Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-09-17
SOLVED.
1t Was Wax ana 1t Was Flesh and
BIood.

1t was wax ana 1t Was Flesh and
Blood.
Last week the RECORD UNION gave an ex-
tended account OF the novel aud beautiful
exhibit Of Weinstock, Lubin & Co. in the
Pavilion. 1t was q wonderfully designed
exhibit of contrasts-the store of to-day
and the store of ''the days of 49," While
the elegant establishment upon the left was
by far the most artistic, that on the right
was the most skillful, and recalled to every
mind the romance and ruggedness of the
pioneer era. introduced into the store of
the mining camp, with all its conglonerate
of supplies, were several apparently human
figures so exquisitely fashioned in wax, so
costumed to the life, so easily and naturally
posed, that of the thousands of people who
daily and nightly crowded about the ex-
hibit there was very nearly even division
as to whether at least one of the figures was
life or only automatous. 1t was the figure of
miner seated upon pile of boxes. This
figure smoked pipe and it lifted its hand
to remove 1t from its lips it winked it
turned its head laZily; again for hours
1t was motioniess. During all the days of
the fair, the debate waxed warm as to
whether it was life or an automaton. Pcs
o4Oiy at tlluSS Lie lSuTe WAS LldH Win
muscles and nerves under admirable con-
troll; at others a wonderfully constructed
image and piece OF mechanism. Whether
this suspicion is justified we know not.
Saturday 1t was announced that a. half
past ten at night the mystery would be
solved. At that hour there was a vast
concourse of people assembled to witness
the expose. When the curtain was drawn
the red-shirted miner with his pipe was
seen seated as before; q cloth covered his
head however. In few moments two at
tachos entered bearing another figure,
which they placed at the other END OF ine
store, facing it Ill the opposite direction.
The veil being removed from the first. it
was seen to be smoking as before. 1t
lifted its forearm and pulled its pine. and
winked and turned its head with the same
regular repetitive motions In resem-
blance and makeup it was impossible to
distinguish between the two, and the new
question which is illusion and which
reality" rose to pitch amounting to ex-
citement. Presently an attendant stepped
into the room and tapped the smok-
ing figure upon the shoulder whereupon,
to the astonishment of all, and the
CONSERVATION of these who had pointed
out that sit must be wax, couldn't be any
thing else," and went into details to prove
it-it turned its head deliberately, and dis.
covered its counterpart few feet distant,
It arose. walked across the intervening
space and thrice about the sitting miner,
and finally, as if recognizing its double in
the wonderful reproduction, it embraced
its apparent twin. There was no longer
any doubt, and the cleverly disguised actor
disclosed himself, removed his wig and
beard and smilingly bowed TO the no long
er puzzled audience, which manifested its
delight at this clever bit of comedy, by EN-
phatic applause. The problem was solved
there were two figures, one an auto
maton, the other living man. While i
is possible that the man at times, durine
| the fair, occupied the place near the arc
players, to deepen the mystery and ths
| more involve the debate, Ia question only
| the exhibitors can answer) it is certain the
| the figure which originally caused the
divergence of opinion, and in the main sa
so still and contented with its pipe, was
| msryelously constructed automaton-ths
| like of which, for skillful modelling, posing
| and action, has not before been seen upoI
these shores.