The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-28
YOU MAY DIE FOR FUN.
GhostIy Partisan Fun Seen in New
York.
STIMULATES THE STAGES OF CHANGE
From Life to the Grave-COGns and
Skeletons the Principal Features.


From Life to the Grave-COmns and
Skeletons the Principal Features.
The Cabaret du Neant,'' a ghostly
Partisan diversion, has been imported to
New York, and is now showing at the
Casino chambers in that city. A reporter
thus describes his visit:
From the street the visitor was ushered
into an anteroom that was almost totally
dark, and after being held therein long
enough to acquaint his eyes with the lack
of light he passed into what was styled
the First Chamber. 3" Here the light
was limited to feeble glow from one
chandelier and to the gIimmer that came
from numerous wax tapers. The latter
were of the sort that are sold by grocers
for lighting gas jets and ranges and were
stuck in the tables that were scattered
about the room. Each of these tables was
of plain deal and in the shape of coffin.
The walls of the room were draped with
black; deaths heads and crossbones
showed on the drapery, and the somber
ness was but little relieved by crude paint
ings representing for the most part pic
lures of gay scenes, but in colors of dim
ghastlinesS At one end of the room was
an aperture about foot in diameter, over
which in white letters was the mystic
legend, Remove your hat.'' Compliance
with this request enabled the curious Wis
itor to put his head well within the open
ing. Having done So he looked in for
distance of ten feet and saw, standing up
right in the recess, an open coffin covered,
except for a small space at its top. In this
space, did he follow the injunction closely
enough, he saw his own face reflected in
oolorless likeness, as though he were the
occupant of the box of death.
Outside, where the lights were DINNER,
it could be seen that the chandelier was
composed of human bones, each feeble jet
supported by 4 skeleton hand. After q
sufficient time had elapsed to permit of
consideration of these details lecturer -
in shiny silk hat, made himself heard.
After a few words of comment on the per-
vading deathlioeSs he called attention to
the paintings upon the walls, bestowing a
few words of description to each, and as
he spoke the paintings proved themselves
transparencie5 by the way their figures
changed. a depletion of a hilarious scene
in a noted French dancehouse suddenly
became dance of heshless skeletons, a
picture of man serenadfng the moon was
altered to represent a skeleton twanging
his guitar in praises of a heaven lit deaths
head, and SO it went on through the half
dozen pictures. After the list was ex-
hausted the speaker invited all those who
desired to die to follow him.
He led the way to a door draped in
black, but with a small, square opening
that suggested faro and like forbidden re-
laxations. Sturdy knocks upon the door
brought responses from the other side that
indicated reluctance in granting permits
sion to enter, but after few moments of
parley there came the sounds of lOosening
bolts, and the company passed on into the
''second chamber This too, was draped
in black, which was. relieved only by a
series of white spots, which by a lettered
sign were explained to represent tears.
On tI,o dc
''Requiescat In Pace Here the company
were challenged to die, and the volunteer
of bravado was introduced to q cowled
monk, who conducted him through parted
black curtains out of sight.
In moment the volunteer reappeared,
showing in darkeued recess at the back
of which an empty coffin was set upright.
In this he was placed, and a white cloth
was draped over him, leaving his face ex-
posed. In a few seconds his flesh lost its
glow of health, slowly darkened, and in
moment more q skeleton showed where he
had stood These effects were produced by
a reflection, fact of which the waiting
on1oOkers were assured in a few moments
by the mans reappearance.
Several volunteers made this essay, one
a woman, who was escorted by NJ Caron
to her position in the coffin while holding
a bottle of champagne in her hand. AS
the candidates offered themselves music
from an organ was of somber character,
but as the natural flesh hues slowly dark
ened in stimulation of modification the
airs from the musician became livelier,
and q jig or reel was the accompaniment
for the display of lifeless bones. A third
chamber was decorated as som berly as the
other two, and a recess similar to the
former one was furnished with a chair and
table. Here the volunteer was invited to
order whatever he desired to eat or drink,
and cautioned that he was in the abode of
phantoms. At his commands refreshments
were placed before him, and these were
visible to Onlookers, but unseen by him,
the effects being produced by lights of the
magic lantern order. Skeletons clothed in
white waited upon the sitter and disap-
peared at the command of the loquacious
lecturer, and the viands and liquors were
seemingly removed by the same unearthly
hands.
AS visitors passed from this room to the
next and last, black edged cards of in vita-
tion bearing the imprint of skull and
crossbones were handed to them, and in
the final apartment they were invited to
be seated and regale themselves. Here the
surroundings were more cheerful, to some
tastes, consisting of a selection from the
properties of the representations of comic
opera at the Casino in the past ten years.
In future showings of this newly i'm
ported Partisan delight it is planned to
serve refreshments in the first and fourth
rooms OF the establishment, the interme-
date two being reserved exclusively for
undiluted ghastliness. Those who enjoy
this sort of display will find it served up
in manner that is in every way consist
ent with the growth of goose6esh. The
one lack perhaps to be noted in the whole