New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-01
MIDSUMMER AT THE MUSEE.
STRANGE ACTIVITY AMONG THE FIGURES.
HOW TIE wAXwoRKs WERE MELTED INTO LIFE
A LOCAL PHASE OF THE EASTERN WAR.

| HOW TIE WASWORkS WEfsE iNiO LIT II
A LOCAL PHASE OF THE EASTERN WAR.
Such things never happen a, any other time
happen Midsummer Eve and Midsummer Day.
| Anybody who child knows that Any
| one who lives under n charm feels the effect OF
the season II the charm is only occasional one
that Is the time when 1t falls on It's victim II 1t IL
chronic charm, then that is the time when 1t
falls from him. AS a general thing the eve and
the day OF ST. John the Baptist-only another way
OF saying midst the times when all sorts
OF strange creatures are permitted to do all sorts
OF strange things that they not permitted TO do
for the rest OF the year. II the managers OF the
Eden Musee could have known in advance what
to happen on Midsummer Eve. and could have
advertised 1t, they might have done good stroke
| OF business
The first thing that happened that the
| Waterman a little before midnight fell into a
charmed sleep This is not intended to be Joke
| Cheap wit has exercised Itself from time to time
| over the fact that watchmen sometimes sleep. but
there is nothing charming about that sort Of SUM
Der There about this. No anaesthetic known
to natural science could have kept him asleep
| through all that went around him In the next
few hours For nobody and nothing else about
the place slept Just as the bell up at Broadway
and Thirty ffth-st struck the hour of twenty-four
| there was n great awakening 1t was little like
the one In the palace OF the Sleeping Beauty when
the Prince kissed the Princess: or, rather. the
awakening in the palace OF the Sleeping Beauty
was "A little like the in the Eden Musee. For
the palace large. but simple and we'll
ordered establishment Everybody in II was about
his proper business when the sleep came. and
everybody went on about his proper business when
the s.eep passed away. There was no discord and
no friction. But the Eden Musee Is forty estab-
| shmcnts. There are emperors and kings and
Nihillsts and clorgymcn and murdcrers and SOL
d!ers and musicians and executioners and lovers
and no end OF inharmonious persons doing no end
| OF nharmonious things. The awakening among
them was very different. But that is getting ahead
OF the story.
HOW 1T ALL BEGAN
1t all began with the automatic crying baby In
the "Chndrens Masquerade Party crying
| Mamma even more plainly than usual. II posi-
BILE and then slipping off its mothers lap. with
a terrible crack Of its head on the floor. II tire
poor baby had been made OF anything less ad-
hosive than wax II would never have stayed on its
mothers lap al all. At the instant that tho mani
fcstaiion OF life began the manifestation OF me-
chanics ended The nose or whirrng wheels In
side the mother ceased and she left of turning her
head from right to LEFT and from let to right and
stopped to pick up the baby and see II It's head was
a. badly broken as tho noise seemed 10 Indicate.
Nobody but she ever found out So much commo-
ton was beginning all around that 1t was impossi-
bic 10 attend to anything so small as n cracked
BABY.
No crowd Of visitors at the Musee was ever hat
so lively As tho crowd OF inmates. In five minutes
the figures all mixed up together and were
talking laughing arguing, Joking and quarrellng
Ike political convention. Nothing but tho most
rigid etiquette and diplomacy kept pence In the
group OF Rulers OF the Word The instant
queen Victoria fcl; the vital force OF midsummer
she put up her hand and clutchei her crown.
Slipping or again" she murmurel. In tones Of
grief. why will no artist over put my crown
squaroly the top Of my head? This Is as bad
as those d'sloyal half-crown pieces that l made
them remodel" and she fastened to look for
mirror holding tie crown on with both hands
QUESTION OF IDENTITY
There were two figures that thought they had
found mirrors without looking for them. These
were the figure OF Prcsidcn, Cleveland in the
Rulers o, the WorlI' group and that OF Prcs!-
dent Cleveland IN the family group In the same
room \ few steps FOR each OF them brought them
face TO face. The figure from the Rulers OF the
Word' looked as serious II 1t were shooting
buzzaris at Buzzard's Bay. For what purpose.
II said do YOU disguise yourself as me-"
u am IN no disguise" tho figure from the family
group answered. This sembance is my own by
what warrant 10 you wear it?'
Your own? Ny own said tho figure from TIE
Rulers Of the World" and why 10 you wear that
Republican badge in your buttonholc?"
Il, might volunteer as an arbitrator. said
tho figure o. Bismarck. noting tho danger OF
quarrel "migat not your difference be settled by
4 reference 10 the catalogue" The figure OF Bis
marck whispered % the figure OF soldier stand
ing on the steps and 1t went into the outer hall
and came back With handful OF catalogues.
These were distributed among the rulers. and
they at once began looking up the figures in the
other groups The figures IN the other groups had
to nnl catalogues Tor themselves. but II was not
easy TO .ook mp anything In them by this time;
he'au'" al ~" figures w"r" roaming ABOUT, "lu
ihere was no telling whore their proper places
II rcfcr YOU" said the figure from the Rulers OF
the World" TO page II. whore II says that have
been 'thre' tine nominated ana twice elected 10
ANA appeal said The figure rom IN. family
mean, hy the words: Mr. Cleveland is regarded
as the ackes, nan o, me eenury poes na nS
attained my position through transcendent renus
and that luck never hal anything to do with IL"
4 FLAG INCIDENT
Again the convcrsntion was Interrupted. this time
by the figure of George Washington. which had
landed from It's boat the Delaware. and had
come upstairs from tho Historical Chamber. Il
,rl told" said tho figure q Washington. that one
Of you Is tn. President Of the United States what
ever they, are. Am | right in Judging mat you you
might BE- able TO tell me the meaning OF This flag
which IND IN my hand. | am familiar with one
crosses Of s.. Andrew ana 81 Gcorrs irs;e1 ,tl o,
these stars hay seen nag from nhoas siaha
stripes both, Tx" this Why have brought this
Il recognize your Nag" sal The figure from The
persons II was adopted In your time. though not
IN after YOU crossed the Delaware. Your taste
Is perhaps good prefer:irs :hc crosses of st.
Andrew and ST. George.
The figure OF Washington looked sterner as II
said Il did not say that | preferred the crosses
OF St Andrew and St George raid that was
familiar with them. This nag seems 10 mo strik.
inr and beautiful" The figure became thoughtful
Tor A moment Then 1t said: 1T seems strange
that | do not remember this nag with the stars
on H. n IL was used In my time. but can rcmc.l-
Der nothing after crossed the Delaware. |
crossed attack the British have attacked them
Have ] still battle 10 ngnt'
II turned araln 20 the figure of Cleveland TO ask
these questions but all other talk drowned for
moment by "A loTi voice which cried: rs Mr..
Edison In the house." There was no answer, and
tho voice said II an the sspaying automaton
from upstairs and | want some expert to examine
me and tell how work. You can open me In
front and look in.