Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-11-18
THE MUSEUM FREAKS.
WHEN FREAK MARRiES FREAK
THEY ARE HAPPY.
The Platform Has "a Fascination FOR The III
Some of Them Make Money and
Retire Rich, Viii o Others
Die in Poverty.

w nat DeCOmeS Oh museum freaks!
DO they wander away and die in
some sequestered spot or do they
make fortunes and by this means Sc
cure husbands or wives who are
reconciled TO their de 'ormities by rea-
son OF their cash?
a purveyor OF freaks and natural
curlosities TO the museums of the
| country undertook to answer these
queries the other day. He is a dis.
| tinguishcd Snowman was the personal
friend OF the late =. L. Barnum-in
, fact 1t was Barnum who gave him his
start in business-and is intimately
acquainted with the public and pri-
vate history of every freak. curiosity
and human monstrosity that has been
exhibited in the United States during
the last quarter OF n century.
LAS rule. the people who attract
| crowds to the museums and side
shows do not seek sore se1uestered
haunt where they can die IN peace. "
said this prince among museum man.
ayers with IA hearty laugh at the ap.
parent innocence aud guilelossness OF
his interviewer They are not
made OF that kind OF stuff nv boy.
Once freak. always freak is
pretty general rule among the people
of the 'curio' stage. The newspapers
are eternally pratng about the ire
sistablc fascination which the legiti-
mate stage has for the kings and
queens OF tragedy and comedy; how
difficult it is for them TO shake of the
in llneuce of association.
We'll il is the same among these
people OF the side show and museum.
They grow accustomed 10 the crowds.
the constantly shifting scene the
looks of wonder and awe which are
bestowed on them and so they go on
from year TO year, their value as an
attraction growing less all the time.
until they die in the business or get
married.
do museum freaks rs IL rule marry
happilyP
curiosity marrles another | believe
they do as a rule. They have been in
the business together. and they know
what to evpece There is no stage
glamOr or tinsel attraction in it for
them. it is business perhaps with n
good deal Of honest sentiment mixed
up With it, but they get married with
their eyes OPEN
Ut is when museum freak mar
ries some one outside the profession.
! some fortune hunter or love. sick senti-
mentalist. that trouble ensues. 1t
doesn't take long for the infatuaiiou
tn, off al
and recriminations and finally sep
araton.
There are number of freaks
among the human family who have
made fortunes out Of their misfor
/ tunes. ii such IL paradox can be con-
sidered. Then there are others who
have squandered more than q com.
potency. One OF Barnum's most sue
cessfuI exhibitions twenty five years
ago was Titania the Fairy Queen.
, little bit OF woman who created a
Juror wherever she was exhibited. In
fact next TO Tom Thumb she was the
most interesting bit of humanity done
up in small compass that ever ap-
peared on any stage.
She commanded big salary, but
never seemed TO save penny of it or
rather her parents never saved anv
OF IL for her She earned thousands
and thousands of dollars but they
have all disappeared like smoke and
to- day poor little 'Titsnia' now
woman with graj hair is an inmate
OF the poor-house right here In Phil
| adelphia.
speaking about your almshouse"
continued the Snowman in "a more
animated tone than he had before
: used Il understand that there is
another strange freak OF nature inside
its walls what they call the baby.
man. midget smaller than any vet
exhibited only this individual would
not be available for exhibition pur-
poses owing to his deformity.
Then there is n class of freaks
who often outgrow their usefulness.
They are the living skeletons. the men
of skin and bone. There died in the
city OF Pittsburg not long ago man
named Stokes. At one time he had
been museum attraction travelling
as skeleton. After a few years he
began TO fatten up TO an extent that
ruined his usefulness as u Gu iosity,
and he had 10 give up the business.
his leanness | believe was the result
OF some disease and though he
weighed little more than 100 pounds
ut death he was Of no account as
freak. lie died very poo.
but not all The museum freaks and
attractions die impoverished or are
compelled TO seek some other call
ing said the Snowman. turning his
eyes re 'ectively toward the ceiling.
There's Captain Steers and his wife.
both mdgets who made fortunes out
OF the show business. He is thirty
nine inches tall and she is Just two
inches smaller. | suppose they are
worth at least SEQ 090. They have
retired and live in II beautiful home in
! L Wayne Ind
| 'taptain , ates the giant mado