THE SHOWMAN IN PARIS.
“They are probably the greatest wonders of the nineteenth century,” he remarked. “Garsong, two cognacs, lo. I am pretty well up in French. I hev got so sence I hev bin here that I kin order my drinks without any trouble, and that’s the main pint. Them bears are something inscrutable. They kin waltz on their hind legs; they kin fire pistols, and will work in splendid with my Injuns. But what is more wonderful, they kin ride a horse, ef the pad is made big enuff. And that’s where I’m goin’ to fetch the public. To yootilize bears I’m goin’ to present a grand scriptooral spectacle. The public want moral amoosement, and the public is goin’ to hev it now till they can’t rest. Them bears is what is goin’ to do it. I shel present the unparalleled spectacle uv Elijah and the bears eatin the children, all on hosses. Come to think of it, wuz it Elijah, or Elisha? I’ve forgotten, and must read it up afore I git it on the bills. When yoo hev a scriptooral spectacle yoo want be very akerit on the bills.
“It will be the gorgusest thing ever seen. Elijah—Foggarty kin ride well enough to do Elijah, and I got a dozen kids in the company, mostly tumblin', wich will anser for the children. Elijah, perfectly bald-headed, will ride in on a black hoss to slow moosic, a sort uv Scriptural waltz ez it were. The kids will ride in on spotted ponies and shout, all in chorus, “Go up bald head!” Then the two bears—they ain’t she bears, but that’s no difference—will come in on white hosses, and chase the children. Then the band will play furious moosic, jist ez they do at the finish of a tumblin act, and the bears will each snatch a kid off his pony by the belt and ride out.
THE SHOWMAN’S SCHEME.
“But the children were eaten by the bears?”
