The sun was high and the temperature higher one fateful day in 1899. Six-year-old George Muse and his brother Willie Muse were working in the tobacco fields of Virginia.
The brothers were different from the other black workers on the plantation. They were albinos whose light skin color made them stand out.
Looking up from their work, the brothers saw a well-dressed gentleman approach. Such a dapper man was a strange sight in their world of dirt roads and run-down shacks.
The wealthy looking stranger’s name was Robert Stokes, and he owned a ‘freak show.’ While it seems cruel now, in the early 20th century, traveling freak shows that exploited physically abnormal people were popular.
Stokes invited the brothers into his carriage with the promise of sweets. What happened next would leave a bitter taste in the brothers’ mouths for years to come.
In a blink of an eye, the young boys were sold into the world of the sideshow freak.
As the brothers grew up performing in the freak show, they became popular with the crowds. They were sometimes called the Sheep-Headed cannibals. Their real names and feelings were unimportant. They were little more than goldfish in a bowl.
Each night after performing in a packed tent to crowds, the brothers would cry themselves to sleep. Alone in their flea infested beds, they would call for a mother they believed was dead.
The brothers had a natural gift for singing and playing musical instruments. In the 1920s, they became part of Bertram Mills’ famous circus.
The brothers filled the pockets of those who exploited them with gold, but they never saw a penny.
When the circus came to Roanoke, Virginia, their mother was in the audience. She had never stopped searching for her two boys. She had finally tracked them down.
During their performance, the brothers saw their mother. George cried, “Look Willie there’s our dear old mother. She’s not dead.” They ran off the stage and into the loving arms of the woman they had been stolen from nearly 30 years before.
The police told the circus owner that the men were free to leave with their mother. They finally went home.
It was a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire. Their stepfather Cabel Muse began charging people to visit the house and view them.
Enough was enough. The brothers returned to the circus but on their own terms. They went on to travel the world and become well-paid stars instead of exploited victims.
They worked hard and retired in the 1960s with enough money to buy a house. They lived together until George died in 1972. His brother Willie lived until the ripe old age of 108.
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It was a hot day in 1899. Six-year-old George Muse and his brother Willie Muse were working on a farm in Virginia.
The brothers were different from the other black workers on the farm. They were albinos. Their light skin color made them stand out.
Looking up from their work, the brothers saw a rich man walking towards them. The stranger’s name was Robert Stokes. He owned a freak show. While it seems cruel now, in the early 20th century, traveling freak shows were popular.
Stokes first gave the children some sweets. What happened next would leave a bitter taste in the brothers’ mouths for years to come.
In a blink of an eye, he sold the young boys to a freak show.
The brothers became popular with the crowds. They were sometimes called the Sheep-Headed cannibals.
Each night the brothers would cry themselves to sleep. They would call for a mother they believed was dead.
The brothers had a natural gift for music. In the 1920s, they became part of a famous show.
The brothers filled the pockets of those who used them with gold. They never saw any money.
When the show came to Virginia, their mother was in the audience. She had never stopped looking for her two boys. She had finally tracked them down.
During their performance, the brothers saw their mother. They ran off the stage and into the loving arms of the woman they had been stolen from.
The police told the show owner that the men were free to leave with their mother. They finally went home.
It was a case of getting out of the frying pan and into the fire. A family member began charging people to visit the house and see them.
Enough was enough. The brothers returned to the traveling show but on their own terms. They traveled the world and became rich stars.
They worked hard and retired in the 1960s with enough money to buy a house. They lived together until George died in 1972. His brother Willie lived until the old age of 108.
Read More:
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