Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 August 1881 — VENTRILOQUISM. [ARTICLE]

VENTRILOQUISM.

Some of the Tnoks which Ventril--1 'Trim iiinik uB giptiest.ventrilovuists?” “Well, there was an old Athenian named Eurykles, who is spoken of in history as a master of the art. Then were' Rrofessor Alexandre and. Louis Bra bout, of modern times. They were both Frenchmen. Brabout lived in the fourteenth century, I believe, mod was said to be the beet ventriloimint - Irnram A lnvan uTIIIc lirC WUIIU" tivvr afWWt' dre lived at an earlier period, and was noted moM for his mimic powers than for his ventriloquial powers. Professor Love, of England, was oelebrated in the art, and was, rivaled by Professor Harrington, who tiled the other day in JHafKo&iff tSf &S& are the greatest. Davies is now retired in Australia, and MojQabe has recently signed a oon tract to go there this season, Dayiee wa&tbe first ventriloquist to introduce;‘figures’ as assistant to “McCabe a great practical Joker. Several years ago he was <m board of a Mississippi river steamboat, and forming an acquaintance with the engineer waa allowed the freedom of the engine 'room. He took aseat in the corner, and, pulling kis hat down over his eyes, appeared to he lost in reverie. Fraosntly a certain part of tbe machinery begin to squeak. The engineer oiled it and went about his usual duties. In the oourae of a raw minutes the squeaking was beard again, and tne engineer rushed over, oil-can in hand, to lubricate tbe same spindle Again he returned to his Dost, but it waa only a few minutes until the same old spindle waa squeaking louder than ever. ‘Great Jupiter:’ he yelled, ‘tbe thing’t bewitched.’ More oil was administered; but the engineer began to smell a rat Pretty soon the spindle began to squeak again, and, slipping up Dehind McCabe,the engineer squirted a halp pint of oil down McCabe’s back.’ There,’ said he, ‘1 guess that spindle won’t squeak any more.” The joke was so good that. McCabe could not keep it, and he often tells it with as much relish as his auditore receive It “At another time McCabe was confrosted by a highwayman, oh ohe of tb* lonely streets of Cincinnati, as he was returning to his hotel from a moonlight picnic. The tobber presented a oookea revolver at the ventriloquist’s bead, demanding his money or his life. McCabe’s quick wit saved him. He threw his vaice behind the robber, exclaiming, ‘Hold, villain, you are my Kner !’ The frightened scamp turned ead, and McCabe dealt him a blow that felled him to the ground. He the* secured the revolver, and march'd the scoundrel to the police station, “Louis Brabout, the great French •ventriloquist, was also a great Joker. The story is told of him that he fell in love with a beautiful young novitiate who was soon to take the veil. The sentiment was returned, and Brabout arranged for an His inamorata succeeded in getting outside of the convent wails, and the two hurried away to the house of a neighboring priest. The holy man was awakened and requested to perform the marriage ceremony. Hisiefusal was a thing to be expected, bat Brabout was too cunning for the old man. When he said ‘No!’ most emphatically, and Was about to rdlee a commotion and have the novitiate returned to the Cloister, a deep, sepulchral voice was heard coming from the bowels, of the earth. It said: “I am thy father, and am still in torment. Marry this couple to each other and my probation in purgatory will be over.” “The frightened priest called upon ail the saints to project him, and proceeded to perform the ceremony with greater alacrity than be had ever shown on a similar occasion.” “Do you ever play jokes” “Not often. lam ndt given to such sports as a general thing, but occasionally amuse myself at tne expense 1 others. Last year I was traveling with a musical combination. One day while ridihg on the care, I threw my voice into a covered basket, and set up & ferocious barking like a dog. The lady beside whom the basket was sitting gave a soream and bounded out of the seat. Then I made a cat join in with the row, and a brakeman came running pell-mell to quiet the disturbance. He jerked the lid off of tbe basket and found nothing but a lot of delicious peaches tbe lady was taking home. The crqwd was considerably mystified. Then I set a bumblebee bussing about the brakeman’s ears, aud he retreated. A gentleman who was standing near heard a wolf growl so ferociously behind him that he tumped about two feet high. Then the lady was led to believe that a mouse’s neet had found lodgment inher pocket and the circus waa complete. But I don’t believe much in suen capers, and generally forego the fun I might have if so disposed.”.