mermaid ever placed on exhibition. Captured by me in the Caribbean sea, near the land of Menditty, where there is neither house, town nor city; where the men are five feet eleving inches from head to foot and five feet eleving inches from foot to head, a total height of sixteen feet eleving inches. It's a wonder, and it will cost you but ten cents or three for a quarter, one for yourself, your son and daughter. It remains on exhibition out nine days more, when it gets shipped to Persia, where it is to be exhibited to the Queen of Sheba. Pass along up here and see the wonder—a real mermaid. Those who are not satisfied will be given back their money and a copy, of the photograph of the man that captured the only real mermaid now on exhibition.”     Those who could not resist the eloquence of the man who had been in the land of Menditty, paid their ten cents and saw a paper mache mermaid about two feet long resting quietly in a small box on the platform. The fakirs spoke about their exhibition as “The annex of the Navy department.” The men did a good business, and took in the ten cent pieces at a lively rate. When the fair closed for the day, the sailor put the only real mermaid in a bag and carried it away under his arm. Evening Star. (Washington, D.C.), 21 Oct. 1882. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.