The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1900-03-27

keep ont the cold. 1t also kept in
the heat-the heat, that is of his irri
tation-and mixing with the luncheon.
started rebellion in his head.
When he heard a laundering demand
for his prompt appearance from that
triune oppressor, the manager, clark
er" and ''bouncer," he lifted the tail
of his bearskin and thrust the flask
into the hip-pocket of his legless
knickerbockers, planning to have an
other drinl,,in his cage.
The manager did not see anything
in his manner except u childish bad
humor, and 'Aguinaldo, climbing
up to his platform, got over the side
q a box which was seven feet long.
three feet wide and four feet high.
He sat down in the bottom of it. A
wire top was added, making the side
three feet higher, so that when the
exhibition began he might stand up
without showing more than his
head and chest to the public who had
not yet passed the ticket Office 10 the
platform on which he was elevated.
When not reused by the manager to a
mock fury that flung him with savage
hands upon this wire netting, he sat
with his back against tho end of the
box and his legs outstretched be-
fore him, scowling at the faces which
showed over the side of his cage.
The enomeled beauty was already
in the ticket office. ''Snipey" and
the human target were on tho plat
form in front of "Aguinaldo's'' box. 4
calico screen hung between them and
the Hall of Illusions, and behind that
screen the boy waited with the hand
organ. There were two lines of muta-
scopes in the hall, and at the far end
OF 1t, behind row of curtains, there
was the machinery of three optical il
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of lights and
mirrors for the production of the
vanishing lady" the "beheadod
lady" 0nd tho animated bust" A
door beside these curtains led iuto
the second compartment where the
scrawny beauties posed. There was
third room with nothing in it but
the broken peep-shOw and such old
lumber
And the method of the entertain
ment was just this. A crowd was
gathered by the invitations of the
barker at the door. and welcomed
into tho free show beside the ticket
office. From that the honey-tongued
orator drew them past the Office where
they paid five cents each) over "Aguin-
aldo's' platform into the Hall of Illu.
sions. The entertainment there was
rather disappointing after the prom
ises of the placards and pictures in
the windows and of the manager on
the platform. Itwould cost ten cents
more to realize those promises in the
next compartment. A number OF
"touts' led the gulis into the Beauty
Show, where they received another
disappointment when the golden.
haired antiques were posed for them.
They were told then that in the last
compartment there was sometime
that they must not inform the police
about 1t would cost ten cents more
to see it, If any were fools enough
to pay that ten cents, they came upon
the lumber room. The three touts
laughed at them. The manager and
"Snipey' awed them. The lights had
been turned down, and if they had
any money left in their pockets. thew
were glad to escape by a side door
and say nothing.
Twas this progression the manager
intended to begin when he called out
from the door, care yeb all reaCv?"
The organ staggered into an uncertain
melody for answer. "Snipey" twirled
his tin-bladed daggers on the plat
form. The vision in the ticket-office
smiled, and 'Aguinaldo," hidden in
his pacHug-case, got the bottle from
under his bearskin and attempted to
tilt it to his lips. He had forgotten
the bone ring that hung from his nose
as low as his lower lip, and he split
the precious liquor over his face and
down his neck before he knew IT,.
Then he ierked out the inconvcnicut
Notwithstanding the tender skin
OF his nOstril rs he did If, so that his
nose began to bleed-wiped of his
face with his hand, smudging the
liquOr-lOosened colors and drank co.
piousIv.
The manager had thrown open the
door and was already casting bait to
his gudgeon Walk in, gents, walk
in. Free performance right on the
inside. No charge for admission The
finest show ON tho Bowory Tn orig.
iull Palace of Illusions an Turkish
Beauty Show Children not admitted.
Walk in, boys walk iu. It's free
gratis fer uothiu' Step right inc
side. Don't block The entrance"