Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1880 — Danger and Death for Show. [ARTICLE]

Danger and Death for Show.

Wild-beast tamers, serpent-charmers and trapeze performers never expeot to live long. They take desperate chances for a living while they live, and are supposed to be prepared to step down and out whenever accident calls for them. An over-grown boa constrictor amused himself lately by coiling around a London performer and shuffling of the mortal coil of the professea serpent charmer. It was a good show for the multitude. They got more than their money’s worth, and were filled with sublime satisfaction. In Europe these museums and menagerie shows are much more common than they are in America. They must be spiced with dangers in order to draw, and the requisite sensation can always be obtained for money, on the general principles above noted. In Berlin, more recently, a museum got up a sensation and drew the requisite crowd. WilHam Rice, a renowned “Tiger King” announced thatanegress, “ Black Helen,” would appear in a thrilling act with three full-grown and sufficiently savage Bengal tigers. The curtain rose on the stage ana the cage and Rice appeared. Entering the cage to make some preparatory arrangement with the tigers, one of them struck him on the side of his face with his fore paw and forthwith made steaks of him. That “ settled his hash,” and the audience had a rare entertainment not down on the bills. “Black Helen” did not appear that night. One tiger act was enough, and the show was over. But the interest had to be kept up in the establishment, and “Black Helen” offered herself as the victim for the sacrifice on the next night. She was promptly dispatched by one of the hungry beasts, and there was not enough left of her to make a funeral. Business would have increased and there would have been no lack of victims in this arena of death had not the Berlin police authorities stopped the human sacrifices and closed up the thriving museum. “ Black Helen” was Helen Johnson—a native of New Jersey.—Missouri Republican.

—A wandering “chippy” was picked up by a St. Louis lady and placed in the cage with her canary. In* the morning it was released, when the canary mourned as if it had lost its. mate. In the evening the chippy returned, and was allowed to nestle on the cage, when the canary struck up one of the liveliest notes and seemed Cified. This was repeated for three „ l Then chippy failed* to return. The canary drooped and soon died. • —An Irishman was accused of stealing a handkerchief of a fellow-traveler, but the owner, on finding it, apologized to Pat and said that it was a mistake. Arrah, my jewel,” retorted Pat, “it was a two-sided mistake—you took me for a thaif and I took you for a gentleman.” —Little boy of four was sleeping with bis brother, when his mother said, •* Why, Tommy, you are lying right in the middle of the bed; what will poor Harry doP” “ Well, ma,” he replied, * Harry’s got both rides.”