The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-08
WIZARD DANIELS IN TOWN.
Asks After His Rats Then Starts to
Buy Cowboy Saddle.

A dapper little man, wearing a plug
hat, a stylish brown overcoat and a
comical expression, entered the Throop
hotel at 1 O'Clock today and walking
hurriedly to the desk inquired:
Have the rats arrived? Are they
all right? Where are they?'
For an ordinary man to ask these
questions under ordinary circumstances
at the dinner hour in a big hotel, might
cause some suspicion as to his sanity.
But the man who propounded the in
qulrieS in quick succession was Frank
Daniels, the comedian of THE Wizard
of the Nile and he was simply asking
after the health of his rodent pets, which
he carries as a matter of necessity on
his tour with the comic opera.
For as Kibosh, the wizard of the pro-
duction, Mr. Daniels must perform all
manner of leSerdemain, and one OF his
rat from bottle out of
which he has just taken a
drink. When he started out with the
opera this season he had but one rat
necessary to the transaction, but while
in Baltimore several weeks ago his one
rat presented him with a family of
eight others, Four of these he gave
away, and the mother and the remain
ing four he now carries with him.
In reply to the comedians inquiries,
the hotel clerk handed him a small tin
box circular in shape, with perforated
lid. Mr. Daniels placed the box on the
counter, removed the cover and dis
closed to view five tiny Russian rodents,
black and white with large pink eyes
Having satisfied himself that they were
no worse for their trip from Kansas
City to Topeka, Mr-Daniels replaced the
cover and calling cOIOred employe of
the hotel said:
Take this box to my room and be
careful how you hold it. There are a
half a dozen snakes in there, so be
sure you don't let it fall
The colored boy walked off with the box
OCCUPANTS q
length, and Mr.. Daniels INDUCED in a
hearty laugh Il always tell the boys
that the box contains snakes he said,
so that I can always count on them TAX
ing the best of care Of it
Frank Daniels has been seen in Topeka
a number of times before, and has always
drawn good houses. His role as a comic
opera star gives him a much better OPP
portunity than any of his former pro-
auctions to display his talent as a come
dian. and he likes it 81 like the calcium
lights, and the glitter and glare of the
chorus. and above all the big crowds that
turn out to see comic opera" he said IF
an audience will give me just a little en-
enlargement. / am at home in the bust
mes OF amusing them. and although 1 have
been at 1t for the past ten years or more
l think it's still very fair business
"A fellow told me / could get a regular
cowboy saddle up the street a little way"
said the comedian branching off from his
work to a theme apparently uppermost in
his mind just at the time. land I'm going
up to buy it. I'm going to send it home to
my adopted son and daughter. away back
at Rye, New York, for they have been
teasing me for a cowboy saddle since l
struck the west You see / have a ranch
out at Aye, and horses to burn, and the
children, the girl Is Z and the boy 10.
amuse themselves by giving wild west
shows and all manner of daring perform
ances. L promised to send cowboy sad
die home when got out west far enough,
and think this is my chance to do it.
And having satisfied himself by inquiry
OF the colored boy Of the safe disposal of
out Of the hotel and IN Ransas svenua ia
quest of the cowboy saddle.