Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-01-03

Joice was present at the birth of little
George and she having long been the old
family nurse, was the first person called
upon to cothe the new bern infant.
The story seemed plausible, and the bill
of sale had every appearance OF antiquity.
1t was exhibited i'll a lass frame, was very
salIow in appearance, and seemed to have
been folded Tor such great length OF TIM
that the folds were worn nearly through,
and in some parts entirely so.
II inquired why the existence of such an
extraordinary old woman had not been dis
covered and made known long ago. The
reply was that she had been brought thith-
er from Virginia, long time ago, and that
the fact of her extreme age had been but
recently brought to hight. by the discovery
of This old bill of sale in the Record Office
in Virginia, by the son of Mr.. Bowling. who,
while looking over the ancient papers in
that Office. happened to notice the paper en-
dorsed Jolce Heth, that his curiosity was
excited, and from inquiries made IN the
neighborhood, he was convinced that the
document applied to his fathers old slave
then living, and who was, therefore, really
one hundred and siXty-one years or age !;
and became confirmed in regard to the l.
IDENTIFY of Joice with the slave described III
that paper
Three thousand dollars was the price ask
ed for this old neoress, but Barnum beat 1t
down to one thousaEd, Of which he had On
ly FIVE huudred--vainly endeavored to bor
row the baIance-rai>ed it by selling his IN
terest in grocery Store---and finally bought
the cid woman--or, rather, the right OF eX-
bibtiay her for twelve months, from June
10, 1885
Joice Heth was brought to New York
and exhibited at NjbIos Garden, with prof
it of one thousand five hundred dollars a
week. When the interest tagged, the city
was flooded with posters" and the news
papers were largely employed to tickle the
curiosity of the pensive public. Barnum
gives several amusing specimens OF these
puff paragraphs. and adds:
Our exhibition usually opened with a
statement ofthe manner in which Joice Reth
was discovered, as we'll as the account OF
her antecedents in Virginia, aud reading
of the bill OF sale. We would then question
her in relation to the birth and youth OF
General Washington, and she always gave
satisfactory answers IN every particuar.-
individuals among the audience would also
Frequently ask her questions. and put her to
the Sevcrest examinations, without
ever finding her to deviate from what bad
every evidence Of being a pIaiu unvarnish-
ed statement OF facts.
'Joce was very fond Of church music,
to which she would beat time by waving
fher long wlthered arm. On one occasion
in New York an aged Baptist minister stood
by her side IS she was singlng one OF her
fayorite hymns, and he joined her, and Ii
ned each verse. She va much pleased BY
this circumstance, and sang With renewed
animation. After the hymn was finished,
the clergyman lined off the verses of anoth-
er hyma, and Joice Immediately remarbIug,
Il know that hymn, joined him in singing
it De lIncd IN this manner several hymns,
which were emit ely new to her, and IN
each case Joice knew them, and in one or
two Instances refreshed his memory when
she found him at loss to recall the exact
language of the verses. Joice loved to con-
verse upon religious subjects and frequent
" insisted on the attendance of ciergymen
for that purpose.
The question naturally arises, if Joice
! Heth was an impoSter, Wh0 taught her these
things, and how happened IT that she was
so familiar, not only with ancient psalmody,
bat also with the minute details of the
Washington family? To all tiS, unheS-
uaungIy answer, / do net kno0r. taught
her none Of these things She was perfect
" familiar with them all before ever saw
her. and she taught me many fact, in rela-
ton to the Washington family with which |
was not before acquainted -
! The old negresS was exhibited IN Provi'
dence and Boston. AT the latter place, says
| Barnum, Our exhibition room continued to
attract large numbers OF visitors for several
weeks before there was any visible falling
off, kept up constant succession OF nov
el advertisements and unique notices III the
newspapers, which tended TO keep old Joice
fresh in the mindo Of the public, aud served
to sharpen the curiosity OF the people"
One of these went to the length of say
ing: Joce Heth is not human being
What purports to be remarkably old wo-
nan is simply curiousIy constructed au-
tomaton made up Of whalebone, india rub
Der, ard numberless springs ingenlouSly
put together, AMI made to move at the
slightest touch according to the will OF the
operator. The exhibitor is a ventrloquiSt,
aud all the conversations apparently heiG
with the ancient lady are purely magma
~, 20 far as she is concerned, for the an
swers and incidents purpofting TO be given
aud related by her, are merely the venrl-
equal voice of the exhibitor"
OF course crowds. who had seen her as
flesh and olood, (or, rather, as skin aud
tone. went again to see If she were com
posed OF whaebone, india rubber, and steel
springs. In various cities the exhibition
was attended wlth great and invariaae sue
cess. AT last, in February. 1886 Juice
Helh died. Her body, whlch had been
conveyed to New York, was examined by
a skiilul surgeon who said that from it. in
ternal appearance, Instead OF being l62
years old, the negress was probabIy not O.
yer 50. Then went out report, says Bar /,
mum, ''ol her having been first fonnd by me /
in the onthouse OF a plantation ii Kentucky
of my having extracted all her teeth
taught her the Washington story-cai!ed J.