The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-07-11

Deputy City Controller Charles A.
Hartley has a bran new Yentrilouuial
trick, which Re worked yesterday af-
ternoon on an unsuspecting member
of the street cleaning force with spen-
did effect
Now it must be understood that this
unsuspecting street cleaner either read
or had heard some time ago that
there was a ventriloqust in the con-
troller's office named Hartley, who
could throw his voice here, there. or
anywhere. He came in the office some
time ago and Hartley, who was busy
at the time, but who scented possibili-
ties of fun in the future, told him
that John w. Howell, the controllers
clerk was Mr.. Hartley. the ventrilo-
quist.
The gentleman from the street
cleaning department. looked Johnnie"
who is rather youthful looking, over
and remarked that he was very young
for one so famous.
"Oh, that's all right" said Hartley
in his imperturbable style, you know
THAI ventriloquism has the effect of
preventing people from aging"
rs that so, now," responded the
other, with a look of wonder.
GAVE AN EXHIBITION.
Now, this gentleman came in yes
terday afternoon and Charlie" having
a few minutes to spare, proceeded to
liven things up a bit to the great en-
ioyment of several who were onto the
game.
Have you seen any of Mr. Hart
t,;,I
ley pointing to the fictitious one.
Hes got some first class ones that
he's been practicing all week and
they're really first rate"
well, indeed now and I haven't
and do you know I'd like to see him do
some of them. I've seen some pretty
good ventriloqusts on the stage, and
| want to see if he can beat 'em," re-
piled the innocent victim.
Beat 'em. Well, l guess yes. He's
the greatest in the business respond
ed Hartley. "Why he can do ventrilo-
quial work with his mouth open. Just
show him, Hartley"
Whereat the bogus Mr.. Hartley
opened his mouth wide and Charlie
opened up in his far-away voice, You
didn't think l could talk with my
mouth open, did you? This is easy,
this is"
"Well, what do you think of that
said the innocent victim who had been
closely scrutinizing the wide open Wis
age of Johnnie Howell. by gar, he's
Il wonder, he is.
"Oh, that's nothing at all, nothing at
an replied Hartley. "Why he can
talk that way with his mouth full of
water. Just watch him."
With that he handed a cup to Howell
and the latter drank a big draught
from it and when his mouth was closed
the voice opened up again. "Now,
what do you think? Funny how I can
talk with my mouth fun of water
isn't it? But it's easy, though dead
easy"
WATER STILL THERE.
"Now. you will observe" said Hart
ley when the voice had finished, with
all the smoothness of museum lee
turcr, "you will observe that the water
is still i'm Mr.. Hartlcys mouth. Just
spit it out, won't yOu?"
And the bogus Mr.. Hartley there
upon spat out the water to the great
amazement of the street-cleaning gem
tleman.
"Wcll you're a wonder, he said, land
no use of talking. Go on the stage
where you belong and you'll make a
fortune. Sure there's none of them as
good as YOU"
"What do you think of him. any
way?" he said to the Tribune man
out in the hall. II can't get over it,
talking that way with his mouth open
and then full of water. He's a Won
der. he's wonder" and he walked out
of the building completely paralyzed,
as the slang expression has it.
The real Mr.. Hartley" was standing
right next his confederate all the time,
but, the victims attention and interest
being Centcrcd on the bogus one, he
wasn't suspected for moment. 1t
was a capital exploit and was thor
oughly and heartily enjoyed by all who
witnessed it.