Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1852-08-06
Uit and Gunlor.
"A Man that got Hunbugged.


rival of the stage upon an intersscting
route, to proceed upon our journey. Ci-
gars had been lighted, and by way of pass:
ing our time, we had commenced a critital
examination Of the mammoth pictorial
posters of Barnum's Menagerie, which
covered the walls of the spacious bar-room.
Barnum's name opened fruitful topic OF
conversation every one present seemed
stored with anecdotes of the Napoleon
of Showmen," the Woolly Horse, the Fee
ice Mermaid and Joyce Heth were not
forgotten in the discussion which followed.
Suddenly, long, slab-sided individual,
with an owl-like expression of wisdom and
dignity, Who had been listening to our re-
marks, with an evident desire to take a
hand, broke out
al s'pose you think that's an ALFRED
big concern! Anybody would that had mt
seen it"
"Tben suppose you have seen it ?"
said my legal friend.
"Yaas, seen it in Springfield; it's a
6arred humbsy."
ais it possible ?" said the Major, seeing
prospect of fun. "Could MT you oblige
us with description of the institution :"
Certainly" said Jonathan; here's
the stage, and as soon as We get started
I'll give yon all the items. They cam t
humbug me very often, and when they do,
calculate to advertise for 'em till l get
square
In few minutes We were under way,
and our verdant friend commenced unbo-
soming himself.
"Yer see, Barnum was a going to show
his caravan, down to Springfield, Fourth
Of July, and | thought there d be good
chance to celebrate the day, and see the
elephant both at oncc't What wanted
to see more than all the rest, was the Car
of Jugglonot, drawn by a string of ele-
pharts."
Did it meet your appreciation ~
81 never seen one side Of it. Before
got in town, they d got all through pa
radin', the elephants embarrassed, and the
Car of Jugglcnot was in wood-shed. l
made up my mind right of, then, that the
hull consarn was humbug."
"Was Barnum aware l asked, " that
you were in town.
"Not as l know" was the answer
e'If he had known it," added the Major,
''he would doubtless have waited. But
you visited the exhibition, l suppose ?"
"Of course, was bound to do that if
it bust me. That was a bigger humbug
than all the rest"
"How sop
"Why, in the first place, expected to
sec Jenny Lind"
"Was she announced in the bills 2'
az do MT know, l did MT read 'e,n, but
axed the man that stuck up the pictures
if she d sing the bird song standing on
top of a cage Of cockatoos and parrots
She wa MT there, and l never seen one
sido Of her, and then knoved the whole
eonsarn was q humbug.
DWELL then, went round and took
hook at the elephants-had hard work to
get round tu; there was NOR n hundred
thousand people in the tent. l got where
they was, and the folks was all feedin' 'em
rith apples and cakes and things. had
some doug in my hat, so l held it
out to one Of the darned things, to see if
he d take one"
Did he take one %
"He took 'em all and the hat tn, stuck
'em into n,s nasty peaked mouth, and be-
gun q eatin' l hollercd to the keeper,
and told him it was bran new hat He
said never mind, he d get it out again"
"Did he get it,"
Yes, he got it, but hat amt much
account after an elephant s ehawed it.
Then d a sworn the hull consarn vas
humbug Then l took look at Tom
Thumb and the Ceylon Chief, and the
man that fddled with his toes, and the
feller that vent in with the lions. The
Wild animals wa. we'll enough, but did Mt
see as they locked any different from any
body else's. expected Barnum's lions
would be twice as big as any Others.
There vas one thing, though, that was
fust rate, and that was the wax statuary-
especially the intemperance family I !
told the man that tux care of it, I wished
every body that ever drinked a drop Of
sperits had to stand and lock at that for
about week-they d never want to drink |
again. lie said he wished so tu
"Take it all in all, though, ! was mad. |
I did mt see what expected, and did MT
Ike the idea of being humbugged, 50 I
inquired of one of the men that was stir
Sin' up the monkeys where Barnum was,
and he pointed him out 10 me seliin' lem
enade out Of a Wagon. went up to
him, and, thinks l, III give him piece
Of my mind Scz l.
"Mr. Barnam-'"
Sixpcnce glass, said he.
"f looked at his lemonade; there was
Irst one lone, solitary, second hand slice
Of lemon in whole wash-tub full of it, 10
and he peddlin'it out at sixpence glass.
That made me madder than all the rest,
70 says l, loud and audibly- ID
"tMr. Barnum, think your show =
aarncd humbug.'" Ii
"' Young man. SEE he, s'pose you .
paid to come in 2" If
"Supposin' l did! SEE l." a(s
"'Well,' sez he, suppesiu' ySs have, n
you have paid your quarter, and you have !
! right to think just what you please, Il
Why said the Major .f,.r tLa' 80, 1