The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-03-08
Like to be Humbugged.
MANAGERS OF FAKES AND FREAKS AGREE
WITH BARNUM.

|
WITH BARNUM.
"The American people like to bt
humbugged." As with z. 4. Barnun
80 with the managers of the "fakes
freaks and follics" class of dime mus
Gums, side shows aud travelling stores
this truism is indelibly stamped in let
tiers of gold on the corner stone OF
their existence. Were it not for this
phase of public character, their pro
fession would be vain. But, in add.
ton to this faith in the weakness OF
Americans, certain other requisites are
demanded in the make up of these
men.
| He needs be something of an actor
in order to look one steadily in the
face as he asserts what he knows is
utterly false; he must be sbrew d, quick
and cunning in arguments and espe-
cially in striking bargain; he must
have certain volubility and fuenoy of
language with the ability to use big
words to impress and bad grammar to
put himself in sympathy with the
people he expects to victimize; he
must have plug hat, snowy suit
of cloths, half dozen paste diamonds
set in ring, shirt stud and collar but
ton, and soiled shirt front-the aD-
sence or presence of the rest of the
garment is immaterial, but fashion has
decreed in favor of the bosom. The
species is distinct aud the specimens
have little in common with the rest of
humanity. The majority of them
were born in the role, with now and
then one who has asoended from a
helper or descended from the ''legiti-
mate When not ION the road"
they frequent certain haunts in the
large cities, usually some fifth or sixth
class hotel, eagerly watching for the
latest humbug and deyiIlng means of
securing a plant. Even in the smaller
cities and towns there are certain
b arding houses where they put up
known to the profession as well as
good begging places to tramps. They
are sure TO be ''dead broke" about
three fourths of the time.
SOME OF THE ATTRACTIONS.
The Legitimate" as well as the "il-
legitimate" business is found among
dime museums and low price shows,
and there are those who do what they
advertise, and work on general bust
ness principles, although they may not
appeal to the higher tastes and do not
contribute to the culture which Mat
| 4 hau fAr IN,
Americans. 1t is, however, the poorer
class which affect Springfield most
the sort which occupies vacant stores
on Main street, or tents on vacant lots
when the country fairs are not in pro-
gress A rather confidential dime mus
eum man in the city not long ago was
easily led to talk about his brother
hood, and the facts here set forth are
mainly as he described them. He had
in his exposition snake charmer,
AL Abyssinian beauty, bodIless wo.
man and two headed calf (stuffed).
The museum was in tent about thirty
feet in diameter, and the curios were
arranged around the sides. Two or
three glaring sheets of canvas were
retched about the entrance to depict
what the show contained. To be sure,
the snakes on the illustration were
thirty feet long, while the realities
were about thirty inches, and the calf
was represented as specially lively, but
the Abyssinian and the bodless woman
were fairly portrayed except for an
amount of physical beauty which the
originals could never have possessed,
| The account of these attractions
which the proprietor gave was 1e-
lightfully naive. The snake charmer,
he asserted, was the daughter of a real
Indian charmer, who was brought over
! by Barnum. She became enamored
with concert ticke. seller, and, as he
had ambition to staIt museum, mar
ried her, and their only child was then
doing the 'snake act" on the post Of
fee lot in Springfield. The fakir said
the mother really had power over
snakes, but the daughter used tooth
less snakes and cbloroform. "She is,
however," he said, "very fond of
snakes, and would sleep with them if l
would let her."
The "Abyssinian beauty Princess
Irymi, was described as 23 years old,
a native of New York, and descended
from poor but honest Irish parents.
| At the age of II she was employed to
scrub floors in New York Bowery
dime museum, and there learned the
secret of bleaching her hair and being
able to make it staud upright She
was paid S5 week for her services
The bodiless woman was the fakir's
wife, who had formerly been charac-
ter dancer in variety show. The
man said that there had been a time
when the "bodiless woman acg' had
been a whole show, and then he had
been able TO coin money. The calf,
or the remains of what had ouce been
a calf, he asserted, was a Legitimate
curiosity which he had bid in at an
auction sale of curios for $3.50. He
said that his whole outfit cost S5S and
his salary list was from SIT to $25 a
week, with his other expenses about
$40 a week, and his receipts were from
Sl5 to S35 day.
| WHY THEY DON "LAY UP.
ave don't lay up nothin,' though,
because when we lay off we have to go
with the boys and we all buck the tig-
er bit, and, of course, in the long run
that beats u.s." He told of many hard
ships they had TO endure, and said that
they are always afraid of getting
stranded away from home. Very few
of the SO called freaks are what they
seem, and are "doctored" in more or
less ingenious way. Men are all the
time doing something simply TO get a
job to pose for wonder, as they aye
too lazy TO work.
One of the most seductive fakes is
the travelling store, and it is safe TO
say that pine times out of ten they are
swindles, one way or another, and still
they are always largely patronized.