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

% Aooe "iue unu TOUR teet high.
He sat down in the bottom of it. A
wire top was added, making the side
three feet higher, 80 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 n
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 outstretchcd be.
fore him, scowling at the faces which
showed over the side OF his cage.
The enameled beauty was alreadv
in the ticket Office. "Snipey" and
the human target were on the plat.
form in 'front.' of "Aguinaldos" 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 1T, behind n row of curtains. there
was the machinery of three optical il
lusions-arrangements of lights aud
mirrors for the production of the
vanishing lady" the "beheadod
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 ney-tonguod
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
isos 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 iu 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 wero 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 il they hal
any money left in their pockets, they
were glad to escape by side door
and say nothing.
1t was this progression the manager
intended to begin when he called out
from the door. "Are yeh all reaC W"
The organ staggered into an uncertain
melody for answer. "Snipey" twirled
his tin-bladed daggers on the plat
form. The vision in the tick ct office
smiled, and "Aguinaldo, hidden in
his packing-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 jerked out the inconvenient
Notwithstanding the tender skin
of his nostril as he did it, so that his
nose began to bleed-wiped off his
face with his hand, smudging the
liquor-loosened colors and drank CO.
| piouslv.
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 the Bowery. TIL orig.
inal Palace of Illusions an Turkish
Beauty Show. Children not admitted.
Walk in, boys, walk in. It's free
gratis fer nothin' Step right in
side. Don't block the entrance"
The three "touts" who had been
gazing at the photographs of the cho-
rus-girls i'll the window, led the inva-
sion. 1t was holiday afternoon.
There were youths sightseeing on
the Bowery who would not venture
there after dark, and the barker's
invitation gathered them in. Free
performance Just beginning" he kept
crying.
''Snipey" began 10 juggle, with his
daggers. When tho crowd increased, =,
he cast one against shield OF thick
planks. The organ stopped. In n
nervous silence Jenny" who had
been waiting in the back ground,
stood up beside the dagger in the
plank, and the Mexican" throwing
aside his sombrero, cast the five re-.
naming knives at her, one by one.
They struck in circle about her head,
and the music burst out again trium-
phantly.
This performance was repeated un-
til some thirty-odd men and boys we're
jammed into the small space before
the platform. Then the manager
came in from the door, and took his
place beside "Snipey." The music
choked off on an unfinished bar.
'Now, gents" he said, "just mo-
ment vile / tell yeh wat we got in.
side. got the finest show that ever
opened on the Bowery. First an
foremost, boys. we got the Filipino
warrior an will man"-pointing from
the painting of hairy cannibal pur-
sued by soldiers to the box in which
the invisible "Aguinaldo" steadied a