Life, 1916-01-13 · page 29 of 44
Life — January 13, 1916 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a humorous fictional narrative about Professor Astore's traveling flea circus—a real (if bizarre) form of 19th-early 20th-century entertainment. The story follows the rise of "Jumping Jack," a flea trained to perform stunts (jumping through watch rings, pushing a merry-go-round, dancing to "Dixie"). The satire works on multiple levels: it mocks low-class carnival entertainment and the showmen who operate them (note the heavily accented speech of the Professor and his assistants), while simultaneously treating the flea's "destiny" with mock-seriousness—elevating a parasitic insect to dramatic importance. The humor lies in the contrast between the grandiose promotion ("World Astounding Flea Circus") and the pathetic reality of performing fleas. The caption "How to Dress on Fifty Dollars a Year" references a separate, unrelated article about economical fashion.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Destiny HERE hung over Professor As- tore’s World Astounding Flea Cir- cus a pall of sorrow. The torchlight in front was dimmed, while inside the tent a group of three—the Professor him- self, Demps the spieler and Hawk Eye, the canvas tout—bent over the little box which held the performers. In the midst of a lot of callous fleas, Florine, The Most Famous Flea in the World, lay dying. Beside her, almost ‘ptible to the human cye, lay a , just born, It was the strain of procreation which had taken all her strength, “Doggonut,” the Professor wailed. “Bud, ain't it Yiddish luck to me, loosin’ der best flea in a whole box? Nefer, in all our lives togeder, shall we sce such pushings of der merry-go- rount as Florine did.” His sorrow was genuine. “Cheer up, boss,” said Hawk Eye. “A flea’s a flea and she left one in her place. Make the little sucker push the wheel, when he grows up.” The Professor eyed the tiny speck beside Florine with greater interest “Dot iss so,” he said speculatively. “Florine was a pig flea for der dog flea kint. He should be pigger, yet.” So he removed the defunct Florine. Five years later the world admitted i “ WOW TO DRESS ON FIFTY DOLLARS A YEAR® THE CHRONIC KICKER'S AISLE IN HADES that though Florine had been a great flea at pushing the merry-go-round, there was no flea that had ever equalled the stunts of Jumping Jack, her offspring. Professor Astore, who confined his activities to county fairs, had, in the startling, original wording of the Byrdville Weekly, “a bear of a show.” Jumping Jack was star of the set. He could jump through a watch ring, push the merry-go-round, dance quite madly to “ Dixie,” play ona mouth organ, and push a match around—* A piece of wood, ladies and gentlemen, when Demps waxed eloquent, “that was ve hundred times his own weight.” “Ant fed right here,” the Profes- sor would explain to delighted audi- ences, pointing to his own left arm. “Fed there efry day to grow pig Nefer has Jumpin’ Jack bit on a dog yet! Vy, dot flea would scorn any pup born in der world, Only me he bites.” And to prove it he would place him upon the nearest person's arm and Jumping Jack would leap gaily back to his master with never a bite—a happy, contented flea in his bondage. High society finally invaded the county fair on the closing night, a night of triumph in Byrdville for the World Astounding Fle Jump- ing Jack had performed to crowded houses ten times or more, and though Circus. a crowded house at a flea circus needs be small, Professor Astore was rub- bing his hands together delightedly as high society pounced down upon his little tent. They demanded another show and The Jumper was haled forth from his bed, for the house was rich, (Continued on page 86)