Joe Strong, the Boy Fish / or Marvelous Doings in a Big Tank

he band, that had blared out when Joe made his bow, had stopped playing, and the drummer wa

des of the glass tank, and at once there arose mur

!" women's

mething new!" murmured Ji

In the four corners were long, waving, green, aq

d greatly to the effectiveness of the act. But, more than this, there were a score of large goldfishes sw

they'r

're a

re rea

he aquarium of fish as he was going in to get his ice cream. He had bought the fish from the dealer, as well as the long streame

d Jim, who was as much surpri

ittle scenic background he had provided for his act. Then, having infl

them, and the flitting, glittering, golden bodies could easily be seen as the

the strange creature who seemed almost as much at home in the wa

of the act. He believed that the audience would be fascinated in seeing

omersaulting in the limpid element. He slowly waved his hands to and fro, pretending to be playing with the fish. Someti

, when there was no sunlight to illuminate the scene, a big gasoline incandescent light overhead and smaller ones arranged like f

xperiment," thought Joe, as he looked out th

pare for the second part of his act-the under-water en

gling," Joe mused. "I never thought of that. However, it

er of fac

ungs this time. He was going to try to remain under

righten the fish any more than he could help. Then he got in himself, not diving t

ners in this act I must treat 'em fairl

is hand and the ball once, just as he was about to catch it. He, therefore, failed to get the ball, and, taking a

ntal note to work in that feature at all the performances.

f his ear, causing several small objects to disappear, and doing other tricks that he

ile holding his breath. As a matter of fact active thinking did not make the time seem so

. "It ought to go well. I'd have to have some apparatus made for it, though

ntinued water pressure and by the retention of his brea

ecord, though it isn't much to

always called forth a laugh, he straightened out on the white sa

fective scene, and the

first doing the act. He decided that he must come up, so, pretending to awaken, and to be extremely surp

you, friends, the boy fish has remained under water, not three minutes and a quarter, as I predicted he

the tank and bowed while he wrapped a bath

when she was getting ready to go into the ring with Ro

just acciden

s will have to dress our acts differe

g mud turtle in the creek, near which the tents were erected, and finding it was not of the biting k

attendant as he was about to empty Joe's tank after the

keep the green plants. They'll live a long while and I like them in the tank. The man who brought the fish also brought a small net to

g of the sort!" b

ked Joe, some

can carry goldfish as easily as a hippopotamus, I reckon. Put 'em in some kind of a water-tight box, and we'll ship 'em in the hippo tank, where he can't n

act permanently, as he did not see how it was possible to get a fresh supply of goldf

the circus grounds from the animal store, and when water was added they sw

this serves to keep the fish healthy, and mak

resh drink as soon as we arri

e hippopotamus, who was grateful to Joe for havin

he was not done yet-not satisfi

ly received a short letter from him. He said they were getting ready to o

eventing me from becoming deaf and dumb. But oh, how I

ertainly is in trouble. I wish we

on, and Joe and Hel

ing a reputation, and Jim Tracy ordered some new show bills featuring him. Joe als

imed when she saw Joe's new under-wate

d. "I never thought of

first glance Joe appeared to be a big goldfish himsel

s watching the antics of some performing dogs that had lately been added to th

tunt if they'll only let me do it. I wonder if it would work. I