The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-03
HOW FREAKS ARE FOUND.
SEARCH OF MUSEUM MANAGERS
FOR PUBLIC ATTRAC TONS.

FOR PUBLIC ATTRAC FIONS.
4 Peculiar Demand by the People for
something New and Surprising,
Which is Generally Some
Incidents in the Career of One
searcher for the Marvellous.
From the Boston Herald.
~There is a perversity of spirit in human
nature which leads mankind to regard the
accentric and the bizarre with admiring
wonder In the familiar language Of the
..lGkado," there's fascination frantic in
the odd" The inventive yankee has sue
cseded in turning this passion for the fan
tastic to good account in a business way by
introducing to the showman's boards the
anomaly known in popular parlance as "a
freak" The crippled mendicant who ex-
Noses his distorted limbs on the street cor
ners of European cities, in America poses
on the stage as a star, while pay
ing audiences flock to view him. A
freak must not necessarily be
reformed in order to fulfill the re-
ouirements of his calling. If he be suffi-
GENTLY differentiated from his fellows by
any startling popularity, he is thoroughly
equipped for professional career, and is in
position to draw substantial salary,
while, like the Pharisee, he thanks God that
he is not like other men. There is a pecul-
Jar pathos in the life of a freak, which,
sketched by the master pencil of the creator
of Little Nell would challenge the tender
ness and pity of mankind The misshapen
offspring whose existence is reproach and
burden of woe to INDECENT parents, fire.
0uently becomes their staff of strength and
L the source of a goodly income; but at the
cost of sacrificing shame and making of de-
formity a stock in trade.
Humor and pathos usually 60 hand-in-
hand, and the freak is not wanting in
/ humorous aspects. There is something ex-
ouisitely funny in thu thought of adopting
OBESITY as profession, or the idea of chew
ing tacks for livelihood, aud it is very
possible that many patrons of the freak are
attracted to the platform where he abides
less by curiosity than by a sense of the ludi-
crous elements in the spectacle which he
presents. The freak, as such, first made his
appearance in the sideshow which was a
feature of the old-time circus. 1t was soon
discovered that he was paying attraction
in and by himself, and the evolution of the
dime museum was the result.
THIS INSTITUTION CAME INTO BEING
about ten years ago. and has had phe-
nomenal run of prosperity. Shrewd man
ayers have built up fortunes by exhibiting
their anomalous fellow creatures, and the
freaks themselves have earned handsome
salaries simply by putting themselves in
evidence.
But the range Of human deformity and
eccentricity is necessarily limited, and most
Of the attractions in this line have become
familiar to the public and passed into the
realm Of what show people know as back
numbers As q consequence, the managers
Of dime museums are obliged to exercise the
greatest ingenuity and industry in order to
secu prodigies for the delectation of their
audiences.
The freak is still the drawing card of a
dime muSeum," said one of these gentlemen
to the Herald reporter. THAT this is
recognized by the museums is best shown
by the fact that their managers invariably
make the freaks the chief advertising
feature. But freaks are scarce, and one of
the species soon becomes a chestnut af er
showing about the circuit. A freak that
commands $500 week during his first
season is often glad to get $50 a week year
or two afterward"
What methods do you adopt to secure
freaksm asked the writer.
We'll, in the first place, the museum man
ayers, in common with the rest of the
world, rely for news on the columns of the
daily papers. The appearance of a prodigy
IN the physical or mental order is matter
OF news and is chronicled as such. We scan
the great dailies closely for announcements
OF this sort, and an agent is at once dis
patched to interview the marvel, and, if it
be found bona 6de, to secure it for exhi-
billion. That is the standard method. Then,
TOO. III vacation time, it is usual for the
agent or superintendent OF a museum 10
make a haplazard tour i'll out-of-the-way
districts, and strive, by diligent inquiry, to
discover freaks of nature in the human
family.n
Such quest must necessarily be some
what arduous and adventurous, as we'll"
sad the reporter tentatively.
You may well say sou was the reply
II have been on numberless expeditions Of
the sort, and | can assure you that the
work cut out for man is of a sort that is
calculated to try his patience and tax his
ingenuity to the utmost. My usual method
Is to register at hotel in an out-of-the-way
village, and allow my mission to beco lie
Emo" to few of the oldest inhabitants.
these are usually the greatest gossips in the
neighborhoOd, and what they don't know
about the family affairs of the country side
hlt worth knowing. 1t is not difficult TO
get them to tell you countless stories of the
rarest prodigies Indigenous to the vicinity.
Out, on Inquiry, you usually learn that the
invaluable freaks you fancied yourself
"YNus " SECURE are all OSdu now. Ii, UN
chance, one still survives, and you should
seek it out, you are indeed fortunate if
exasperating and ludicrous disappointment
not your portion. Several years ago, at
little
HAMLET IN AROoSTOOK COUNTY,
Maine, was told that some ten miles away
babe had been born with full set of
Teeth. / at once engaged a team, and drove
20 t-haste to the farm house in which the
infant was said TO have first seen the light
OF cay. On arriving at the place l was met
ny decrepid old woman, who invited me
INTO the kitchen, and, in reply to my
queries, solemnly assured me that my
information was correct. She, herself,
ane averred, had given birth to
the phenomenal baby. She had all the
appearances of a centenarian, and you
may imagine that her statement was some
thug of a staggerer My discontinue was
complete when She hobbled out into the gar
zen and returned with a hulking, sheeplsh
Fellow of 80 odd years, whom she introduced
as ner son, and the baby in question. Show
me gen'Pman yer teeth 'Lige,' shrieked the
od crone while the infant of so grinned
hideously in obedience. Amt them beau
ueS; tie had 'em all when he was born. Err
course they've growed some'at, but they're