The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-11-10
AT the Fair.

Columbia was 'diked out" last week. in
her Sunday best" Flags and bunting
by day gave her a holiday appearance
while the thousands of extra lights by
night shut out all vision Of the stars.
The sky scraper flew flags from every
window. The capitol was draped in red,
white and blue, while over the front en-
trance was a draped picture Of the Presi-
dent. The only thing not in keeping with
the occasion was the flag over the dome OF
the Capitol, which was one great brown
rag. Maybe it is a historic flag and COL
umbia was flying it for that reason.
Among the first things to attract the
sightseer was the midway, or small shows
located along the line of main street.
Here we see a small tent marked Flea
Circus" and being curious to know what
the thing really is you invest your dime
and take your place at the table to hear
the German professor eXpatiate on fleas.
These particular fleas he tells you are the
European human flea. He tells you that
they are hard to train because of their
propensity to jump. They must be chain
ed down for months with a chain around
his neck to persuade the flea to change
his manner of locomotion. There too he
shows you the flea undergoing his gram
mar school tuition.
Now the professor brings out of a
downy box a small brass buggy to which
two educated fieas are hitched. The
Professor explains that the hitching pro-
cess is very difficult and dangerous to the
flea. A ting gold wire must be fastened to
the flea's neck, not too loose or too tight,
and by this he pulls. This pair Of match
horses are pulling one thousand times
their own weight. He brings out another
pair hitched to a miniature cannon and off
they walk with their load as if they were
we'll on to their job.
Now, he brings out the high kicking and
Juggling flea. A ball is given to the flea
and he iuggles it just as a Jap juggles the
sphere, until, at the proper signal from the
professor, the flea kicks the ball off into
space.
Various other stunts these fleas perform
too numerous to mention and you lift up
the side Of the tent and slip out, wonder
ing how any man could undertake such Il
thing, and wondering still more what the
Professor is going to reply when he is
asked to "give al account for the deeds
done in the body"
Next comes on exhibition of deep sea
diving. The diver enters the bell and
descends into 10 feet Of water, shows how
they enter wrecks, how they telephone to
the surface, how they save their lives by
disengaging the sinker weights when the
life line becomes detached from them.
He also shows how vessels lost in shallow
water are raised now by air bags. 10
illustrate this a small iron vessel is allow
ed to sink. AS soon as the vessel gets
below the surface it turns its nose or keel
and sinks quickly. The diver
and fastens to it four fabby air
sacks. Air is then pumped into these
sacks from the surface. The sacks become
larger as they are filled with air. Present.
ly the little ship begins to rise, slowly at
first, but a little more air, and up to the
the whole outfit rises. Among
other things the diver shows what he does
when he sinks into mud or quicksand.
Here he brings into requisition some kind
material that makes gas, this he turns
loose in his bell and the increased bouy-
ancy does the work.
. Under another canvass is the Ghost
show. From it eminates the most spirit
ual, spooky, spells of the whole lot. In
this show devils, ghosts, and things I'M
catalogued, appear and disappear with a
of reality that makes the eyes
Of the darkey on the back seat look like