The Olden Time Series Volume IV Part 17

Turned Work in Ivory, hard Woods, and Metals, executed in the best stile of workmans.h.i.+p.

--> _Cash given for_ Ivory, Sea-horse, _and_ Sea-cows TEETH.

(8w) March 14 [1798].

The following--supposed to be--attempt at wit appeared in the "Ma.s.sachusetts Centinel" in 1789.

_ADVERTIs.e.m.e.nTS EXTRA._

IMPORTED in the last vessels from Europe, A treatise on ogling, simpering, flirting, gigling, painting, patching, perfuming, &c. very useful to every _Lady_--and much in demand. Also, The Art of burning dimples in ladies' cheeks and chins--of repairing female tongues that wear with using--of setting eyes _fas.h.i.+onably_ in their sockets--of giving the face a _beautiful pale_, deathlike aspect--and of acquiring the elegant hysterick and other fits.

_TO BE SOLD_--Many elegant and beautiful copies of a most scarce and valuable work, called "_The Virtue of the Times_."

Inquire any where.

_LOST_--Through carelessness, _thirty good years of life_--of a gentleman--ALSO, _forty-two years of a lady_--the latter, from a desire to appear _beautifully_ slim. Whoever can inform the losers how they can be redeemed, shall be handsomely rewarded.

_EXTRA--BUT SERIOUS._

WANTED--much _wanted_--several _small sums of money_--say, from 4/6. to Ten Dollars--for which _obligations_, which have frequently been _offered_, will be _given_. Inquire of the _Printer_.

A Boston paper of 1789 prints the following unique production, copied from a late London paper. It was probably designed as a "take-off" to some of the humbugs of the day.

THOMAS TOUCHWOOD, GENT.,

Proposes, on the last day of the present month, to shoot himself by subscription. His life being of no farther use to himself or his friends, he takes this method of endeavouring to turn his death to some account; and the novelty of the performance, he hopes, will merit the attention and patronage of the publick.

He will perform with two pistols, the first shot to be directed through his _abdomen_, to which will be added another through his brain, the whole to conclude with staggering convulsions, grinning, &c., in a manner never before publickly attempted.

The doors to be opened at eight, and the exhibition to begin precisely at nine. Particular places, for that night only, reserved for the ladies. No money to be returned, nor half price taken. _Vivant Rex et Regina._

_N.B._ Beware of counterfeits and impostors.--The person who advertises to hang himself the same night, in opposition to Mr. Touchwood, is a taylor, who intends only to give the representation of death by dancing in a collar, an attempt infinitely inferior to Mr. T.'s original and authentic performance.

Probably camels were not seen in America before 1789. Increased interest attaches to the following advertis.e.m.e.nt from the fact that the exhibition was held near the very pump which Hawthorne commemorates in "Twice-Told Tales." This notice is taken from the "Salem Mercury," Aug. 4, 1789.

TO THE CURIOUS.

_To be seen at Mr. BENJAMIN DALAND'S, near the town-pump, Salem._

TWO CAMELS,

_Male and Female, imported from Arabia._

THESE stupenduous Animals are most deserving the attention of the curious, being the greatest natural curiosity ever exhibited to the publick on this continent. They are 19 hands high--have necks near 4 feet long--have a large bunch on their backs, & another under their b.r.e.a.s.t.s, in the form of a pedestal, on which they support themselves when lying down--they have 4 joints in their hind legs, and will travel 12 or 14 days without drinking, and carry a burthen of 1500 wt.--they are remarkably harmless and docile, and will lie down and rise at command.

_Abraham was old and well stricken in age: And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said unto his eldest Servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Thou shalt go unto my Country, and to my Kindred, and take a Wife unto my Son Isaac. And the Servant took ten Camels, of the Camels of his Master, and departed; and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city Nahor. And he made his Camels to kneel down without the city, by a well of water, at the time of the evening, even the time that Women go out to draw water.

