The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-02-08

He sat down in the bottom of il. 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 to the
platform on which he was elevated.
When not reused by the manager to
mock fury that flung him with savage
hands upon this wire netting, he sat
with his back against the end Of the
box and his legs outstretched be-
fore him, scowling at the faces which
showed over the side OF his cage.
The enameled beauty was already
in the ticket Office. ''Snipey" and
the human target were on the plat
form in front of "Aguinaldo's" box. A
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 it, behind row of curtains, there
was the machinery of three optical IL
usions-arrangeme Of lights aud
mirrors for the production of the
vanishing lady" the "beheadcd
lady" and the animated bust" A
door beside these curtains led into
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 the 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 $" 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. 1t would cost ten cents
more to realize those promises in The
next compartment. A number of
"touts" led the gulls into the Beauty
Show, where they received another
disappointment when the golden.
haired antiques were posed for them
They were told then that in tho last
compartment there was something
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 ut them. The manager and
"Snipey" awed them. The lights had
been turned down. and il they ha I
any money left in their pockets, they
were glad to escape by side door
and say nothing.
twas this progression the manager
intended to begin when he called out
from the door, "Are yeh all reat W"
The organ staggered into an uncertain
melody for answer. "Snipey" twirled
his tin-bladed daggers on the plat
form. The vision in the ticket flee
smiled, and "Aguinaldo," hidden in
his packing case, got the bottle from
under his bearskin and attempted tC
tilt it to his lirs. He had forgotten
the bone ring that hung from his nos,
as low as his lower lip, and he spill
the precious liquor over his face ant
down his neck before he knew it
Then he ierked out the inconvenien
Notwithstanding the tender skin
of his nostril as he did It, so that hi
nose began to bleed-wiped off hi
face with his hand, smudging tn
liquor r-loosened colors and drank co
piouslv.
The manager had thrown open th
, his gudgeon. "Walk in, gents, wal
in. Free performance right on tn
! inside. No charge for admission. TIL
finest show on the Bowery. TIL orig
inal Palace of Illusions an Turks
Beauty Show. Children not admitted
Walk in, boys, walk in. It's fire
gratis fer nothin'. Step right IN
| side. Don't block the entrance.
The three "touts" who had bee
gazing at the photographs of the che
, rus girls in the window, led the inva
; sion. 1t was holiday afternoon
There were youths sightseeing o
the Bowery who would not ventur
there after dark, and the barker
/ invitation gathered them in. ''Fre
performance just beginning" he keI
crying,
I "Snipey" began 10 iuggle, with hi
, daggers. When tho crowd increased
/ he cast one against shield OF thic
, planks. The orgau stopped. In
nervous silence Jenny" who ha
) been waiting in the back grount
/ stood up beside the dagger iu til
: plank, and the Mexican" THROWN
A aside his sombrero, cast the five r,
4 naming knives at her, one by on'
3 They struck in circle about her hea,
= and the music burst out again triuu
= phantly.
This performance was repeated III
/ til some thirty-odd men and boys wei
; iammed into the small space befoi
the platform. Then the manage
I came in from the door, and took h
= place beside "Snipey." The mus
3 choked off on an unfinished bar.
s snow, gents" he said, ''just IN
e ment vile 1 tell yeh wat we got il
side. got the finest show that eve
8 opened on the Bowery. First a
foremost, boys, we got the -Filipir
{ warrior an will man"-pointing frol
1 the painting of q hairy cannibal pu
!. sued by soldiers to the box in whic
{ the invisible "Aguinaldo" steadied