
no. they know me too well for that
Jump? no, indeed! In short. the first les
son of the flea is to teach it not to jump,
4 :. - - IN
he whistled, and a dog with very
meek and subducd air came from I'M
der a box, and soon provided the trainer
with wild and untamed flea. This
fea, - said the professor, has never been
i'm captivity. You see now that | cOnSign
him to this bottle" and forthwith he
dropped the insect into glass bottle
about five inches wide. A second later
the flea was taking terrible leaps from
side to side, bouncing about like ball,
sliding into the bottom, only to leap
again and butt it's shining armOred head
against the sides. In very few moments
the flea had made up its mind that the re-
suit would either be headache or frac-
ture of the flea pseudO-cranium; but no
sooner did it attempt to rest than 1t was
well shaken up. This was kept up until
the little insect was to all intentS andpur-
poses completely tagged.
'You see, returned the professor, 1.-THE
idea is in the first place to teach the flea
not to Jump, and when he finds that every
time he does he gets blow upon the head
he soon learns. Some tleas learn in n
week; Others take several weeks; in fact,
their minds are like those of human beings
Some are simple, and Others very easy to
receive impressions. When this first les
son is fully accomplished put them
through a simple drill, making them walk
or crawl in a straight line and turn at a
signal. So every day they are drilled,
and the tasks increased rs soon IL the
simple ones are learned. In fact the in
Struction is similar to that followed by
teachers of raw recruits in the army.
And finally, after training many,
rejecting the drones, | selected the stars,
have frequent rehearSals, and am pre-
pared to give the grand exhibition that
have the honor now to announce. The
first scene. ladies and gentlemen, " said
the Snowman, looking over my head, anu
speaking as if to an imaginary audience,
and impreSsing me with the thought that
had heard him somewhere at the circus,
will be the grand entrance of the entire
company." As he spoke he placed small
box upon the table, and by pressing a
string, opened several doors rs large as
peas, out of which to my amazement
marched fieas which almost immediately
arranged themselves in pairs, under the
glass looking as large rs flies.
Each one was ornamented with differ
emf eolored streamer of silk floss, that to
the naked eve was invisible, or nearly so.
As the flock marched out crawling along
with slow pace, the professor called their
names. as s'The Two Orphans, " Jack
and Jill, " 'STom Thumb and Jack Sprat,
Conn. Pulex and Madame Irritans,
General Atom and Prince Rocks" and
81 ON. through quite a list of names and
titles. The little creatures slowly circled
around the platform, then returning with
great dignity to their houses. A minute
| team with four wheels was now placed
upon the board. The wheels were about
As large rs the head of an extremely large
min. the pole being q combination Of bar
ness and pole. The fleas now marched
out and took their places in little
arrangement for pushing or pulling. A
ladder was placed against the coach-for II
was a tally-ho-(all this being done with
a delicate pair of pineersl, a number Of
aeas plambered in. ! could almost imag'
inc heard the drivers whip crack, the
horn sound, and away went the whole ar,
rapgAment. This and much more dc
/ tbese wonderful feas accomplish before
arose fully satisfied that while ants nigh
perform wonderful featS, feas certainly
we're ahead of them in the "teachable IN
telligence'' referred to. Educated flea
are no novelty in the world Of amusement