AMY ARLINGTON

As these photos illustrate, Amy had a very distinctive nose

In 1889, J.B. Miller's Opera House in Newark, Ohio staged a production of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" complete with an "exciting steamboat scene" and a "genuine cotton picking scene".     "Uncle Tom's Cabin", first published in its entirety in 1852 became the best selling novel of the 19th century.  Stage productions became so common and numerous, they became known as "Tom shows".     So what does this all have to do with Amy Arlington, "America's Representative Snake Performer"?  Amy appeared on the same stage but only as a sort of side show.     I'm sure Amy would have told the story differently.