THE EVENING STAR — OCTOBER 21, 1882
The “The Real Mermaid” and Its Exhibitors ♢ ONE OF THE
WONDERS AT THE ROCKVILLE FAIR
Correspondence of THE EVENING STAR.
ROCKVILLE, MD., Oct 20th, 1882.
ROCKVILLE, MD., Oct 20th, 1882.
County fairs are marvellous in many ways. Here all manner of wonderful things can be seen, gathered from the highest mountains to the inner-most recesses and depths of the sea. Gen. Sherman had a chance to-day to see for the first time a real mermaid, at least the party of fakirs [fakers] that had it on exhibition said it was real.
The mermaid was in a large tank arranged on a high platform. In front of the platform was a large canvass, on which was painted a handsome mermaid. All mermaids are pictured as handsome. They are generally brunettes and very captivating. The picture was very attractive, and in case the passers by did not notice it, their attention was called to it by the shouts of the fakir-blowers, who yelled to the crowd to “step up and see the greatest wonder of the world.”
The two fakirs that did the noise business were dressed in suits of blue cloth with brass buttons, the suit being a kind of a cross that worn by naval officers and Pullman palace car conductors. The man that lectured on the mermaid was rigged up in a full sailor suit. His lecture was as novel as his “wonder.” It went like this:
“Step up ’ere everyone and see the mermaid and listen to the story of the man that captured her. It is the only real
