Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 962

This issue of *Beadle and Adams'* weekly contains the opening of "At Hard Pans; Or, The Stroller Showman's Shake-Up" by W. M. Eyster, a serialized adventure tale. The protagonist, a nimble street performer known as "Little Limberleg" or "Fairy Fred," encounters the mysterious Azariah Amariah Holdfast and his daughter Fanny in a ravine. Fred performs acrobatic feats to impress them, demonstrating his "flip-flops" and wheels. Holdfast proves to be a showman of mysterious talents. Fred agrees to join their camp, where he discovers they keep a trained bear named Dandy. That evening, Fred eavesdrops on Holdfast's conversation with visitor Nestor Northrup, who threatens him over some unspecified past affair, identifying Holdfast as the cowardly "Cyrus Dawling." Holdfast refuses to be intimidated and claims ignorance of the accusations. The narrative emphasizes Fred's quick wits, acrobatic skills, and growing entanglement in a mystery involving the enigmatic Holdfast family.