The Washington herald., 1915-08-30

| The huge mounted hide filled tn,
tent. The stuffed shark, a tank of liv.
alligators, and an unhappy-iookine
turtle completed the exhibit.
"You see before you the larges
! whale ever exhibited" began tn.
Snowman pompously. KILLED nea,
Tampa, Fla, June. 1912. Measure!
seventy feet and weighed FIVE tons
Now if you'll just stoop down and
step inside-you can say you've beer
further inside whale than Jonah ever
was"
"He's great" grinned Warren
crawling into the whales stomach.
Inside the monster frame was sup.
ported by rough board beams. and lii
with electric bulbs.
"The real thing, all right No fake
about this" Warren poked with his
cane the thick hide, still oozing oil in
spite of the tar covering.
Careful, lady, don't get tar on your
Dress" as they crawled out. "Now
notice these mouth bristles-from
these we make corset stays. riding
whips" launching into, his spiel
on the by-products of the whale.
Hes the old-time Snowman,
chuckled Warren, when he raised their
umbrella outside "Not many of 'em
left Now where"
1.-The House of Thousand Won
| ders" glared a sign ahead. "The
Three-legged Man, The Armless and
| Legless Wonder! Fleurette! Princess
Pat!"
"Side show, eh' Come on. might as
we'll get out of this rain"
Inside a gaping crowd surrounded
each platform. On the first was en-
throned Fleurettc. the fat woman.
staring vacantly into space.
Her soiled, red satin, low-necked
Mother Hubbard came barely to her
bloated knees. A rhinestone necklace
and bracelets adorned the bulging fat
of her bare arms and neck. Her pudgy
fingers glittered with rings. Her
greasy, black hair bristled with orna-
ments. Her elcphantine legs were in
cased in pink cotton tights.
Airy. fairy and sylphlike-1 don't
think" grunted Warren passing on.
But Helen glanced back with sort
of horrible fascination. There was a
curious animal look in that puffy face
and small beady eyes.
At the next platform Helen caught
ner breath with a sick thrill of pity
and horror. Propped upon. a cushion
was the "armless and legless wonder"
"a mere human trunk with the head
of an elderly mai. II was a we'll
shaped head with g-av hair and beard
and certain grotesquc dignity.
H:s eyes, with their tortured look,
met Helcn's. She drew hack distress
ed It seemed an Irtrusior to stare at
his p,teous deforniity.
oh. dear. let's go-it's all too
grewsome," with shuddering glance
at the other platforms on which were
exhibited other malfcr,ratiors.
"AlI right I've mad enough. Let's
dig u. something moro cheerful"
1t was still raining Helen clung to
Warren in the jostlinG. umbrellad
crowd, still haunted by that piteous
head on that limbless body.
Farther on was the dazzlingly-lit
entrance to Luna Park. Warren
bought admission from the blonde,
gum-chewing lady in the gilded char
lot.
The festooned lights and glittering
towers glowed through the rain, but
most of the attractions were closed:
The performers and showmen stood
around their ticket windows, staring
gloomily out at the downpour.
The coasters, scenic railways and
all the "thrillers" were frankly dark.
Even if the rain held UP, the wet, slip
perry tracks would make the swooping
cars too dangerous.
One place showed signs of life, but
it turned out to be an exhibition of
baby incubators. "Incubators With
Live Infants!"
Dear, we can go in there"
1--WE can," grimly, "but we won't.
Here, this looks something like"
"De Milo! Vision of Art" read the
billboard. --latest European Nov
city"
"Anything doing?" called Warren,
to the silent, discouraged barker.
"Step in. sir, we'll give the show if
we can get two more"
two women scurried along under a
lowered umbrella, their skirts held al
most to their knees.
The barker exhorted loudly, but
they passed on unheeding.
"Oh. come on, let's have a drink
and 60 home" growled Warren dis
gusted. "We're 5lithering idiots to
paddle around here in the rain" u
Outside, along the "Bowery," the
shooting galleries, ring-throwing.
ball-rolling chances were deserted, in
spite of the hoarse shoutings of their
But the sea air makes even