The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-15
T%AXIDERMY'S TEARY WORK
OPERATOR SHOWS SYMPATHY AND
THEN QUOTES PRICES.

Comes the young woman attired in the seal
skin cloak and many accessories to feminine
adornmont. Her eyes are infamed and dewy
with tears; she weeps copiously into an in
sufficient trine OF lace which pretends to be a
handkerchief. and is supcrbly Indifferent to
the notoriety of grief publicly exhibited.
Comes the SINAI boy tevidently her progeny
staggering heneaththe burden OF ahuge paper
wrapped parcel and supplementing the mater
nal tears with alternate sobs and snufles.
Reverertly the parcel is deposited on n long
bench In n dark little Fourth avenue shor
which Is filed with stuffed birds and beasts OF
many descriptions: and an atmosphere redolent
of unpleasant, pungent odors.
Tears, sobs and snufies unite In one stupen-
dous outburst which gradually subsidies as a
tall. spare. Rray-haired man approaches. and
in silence-a tribute Of sympathy and implied
coincidence awaits the composure and COM
mercial purposes OF his visitors. His gravity Is
most profound and impressive. BY COMPARE
son, the professional. melancholic solemnity OF
the undertaken Ia nothing short Of frivolous
ness. for he is a taxidermist whose specially Is
the perpetuation of the familiar forms of PAM
pered pets and is accustomed to narrowing
scenes and oral testimony OF bereavement.
Poor Nero" begins the young woman in the
sealskin cloak. but she is interrupted by an an
guished yowl from the small boy. and pauses to
, Join him in u tear.
II see," urn the taxidermist sadly. as
he gently strips the layers Of paper from the
parcel and reveals the stone-cold carcass of a
cocker spaniel. "A much-loved pet-too bad
too bad. Very afrectionate and intelligent. no
doubt. What a pityl What a lossl"
"He-he was more like one OF the children
than-than some Of them themselves" quavers
the young woman in the sealskin cloak. heroi-
cally striving to dam her lachrymose overflow.
Her name is Flynn.
Jaw. g'wanl' blubbers the small boy in in
finite contempt. Nero had twicet as much
gumption and sense as any NV us kids. 'cept
mo-"
Recollection Of the spaniel's superior mental
attributes causes fresh agony to both. but the
tall, spare. gray-haired man hastily. though
not unfeelingly, obtrudes a business PROPOSE
ton which effects temporary relief.
Our price for stuffing animals OF this kind
ranges from So to S25. madam" says he in
soft. soothing tones. What is your pleasure 2"
will you make him look as natural as life ?"
queries the young woman in the sealskin cloak
anxiously and with a dismal negative shake OF
the head which implies vast doubt.
Yes we will mount your unfortunate pet so
that every line in his anatomy will be naturally
and as perfectly indicated as in life for any
price over So" returns the taxidermist. "We
will also pose him in a characteristic attitude
IL you will suggest one"
BY this time the fury OF the emotional tenn
pest has slightly abated. and the young woman
in the sealskin cloak issues from her trife OF
lace and determines on a style of mounting. A
price Is also agreed upon, and the b~ereaved
ones prepare to depart.
II beg pardon. madam" says the tall. spare.
gray-haircd man, but one imperative bust
ness rule of our establishment is to collect in
advance. Not that l for one instant doubt your
honesty"-that bland. yet grave, expression of
confidence which illumines his face dispels her
possible doubt on this point" but. you see.
were animals left on our hands owing to the
forgetfulncss OF owners. we would be at a loss
to dispose Of them so as to reimburse on r
selves for our expenditure or materials and
labor"
"Oh. we certainly would not leave poor dar-
ling Nero on your hands, you may be sure"
cxclaims the young woman in the sealskin
cloak somewhat icily.
Il am as certain OF that as I am Of my own
NAME courteously responds the suave taxi
dermist. only we must live up to our rules,
distressing as it is to do SO in instances like
the present.
the young woman in the scalskin cloak. count
ing out the required sum. Il do hope you will
make poor. darling Nero as beautiful as he was
Depend upon it, madam. our work will
leave nothing to he desired or even suggested"
Thus assured. the young woman in the seal
skin cloak and the blubhcring boy vanish and
their sobs are heard only in reverberant mem
If we did not insist on getting our money
beforehand" explains the taxidermist to his
gentle touch he filings the latest candidate for
stufing TO an assistant. " we could not lay our
tn" first throes' Of grief have exRaTsted them
selves. owners OF dead pets are not so enthusiasts
tie To- have the animals perpetuated by, the
about tho matter the less inclined are they to
incur the expense; SO most Of 9ur nqtrons arc
here to be stuffed.
mounting nets " he continued with a dry, and
scarcely hubble chuckIc. live in a vale of
s scenc w "a H9R has @f lust h@ oceu EnshersNa Got f e2en the the
undertakers encounter so much grief in their
preliminary arrangements as. We, for the
women and children, while the undertakers'
business oyertures are conducted with men.
dead pet to be mounted. Men come to us
with specimens Of birds and small animals.
but very few indeed possess that scntimental.
ity and attachment which inspire women and
children TO preserve the bodies Of their animal
friends. AS the emotions Of women and
children are never so thoroughly under con-
trol as the emotions of men. the atmosphere
tears and vibrating with walls. Oyerthcrc, you
will notice, Is a small mirror. Below it is a
ibNilbIy. w llltl IldS'lutI ihtN an ~ III VI II
cabinet. Both are constantly in demand for
the amendment of those slight optical disorders
caused by too copious flows from feminine and
Juvenile tear duets.
What do we stun principally in the way OF
pets? Everything which is furry. hairy.
icathcred 3r, 3caly. from cnmcls 70 lizards, !
have had all kinds Of snakes brought TO me for
mounting. the owners protesting that they
Were famous pets and mourning their loss.
Not long ago a man. who lives. in Ninety-ffth
street md who has some local fame for the *
tent of his geological researches, came hero
with two immense buIlfrogs which. he said had
been pets. Then we mount white rats aud
mice without limit. Children are our principal
Looming in a shadowy corner was n great
white gont. mounted in II defiant attitude.
Both size and belligerent pose attracted the
visitor. who requested as to tho
subjects antecedcnts.
THAT is something which may surprise
you, rerlicd the taTidermisti emitting another
dry cl.urkla,. Somehow or other he seemed to
take his calling. or at lcnst many Of its cpl
sodrS. as n huge loko, ".Wo mounted n dozen
goats last year. and the big white fellow In tho
cornor was the net Of a saloon keeper in the
s"oreS Of pet Gonts whose owners are engaged
in the retail liquor traffic. The animals are
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