 | Life of Hon. Phineas T. Barnum |  |
CONTENTS.
- CHAPTER I.
IN THE BEGINNING.
Family and Birth—School Life—His First Visit to New York City—
A Landed Proprietor—The Ethics of Trade—Farm Work and Keeping
Store—Meeting-house and Sunday-school—"The One Thing
Needful.''. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 -
CHAPTER II.
EARLY YEARS AT BETHEL.
Death of his Grandmother and Father—Left Penniless and
Bare-footed—Work in a Store—His First Love—Trying to buy Russia—Uncle
Bibbin's Duel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 -
CHAPTER III.
BUSINESS LIFE
Removal to Brooklyn—Smallpox—Goes Home to Recover His Health—
Renewed Acquaintance with the Pretty Tailoress—First Independent
Business Venture—Residence in New York—Return to Bethel—
Anecdotes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 -
CHAPTER IV.
TRYING MANY VENTURES.
Visit to Pittsburg—Successful Lottery Business—Marriage—First Editorial
Venture—Libel Suit—Imprisonment and Liberation—Removal to New
York—Hard Times—Keeping a Boarding House . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 -
CHAPTER V.
BEGINNING AS A SHOWMAN.
Finding His True Vocation—The Purchase of Joice Heth—Evidence as
to Her Age—Her Death—Signor Vivalla—Visit to Washington—Joining
a Travelling Circus—Controversies with Ministers—The Victim
of a Practical Joke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 -
CHAPTER VI.
INCIDENTS OF A CIRCUS TOUR.
Beating a Landlord—A Joke on Turner—Barnum as a Preacher and as a
Negro Minstrel—A Bad Man with a Gun—Dealing with a Sheriff—
"Lady Hayes''—An Embarrassed Juggler—Barnum as a Matrimonial
Agent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 -
CHAPTER VII.
HARD TIMES.
Advertising for a Partner—"Quaker Oats''—Diamond the Dancer—A
Dishonest Manager—Return to New York—From Hand to Mouth—
The American Museum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 -
CHAPTER VIII.
THE AMERICAN MUSEUM.
Advertising Extraordinary—A Quick-witted Performer—Niagara Falls
with Real Water—Other Attractions—Drummond Light . . . . . . .115 -
CHAPTER IX.
INCREASED POPULARITY OF THE MUSEUM.
The American Flag and St. Paul's—St. Patrick's Day—The Baby Show—
Grand Buffalo Hunt—N. P. Willis—The First Wild West Show . . .126 -
CHAPTER X.
GIANTS AND DWARFS.
Science for the Public—Mesmerism Extraordinary—Killing off a Rival—
The Two Giants—Discovery of "Tom Thumb''—Seeking Other
Worlds to Conquer—First Visit to England. . . . . . . . . . . . .138 -
CHAPTER XI.
TOM THUMB IN LONDON.
An Aristocratic Visitor—Calling at Buckingham Palace and Hobnobbing
with Royalty—Getting a Puff in the "Court Circular''—The Iron
Duke—A Great Social and Financial Success . . . . . . . . . . . .148 -
CHAPTER XII.
IN FRANCE.
Arrival in Paris—Visit to the Tuilleries—Longchamps—"Tom Ponce''
all the Rage—Bonaparte and Louis Phillipi—Tour through France—
Barnum's Purchase. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161 -
CHAPTER XIII.
IN BELGIUM.
Presented to King Leopold and the Queen—The General's Jewels stolen—
The Field of Waterloo—An Accident—An Expensive Equipage—The
Custom of the Country. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168 -
CHAPTER XIV.
IN ENGLAND AGAIN.
Egyptian Hall and the Zoölogical Garden—The Special Relics—Purchase
of the Happy Family—Return to America . . . . . . . . . . . . .175 -
CHAPTER XV.
AT HOME.
Partnership with Tom Thumb—Visit to Cuba—Iranistan, his Famous
Palace at Bridgeport—Barnum's Game-Keeper and the Great Game
Dinner—Frank Leslie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188 -
CHAPTER XVI.
JENNY LIND.
A Daring Venture—Barnum's Ambassador—Unprecedented Terms
offered—Text of the Contract—Hard Work to Raise the Guarantee
Fund—Educating the American Mind to receive the Famous Singer . .198 -
CHAPTER XVII.
ARRIVAL OF JENNY LIND.
First Meeting with Barnum—Reception in New York—Poems in Her
Honor—A Furore of Public Interest—Sale of Tickets for the First
Concert—Barnum's Change in Terms—Ten Thousand Dollars for
Charity—Enormous Success of the First Concert. . . . . . . . . .213 -
CHAPTER XVIII.
CONTINUED TRIUMPH.
Successful Advertising—The Responsibilities of Riches—Visit to
Iranistan—Ovations at Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and
Washington—Visit to Mt. Vernon—Charleston—Havana—Fredericka
Brerner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249 -
CHAPTER XIX.
HAVANA.
Conquest of the Habaneros—The Italian and his Dog—Mad Bennett—
A Successful Ruse—Return to New Orleans—Ludicrous Incident—
Up the Mississippi—Legerdemain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .262 -
CHAPTER XX.
THE TRIALS OF AN IMPRESSARIO.
St Louis—The Secretary's Little Game—Legal Advice—Smooth Waters
Again—Barnum's Efforts Appreciated—An Extravagant Encomium . . . 278 -
CHAPTER XXI:
CLOSING THE GRAND TOUR.
