The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1894-02-23
DOUBLE HEADED.

"Of course, said the dooTkeeper
1--WE calculate in the dime museum
business to deceive the public little
now and then, but as it is done for the
amusement and instruction of the pub.
lie don't see as any one has any cal
to complain. Suppose l do exhibit 6
freak that isn't quite genuine. If il
draws, it is because the public likes it,
in which case the public ought to be
satisfied If it doesn't dlaw, the public
doesn't pay out any money to see it and
naturally doesn't feel that it is swim
died. Now, l was swindled once, and
pretty bad, too, by an artificial freak,
and it was l and not the public that
suffered. If you want to hear about it,
I'll tell you the whole story, though |
shouldn't like it to be known in the
profession, for it doesn't do any credit
to me as professional man.
IL was exhibiting in Boston a good
many years ago, and l am free to say
that was losing money. Boston doesn t
seem to care for natural freaks. 1t goes
in for philosophical and philanthropic
freaks.
Il don't like to lose money any more
than you do, and things were looking
pretty blue for me when one day car
riage drives up to my door and a chap
sends in word that he wanted to see me
on professional business. l told my man
to show him in, and when l saw him l
put him down for a rascal without wait
ing to hear him speak. He told me that
he had just arrived from Europe with a
two headed girl, and that she was the
biggest thing that any museum had ever
offered to the public. He had her with
him in the carriage, and was the first
manager that he had called to see since
he landed.
Now, l knew we'll enough that a
two headed girl is about the scarcest
thing that museum can get hold of.
never knew of but one specimen of this
kind, and she was worth pretty near
her weight in gold.
Il went out to the carriage and had
look at the girl. There she sat, wrap
ped up in big shawl. AS far as l could
see she was all right. Anyway there
were two heads above the edge of the
shawl, and they were as pretty heads as
you could find in any English young la
dies seminary. If the two headed girl
only corresponded to the sample 1 saw
in the carriage, she would be the big
,gest attraction that Boston or any
other city had ever seen.
well, l went back to my Office. and
the fellow and l talked the thing over.
He said the girl was Laplander and
couldn't speak word of any language
except Laplandish. She was 16 years
old and had never been out of her native
village until he had accidentally seen
her and hired her for a five years tour
of the world. So far he had not exhib-
tied her anywhere, and he wanted her
to make her debut in my show SO as to
give her respectable standing in the
profession from the start. Her terms
were 500 week and benefit every
six months, and he said that he should
ask any other manager $125.
Il told him to bring in his girl where
could have fair look at her, and then
it would be time enough to talk about
terms. He brought her in, and noticed
that she climbed down out of the car
riage with considerable difficulty. The
agent helped her into my Office, where
she sat down on the sofa and smiled at
me with both heads in a way that would
have been dangerous if she had tried it
on some managers that know.
" There she is, said the agent. The
only genuine white two headed girl the
world has ever seen. Above the waist,
where she is Joined together, she is per-
feet; two distinct girls, and good look
ing ones too. She's only got one pair of
legs, which prevents her from walking
easy, but she is as strong and healthy
as they make 'em, and there amt the
least danger that she'll die on your
hands.
Then he spoke some gibberish, which
l supposed was Laplandish, to the girl,
and she drew up the hem of her dress
SOFAS to show two nice little feet, and
no more. Those feet ought to have
awakened my suspicion. for they were
the regulation Boston size. But l was
so anxious to find that she was genuine
that / didn't notice that there was any
thing wrong about her feet.
" What do you say?' said the agent
Isn't she first class attraction2'
I" She'll draw safe enough, said /,
provided she's genuine. 4 don't mean
to say she amt, but I've got to be sure
about it before we can do any business.
"Ohl It's easy enough to prove that
she is genuine, says the fellow. I've
got certificates from three of the leading
physicians in Lapland, besides the aft
davit Of her father and mother and the
parish priest. If they don t satisfy You,
nothing will, and shall have to take
her to another manager.
Show me the certifcatesl' said l.
Well, he produced them on the spot,
and they seemed all right. OF course 1
couldn't read word Of them, but they
had lot of sealing wax on them, which
is always convincing and had a genuine
official look. l wanted the girl so had
that perhaps it led me to be little
careless for once in my life. So said
to the agent that would give him S25
week and sign contract with him for
year. We argued the matter for about