New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-01
FROM BOSTON.
Correspondence OF The N Y. Tribune.
BOSTON, Monday, July

Correspondence OF The N. Y. Tribune.
Boston, Monday, July 80, 1850.
Barnum, suppose, intends his letter to The
TRIBUNE pretending to complain of my alluslon
to him in connection with the girl and the snake,
az an advertisement of his Museum. If so, 1t
does credit to his genius in that line. Let me,
however, assure Mr. Barnum that if as he alleges,
labor under the delusiOn that bis occupation
is to contrise ways and means 1" to tickle human
"credulty with wonders OF doubtful origin, my
error is not the creation of the critics who have
beabored his Autobiography, but rather the result
of dilieeni perusal of that improving work ITSELF
| confess my dullness in not gathering from It's
pages the idea which Mr. Barnum now asserts he
wrote it TO impress upon the public, namely, that
he has forever renounced humbug and deception,
and intends henceforth to lead truthful and moral
life repenting and if possible atOnng for bis aber
atoms. | cheerfully give him credit for his good
intentions, am rejOced at his reformation, and Will
merely beg leave 10 hint to him In his own elegant
way, that, as a general thing another IS not
obliged to furnish brains for his readers to com
"prebeDd his letters" and that if he cannot dis
eliminate irony from earnest, he is very likely to
get 81 sold
You have doubtless noticed the comments Ofthe
Boston papers on the exhibition OF the Girl and
her Snake, last week | did not attend the eNhi-
biton and took no great interest in the matter TILL
/ found that people were really getting excited
about it AMI that il a universal topic OF con
yersation and discussion. Perhaps should hardly
say discussion, for ever! body almost condemned
the exhibition as monstrOus and cruel to the
child while not few expressed determination
TO put a stop TO the thing by killing the snake IN
case it again appeared in public. The father was
arrested and held 10 bail for trial on charge OF
cruelty and unnatural treatment of his daughter.
On Wednesday the exhibition ceased and child and
snake disappeared it being generally supposed that
they had been taken from the city.
On Saturday morning was invited 70 private
interview with the girl and snake, by the person
who superintends the exhibition, and who. be
lieve has bought the snake, or two undivided
thirds" of it, He conducted me 10 house at the
south end of the city, on approaching which we
net Mr.. Hill, the father of the GIRL IN the street
He is harmless Misunderstanding, common
sort of a man. with nothing remarkable about
him except pair of green spectacles which
efectually conceal big eyes, and pair of thick
leather gloves which look marsellously as If
mesnt for handling snakes In reply TO an inquiry
if the girl were at home, he said, Yes, yes, she's
Just come home from the Common. Go right in,
there's nobody there, but man that says he's
doctor and wants to examine her.
On reaching the house we entered without ring
ing. and assembled to so upper chamber, plainly
furnished, where We fOuud the glrl, her mother
and the visitor whom Mr. Hill had described as a
doctor Nobody seemed 70 know this gentlemans
name. and he had evidently called from curiosity.
The girls mother, stout, good humOred woman,
with bright eyes sat on a sofa diligently nursing
large baby The girl was playing near her She
is six or seven years old, very bright and happy
looking, with apparently strong nervous organi-
cation and an excitable temperament. There is
pothing very peculiar in her appearance, except
~ axcasdirc BRIGHTNESS of her ewes which glOWed
with strange light such as have noticed only
in the ewes of lunatcs and sometimes in those Of
mesmerizers. We soon became friends, and took
Der on my knee and questioned her minutely about
the snake and her feelings toward it. She told me,
with every appearance of sincerity and uneOn-
strant, that she became acquainted with the erea-
ture cut in the pasture that II sang to her.
which she described as slight kissing sound,
hat she called il Robin" and that she loved u