The Ordway new era., 1914-03-27


| there ID NO such thing as tanning them
They may be trained to do certain
things. but they are never trustworthy.
We had q queer Illustration Of that
when was travelling with caravan
circus in France. One of the lionesses
had a litter of three cubs. -and In the
excitement OF the moving and strange
surroundings, she killed two of them.
We took the other one away and the
woman who cooked for US volunteered
to raise 1t. She became very much at
tached to 1t and developed the theory
that she could overcome It's savage
instincts by diet, and for n time il
looked as II she were right. The beast
was with her for about two years and
grew to fine animal. but she never
let him taste raw food One day, when
he was comfortably lying before the
stove, she pushed him with her foot
to get him out of the way and he re-
sented it, Whether It was that alone.
or whether the odor of meat which she
| was about to cook appealed to him. l
don't know: but all of his savage in
stincts were aroused and when we Sc
cured him we found that he had taken
| most of her scalp off,"
TITS funny how some people are al
ways looking for a chance to get dam
ages" said the Press Agent. settling
himself comfortably in his chair. I'VE
had case of it when Merritt and
were running u dime museum out
| west. The freaks all lived together at
a large boarding house and one morn
ing, when they reported for duty. the
"Tattooed Lady was missing. 1t was
before the days when they were so
common and we had spent a lot of
money to have her decorated and made
her our star attraction. OF course.
none Of the tattooing was visible when
she was In street costume. but when
she sat on the platform dressed In low
neck and short skirts the lecturer had
something to talk about, for the men
agerie pictured on her was a thing Of
beauty, and the few choice texts like.
BE good and you will be happy which
were scattered in between the animals.
were highly moral and eleyating, and
that was one OF the strong points of
our show. Merritt used to spread him
self when he was telling how she was
shipwrecked on desert island and
whose high priests spared her from
the menu to tattoo her with the sym
bols of their heathenish worship. II
gave him great chance to come in
strong on the moral part. when he ex.
planned about the texts and told how
they were added after the cannibals
had been converted to red flannel
shirts. silk hats and vegetable diet,
| by the missionaries, and have seen
ancient maiden ladies moved to tears
by this recital. So when he had tc
give his lecture without her. he got
mixed up and called attention to the
marvellous growth of hair on the face
OF the 'Circassian Beauty, thinking
she was the Bearded Lady, and near
ly pulled the ears of of the Dog Faced
Boy trying to explain that he was
The Man With the Rubber Skin OF
course. that made trouble among the
! freaks, who are a mighty touchy lot
anyway, and / have noticed that trou
BILE always comes In punches in the
show business, 80 l wasn't surprised
when q husky guy that looked like a
farmer came in with blood in his eye
and asked for the manager. ] looked
around for Merritt. but he had gone
around the corner to get something
to drown his sorrow. SO slipped a
piece of lead pipe under my. coat and
acknowledged the soft impeachment.
"Look'ee here. wot kind of skin
game be youse fellers runnin' here?
says the guy and l took a good grip
on the lead pipe and tried to turn away
wrath by soft answer, and quoting
from our advertisement that it was a
| highly moral and Intellectual enter
tainment.
"'Not by dern sight. 1t amt says
he. It's blasted man-trap to ketch
the unwary. an I'll have the law on
ye an make yer pay fer trifllng with
my young affections, have had some
pretty tough things said to me In my
day. but that. was about the worst
ever. and pretty nearly took my breath
away, but he went right on.
"I deliver milk to that boardin
house down the street an see like
ly lookin' gal there lately an I want
ed some one to help milk an look aft
er the house, SO l asks her to marry
me. She says she will. SO we hitched
up an 1 never knew she was one O.
yer dern freaks until 1t was too late.
She says she's "Tattooed Lady" an
she's all covered with picters.'
Well, what's the matter with 'em:'
says l. Aren't they good plcturesT
"Good enough says he, for them
as likes EN-; but don't banker after
no decorations o. that kind an, bgosh.
I'll mako yer pay fer palmin of a
damaged article on me. She's all over
snakes an other beasts an 1t makes
me sick ter my stummick every time
thinks OF en-"
damages?" asked the Stranger.
"Damages!" exclaimed the Press
AGENT as he Xtned the foam from hiS