New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-30
MONSTERS OF THE STAGE.
ANIMALS STIRRED WITHIN BY MEN.
The HOBBY HORSE. THE DRAGON OF BIT.
GEORGE AND SOME MORE MOD
FRN BEASTS.
FRN BEAST


new stage monster has appeared among the
London music halls 1t is head. without any
body. which yet moves about, eats and expresses
various emotions. Its tissues are apparently OF
the same sort as those OF the dragon in Sleg-
fred" and like that beast. II moves by the
agency of a man inside It But If it does all with
which it is credited il must be rather more eiab-
crate in its mechanism than even that triumph
OF NEUROLOGICAL zoology. For. in spite OF ltS
coarse and grotesque appearance 1t can. II Is
said express establishment. anger. longing. sor-
row and repose in a most convincing manner
There has always been a surprising amount or
mirth TO be got out Of animals and monsters
thu. controlled by human power within them.
The fun probably lies in the lifelike action OF
thing which looks so lud.crously unlifelike or.
sometimes in the excessively human demeanor
0. an animal At any rate. the device is an ex-
tremely old one fer simple amusement. without
thought OF instruction or art, and 1t is still
fayorite
For even the hobby horse is not forgotten, In
gie OF the wall Of three hundred years ago
that II was The hobby-horse. one OF the SIM
Pies, OF the human beasts has always been also
one of the most amusing. A frame in something
Ike the shape If a fcrse was fastened around
TIE body % the supposed rider. The riders legs
were the only ones that there were for the use
o. the rider and the horse together. trihing
pair in the place OF six. Sometimes there were
two others for show. though not for use, pair
o, boots ben- hung upon the sides Of the horse
to simulate the legs Of the rider The real legs
Of the rider. which had to supply all the locomo-
ton. were hidden by the trappings Of the horse
except sometimes when the plungng and rear
Ing OF the unruly beast made them visible for
moment. But such an incident did not detract
from the humor Of the situation. And in spite OF
the economy Of legs the hobby horse and Its
rider could d. most Of the things that real
horse and rider could do. and some things that
they could not They could race and tilt and
prance and parade and there was no end to the
fun that could be got out OF them when the
rider was clever and could make il appear that
be was having a desperate struggle for the con-
troll Of his secd The hobby horse. as has been
said. was popular in the old time. but even yet
he reappears now and then on the stage or In
the circus ring. and always receives warm ap-
plause
The hobby horse found its most legitimate use
In the morris dance. In the old celebrations OF
Nay Day. Another beast Of the old time was
the dragon which performed In the drama OF St
George, usually in the Christmas holidays. The
play was given by little bands Of the country
people. who went from house TO house, acting II
al each one and collecting in payment any little
Presents Of money or Of meat and drink that
might be offered TO them. The dragon had q
lefce head fitted upon the head Of the man. and
dragged long tail behind. 1t walked upon
us hind legs which were the legs Of the man.
&d its forclegs were the arms Of the man. I'M
pisonated by man with any little sense or
nunor. or even by one without it. this dragon
must have been funny enough. An old picture
saows the monster with its horrid yard-long
sr'h' Its long scaly body and tail. pair Of pal
Saoie trousers. baggy not only at the knees. but