Pure wisdom directed the Servant, and succeeded him in obtaining the consent of the Parents, Brethren and Kindred of Rebeccah, that she should go to the Land of Canaan, and become the Wife of Isaac. And they sent away Rebeccah, their Sister, with her Damsels and her Nurse, & Abraham's Servant, & his men, and they rode upon the Camels._--Gen. XXIV.

N.B.--The CAMELS will go from this town this evening.

In 1796 a mermaid was exhibited in Salem, and in 1800 a ca.s.sowary bird.

The admission fee to the latter curiosity was for "grown persons" 12-1/2 cents, and for children 6-1/4 cents. The exact change could then be easily made, as the Spanish silver ninepences (12-1/2 cents) and fourpence halfpence (6-1/4 cents) were more common than any other silver pieces. The American dimes and half-dimes had not at that time got much into circulation in New England.

NATURAL CURIOSITY.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_To be seen at Was.h.i.+ngton Hall, for this day only,_

THE Ca.s.sOWARY,

_A Bird, from the East Indies._

ITS height is 5 feet, weighs near 100 pounds; it will eat half a peck of apples at a meal, swallow whole eggs, also stones and apples as large as eggs, and jump to a great height.--Goldsmith says, in his history of Animated Nature, it has the head of a Warrior, the eye of a Lion, the defence of a Porcupine, and the swiftness of a Courser.

It is fond of all kinds of vegetables and fruits. It will pick a pea out of a Child's hand without injury. Many that have seen it, say it is the greatest curiosity of the kind ever exhibited here. Children of seven years old can ride it.--Admittance for grown persons 9 pence--Children half price.

--> _The remarkable bird, called the_ Ca.s.sOWARY, _now exhibiting in this town, is described by Goldsmith in his 3d volume of Animated Nature, page 39, American edition.--After describing him, the Doctor observes, that "the southern parts of the most eastern Indies seem to be its natural climate. His domain, if we may so call it, begins where that of the ostrich terminates. The latter has never been found beyond the Ganges; while the Ca.s.sowary is never seen nearer than the islands of Banda, Sumatra, Java, the Molucca islands, and the corresponding parts of the continent. Yet even here this animal seems not to have multiplied in any considerable degree, as we find one of the kings of Java making a present of one of these birds to the captain of a Dutch s.h.i.+p, considering it as a very great rarity."_

_Gazette_, August 8, 1800.

The following notice, taken from the "Salem Gazette," July 13, 1790, has an interest to us from what it says of the likenesses "produced from a Spark of Electricity." It is difficult to conjecture what this means; though additional interest is derived from the fact of these likenesses having been presented by Dr. Franklin's grandson.

AMERICAN MUSEUM.

MR. PEALE, of Philadelphia, has lately received a number of donations for his Cabinet of Curiosities. Among them were

Likenesses of the King and Queen of France, executed on white satin, and each produced by a single spark of electricity.--Presented by WM. TEMPLE FRANKLIN, Esq.----And

The Finger of Mr. Broliman (a provincial officer in the British service, in the war before the last) who was executed at Philadelphia for the murder of a Mr. Scull. This unfortunate gentleman, soured by some disgust, became weary of life. In this temper of mind, he one morning rose earlier than usual, and walked out upon the common of the city, with his fusee in hand, determined to shoot the first person he should meet. The first person he saw was a very pretty young girl, whose beauty disarmed him. The next presented was the late Dr.

Cadwallader--The Doctor, bowing politely to Mr. Broliman (who, though unknown to him, had the garb and appearance of a gentleman) accosted him with "Good morning, Sir! What sport?"

The Officer answered the Doctor very civilly; and was so struck with his gentlemanly manner and pleasing address, that he forebore to execute his desperate resolution: Impelled, however, by the same gloominess of disposition which actuated him when he first set out, he repaired to the Centre house, where some gentlemen were engaged at billiards--The tack of one of the players happening to strike his hat, the wretched man, eager for an opportunity of accomplis.h.i.+ng his desire to leave the world, instantly shot Mr. Scull, one of the company, who died of the wound.

This little story affords a striking proof, that amiableness and politeness of manners are not only pleasing, but useful, in our commerce with the world.