April Fool Jokes at Nashville—A Trick at Cincinnati—Return to New
York—Jenny Lind Persuaded to Leave Barnum—Financial Results of
the Enterprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285 -
CHAPTER XXII.
A FEW SIDE ISSUES.
The Expedition to Ceylon—Harnessing an Elephant to a Plow—Barnum
and Vanderbilt—The Talking Machine—A Fire at Iranistan—Mountain
Grove Cemetery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297 -
CHAPTER XXIII.
SOME DOMESTIC ENTERPRISES.
Putting a Pickpocket on Exhibition—Traveling Incognito—The
Pequonnock Bank—The New York Crystal Palace—A Poem on an
Incident at Iranistan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .311 -
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE JEROME CLOCK COMPANY.
Founding East Bridgeport—Growth of the City—The Jerome Clock
Bubble—A Ruined Man—Paying Honest Debts—Down in the Depths. .322 -
CHAPTER XXV.
THE WHEAT AND THE CHAFF.
False and True Friends—Meeting of Bridgeport Citizens—Barnum's
Letter—Tom Thumb's Offer—Shillaber's Poem—Barnum's Message to
the Creditors of the Jerome Clock Company—Removal to New York—
Beginning Life Anew at Forty-six . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .330 -
CHAPTER XXVI.
IDLENESS WITHOUT REST.
Annoying Persecutions of Creditors—Summer on Long Island—The
Black Whale Pays the Board Bill—The Wheeler & Wilson Company Remove
to East Bridgeport—Setting Sail for England . . . . . . . . . . .349 -
CHAPTER XXVII.
A PROSPEROUS EXILE.
His Successful Pupil—Making Many Friends in London—Acquaintance
with Thackeray—A Comedy of Errors in a German Custom House—
Aristocratic Patronage at Fashionable Resorts—Barnum's Impressions
of Holland and the Dutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355 -
CHAPTER XXVIII.
HOME AGAIN.
A Jolly Voyage—Mock Trial on Shipboard—Barnum on Trial for His
Life—Discomfited Witnesses and a Triumphant Prisoner—Fair
Weather Friends—The Burning of Iranistan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371 -
CHAPTER XXIX.
THE ART OF MONEY GETTING.
The Lecture Field—Success—Cambridge—Oxford—An Unique
Entertainment—Barnum Equal to the Occasion—Invited to Stay a
Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383 -
CHAPTER XXX.
AN ENTERPRISING ENGLISHMAN.
A New Friend—Dinner to Tom Thumb and Commodore Nutt—Measuring
the Giant—The Two Engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417 -
CHAPTER XXXI.
AT HOME AGAIN.
The Clock Debts Paid—The Museum once more under Barnum's
Management—Enthusiastic Reception—His Speech—Two Poems . . . .424 -
CHAPTER XXXII.
THE STORY OF "GRIZZLY ADAMS.''
Barnum's Partnership with the Famous Bear Hunter—Fooling Him with
the "Golden Pigeons''—Adams Earns $500 at Desperate Cost—Tricking
Barnum out of a Fine Hunting Suit—Prosperity of the Museum—
Visit of the Prince of Wales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .437 -
CHAPTER XXXIII.
BUILDING A CITY.
At Home Once More—Growth of East Bridgeport—Barnum's Offer to
Men Wanting Homes of Their Own—Remarkable Progress of the
Place—How the Streets were Named. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .453 -
CHAPTER XXXIV
A GREAT YEAR AT THE MUSEUM.
Capturing and Exhibiting White Whales—Newspaper Comments—A
Touching Obituary—The Great Behemoth—A Long "Last Week''—
Commodore Nutt—Real Live Indians on Exhibition. . . . . . . . . 459 -
CHAPTER XXXV.
GENERAL AND MRS. TOM THUMB.
Miss Lavinia Warren—The Rivals—Miss Warren's Engagement to Tom
Thumb—The Wedding—Grand Reception—Letter From a Would-be
Guest, and Dr Taylor's Reply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .491 -
CHAPTER XXXVI.
POLITICAL NOTES.
Barnum Becomes a Republican—Illuminating the House of a Democrat—
The Peace Meeting—Elected to the Legislature—War on the
Railroads—Speech on the Amendment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515 -
CHAPTER XXXVII.
BURNING OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM.
How Barnum Received the Tidings—Humorous Description of the
Fire—A Public Calamity—Greeley's Advice—Intention to Re-establish
the Museum—Speech at Employees' Benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . .537 -
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
POLITICAL LIFE.
In the Connecticut Legislature—The Great Railroad Fight—Barnum's
Effective Stroke—Canvassing for a United States Senator—
Barnum's Congressional Campaign—A Challenge that was not
Accepted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .557 -
CHAPTER XXXIX.
FIGHTING A NEWSPAPER.
Disposing of the Lease of the Museum Site—The Bargain with Mr.
Bennett—Barnum's Refusal to Back Out—A Long and Bitter War with
"The Herald''—Action of the Other Managers—The Return of
Peace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .573 -
CHAPTER XL.
BRIDGEPORT.
The Fight for the Establishment of Seaside Park—Laying out City
Streets—Impatience with "Old Fogies''—Building a Seaside Home—
Waldemere—A Home in New York City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .583 -
CHAPTER XLI.
HONORS AND ADULATIONS.
Second Marriage—The King of Hawaii—Elected Mayor of Bridgeport—
Successful Tour of the Hippodrome—Barnum's Retirement from
Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .590
| Life of Hon. Phineas T. Barnum | |