The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-01-13

day. from the ."barker" of the show
than his seIf-respect as a white man
and a citizen would allow him to bear
cheerrully. And for that reason he
sulked at the table when the manage
ment and the stan of the Bowery
palace of Illusions and Turkish
Beauty Show" sat down together in
their eating-room to a luncheon OF
warm beer. bread, and sausages. 1t
was the midday intermission. Below
stairs, the barrel organ was dumb. The
wicket of the ticket-ufIice was empty Of
SIS vision Of belladOnna eyes and corn
starch shoulders. The hall Of illusions
of incaudescent lights and bewilder-
ing mlrrors-wRs dark and deserted.
And the curtains in the last compart-
nent of the exhibition parted Imply on
vacant stage whore two ancients in
flaxen wigs had been posing against the
shabby hangings of a Turkish harem.
Here in the eating-room, the company
was gathered about greasy pine table
that stood between the cookinG-stove
and the sink. A feeble light. filterinE
through the dirty windows upon the
bare arms and bare shoulders of the
women, showed suspicious difference
III color between the rough arm that
had not been powdered and the tender
white Of the neck that had. The LAD
who tortured the agonized organ down
stairs chewed rythmIcally on tough
crust Of bread, his head still turning
tunes, his eyes set in the vacant stare
OF an animal at feed. A young girl be-
side him, with smudged face and un-
tidy half. choked on her sausage, and
"snIped," the counterfeit Mexican for
whom she posed as the human target
IN the great dagger throwing stunt
OF the free performance. rallied her
with a facetious Think yeh'd been
swallowin' swords"
The tcket-oEice beauty. who was the
managers wife. grinned at this Wit,
and the scrawny beautiesein the tawny
wigs lifted their pencIled eyebrows ap-
PreciatiEeiy-Bnt with care.
The manager-he was the barker"
and the ohiclal "bcuncer" in one mus
cuiar person-dlrected the eyes of the
company to the sulRiag "Filipino" with
a wink and a nod. Think he'd been
swallowing insults" he chuckied.
"Aguihaldo," as they called him,
pretended not to hear. bumped over
his plate and glowerinE at knot in
the table. He had covered his painted
nudity with an overcoat and an un-
derskirt. He had pulled OF his rusty
wig. and taken out the ring Of bone
that had been pInched into his nostrlls.
But around his eyes were still two cir
cIes OF yellow ochre. His color was red
brick.dust to within an inch OF his nat
black hair, and there 1t turned skin
white. When he ate his sausage, he
drew back his painted lips and took
the food carefully between his teeth.
The grlmuce set his face for a savage
snarl.
Eats human nesh.' the manager
quoted at it, and laughed again. con-
temptuously.
The ticket.ohlce exhibit drew her
eyes over her husband slowly. and
swung glance down the table at the
Filipino. ''Aguinaldo" was staring at
his tormentur dumbly.
Looks as II he'd like to eat me. don't
he?" the latter whispered loudly to the
fable. They either laughed or they did
not. The organist did not because he
was thinking {; nothing. ''snIpey'
laughed to curry favor with the man
aeement. and the two women laughed
because they understood the game that
was being played and Knocked at It.
They knew that "Agulnaldo" did not
dare to face an open rupture for fear
he should flnd himself on the street
rhere was note in their cacklIng that
was challenge to the manager
ANY time he likes to try a chaw at
me, I'm game" he clustered.
There was no answer.
Il amt heard that FIliplnos are much
on the fight." "snipey" laughed.
"AEuinaldo" was at him with an oath
before he could drop his grin, and he
was stun tangled in his chair when he
received blow that threw him over or
the screaming girl beside him.
The two Haxen wigs laughed loudly
and malIciously The manager roared
n curse at the pcttlcoated savage. The
tlcket-oflce beauty watched "Agulnal-
do" curiously. He threw off his over
coat as "snIpey'' rose to his feet, but
the Mexican" was a small man. aud
he did not get up to fight
"Whars the matter with yeh?" he
whined.
"1n close yer mouth fer yeh well, 4
yeh open it again. That's watts the
matter with me-"
WIN yeh?"
The naked arm drew back threaten
ing a blow. The girl screamed. They
both turned on her "Ah, shut up yer
noise, the Mexican cald "Agulnaldo'
picked up his overcoat and slouohed
away to his sleeping-room. pattcrinf
down the hall with bare feet The or
ean-grinder. who shared the room, fol-
lowed him.
The managers wife turned TO he:
husband. "Hes getting sore" she
said. Better leave him alone"
"Pnh. he laughed. "That dopy."
She shrugged her bare shoulders
brushing crumbs from her white satin
- III hnr n1---nrh .pIrt hnih anIInN