A small theatrical company of barnstormers find themselves stranded in the far west. The manager of this unfortunate troupe, a philosophical and inventive sort of genius, equal to any emergency, immediately plans to embark in the so-called...See moreA small theatrical company of barnstormers find themselves stranded in the far west. The manager of this unfortunate troupe, a philosophical and inventive sort of genius, equal to any emergency, immediately plans to embark in the so-called "Medicine Show" business. So assembling his actors under a tent he proceeds to compound and bottle what he is pleased to call "Doctor Bunion's Hair Restorer," guaranteed to grow hair on bald heads. Considering that he as well as his actors are quite bald, the absurdity of it becomes apparent. However they are all provided with long-haired wigs, giving them the appearance of having a luxuriant growth of hair. When all is ready, they open their tent to the public, giving a free performance and attracting the usual crowd, including several Indians from the reservation. Business is not very encouraging until the Indians, by sense of smell, discover the principle ingredient of the hair restorer is alcohol, which to them means "fire-water." As the law is rather stringent regarding the sale of liquor to Indians, they embrace the opportunity, buying up all the hair restorer on hand, and proceed to their camp, where they pronounce it to be "good medicine," and indulge in a grand pow-wow. The medicine fakers having sold out, proceed to the next town by wagon. En route they meet the Indians, who, having imbibed too much hair restorer, see a chance to "get plenty of scalps" and swoop down upon them, depriving them of their wigs, and confiscating the entire outfit. The fakers flee for their lives to the nearest railroad, where they walk bareheaded and bald-headed towards the east. Written by
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