, or with his hand, gave the bear small pieces of
bread or other food after each trick he performed.

The first trick was walking on his hind feet as if dancing. But more
amusing than this to the children was to see him turn summersaults both
forward and backward. These were repeated several times because they
were easily done, and added to the length of time the show continued.

Children, however, begin to appreciate at an early age what is
difficult and what easy, and it was not until he took a carrying-pole
six feet long, put the middle of it upon his forehead and set it
whirling with his paws, that they began to say:

"That's good," "That's hard to do," and other expressions of a like
nature.

They enjoyed seeing him stand on his front feet, or on his head with
his hind feet kicking the air, but they enjoyed still more seeing him
put on the wooden collar of a convict and twirl it around his neck. The
manager gave him some bread and then tried to induce him to take it
off, but he whined for more bread and refused to do so. Finally he took
off the collar, and when they tried to take it from him he put it on
again. When he took it off the next time and offered it to them they
refused to receive it, but tried to get him to put it on, which he
stubbornly refused to do, and finally threw it away.

His last trick was to sit down upon his haunches, stick up one of his
hind feet, and twirl a knife six feet long upon it as he had twirled
the carrying-pole upon his head. The manager said he would wrestle with
the men, but this was a side issue and only done when extra money was
added to the regular price, which was twelve cents.

One of the most common showmen seen on the streets of Peking, goes
about with a framework upon his shoulder in the shape of a sled, the
runners of which are turned up at both ends. It seemed to me to be less
interesting than the other shows, but as it is more common, the
children probably look upon it with more favor, and the children are
the final critics of all things for the little ones.

The show was given by a man and two boys, one of whom impersonated a
girl. Small feet, like the bound feet of a girl, were strapped on like
stilts, his own being covered by wide trousers, and he and the boy sang
songs and danced to the music of the drum and cymbals in the hands of
the showman.

The second part of the performance was a boat ride on dry land. The
girl got into the frame, let down around it