Deaf women -- Fiction; Father figures -- Fiction; Painters -- Fiction; Psychological fiction; Young men -- Fiction
“She was originally celebrated in the annals of Jubber’s Circus, or
Eighth Wonder of the World, as The Hurricane Child of the Desert; having
appeared in that character, whirled aloft at the age of seven years in
the hand of Muley Ben Hassan, the renowned Scourer of Sahara, in his
daring act of Equitation, as exhibited to the terror of all England,
in Jubber’s Circus. At that time she had her hearing and speech quite
perfect. But Mr. J. deeply regrets to state that a terrific accident
happened to her soon afterwards. Through no fault on the part of
The Scourer (who, overcome by his feelings at the result of the
above-mentioned frightful accident, has gone back to his native wilds a
moody and broken-hearted man), she slipped from his hand while the three
horses bestrode by the fiery but humane Arab were going at a gallop, and
fell, shocking to relate, outside the Ring, on the boarded floor of the
Circus. She was supposed to be dead. Mr. Jubber instantly secured the
inestimable assistance of the Faculty, who found that she was still
alive, and set her arm, which had been broken. It was only afterwards
discovered that she had utterly lost her sense of hearing. To use the
emphatic language of the medical gentlemen (who all spoke with tears in
their eyes), she had been struck stone deaf by the shock. Under these
melancholy circumstances, it was found that the faculty of speech
soon failed her altogether; and she is now therefore Totally Deaf AND
Dumb--but Mr. J. rejoices to say, quite cheerful and in good health
notwithstanding.
“Mr. Jubber being himself the father of a family, ventures to think that
these little particulars may prove of some interest to an Intelligent,
a Sympathetic, and a Benevolent Public. He will simply allude, in
conclusion, to the performances of the Mysterious Foundling, as
exhibiting perfection hitherto unparalleled in the Art of Legerdemain,
with wonders of untraceable intricacy on the cards, originally the
result of abstruse calculations made by that renowned Algebraist,
Mohammed Engedi, extending over a period of ten years, dating from the
year 1215 of the Arab Chronology. More than this Mr. Jubber will not
venture to mention, for ‘Seeing is Believing,’ and the Mysterious
Foundling must be seen to be believed. For prices of admission consult
bottom of bill.”
Mr. Blyth read this grotesquely shocking narrative with sentiments which
were anything rather than complimentary to the taste, the delicacy, and
the humanity of the fluent Mr. Jubber. He consulted the bottom of the
bill, however, as requested; and ascertained what were the prices
of admission--then glanced at the top, and observed that the first
performance was fixed for that very evening--looked about him absently
for a minute or two--and resolved to be present at it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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