Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-01-11
An unpublished Leaf from Barnum's Life
HIS Interview with Queen Victoria.

An Unpublished Leaf from Barnum.sI;f.
Ills interview with Queen Victoria.
1he New York Sun of late date tells this
Story OF the great Snowman, which the editor
declares TO be new and reliable
Every one knows Tom Thumb. tbouvb very
few know Charley Stratson. Charley was =
nice little fellow, living in Bridgeport, CT
rhrhum native place,-before lie became fa-
ln0us. The first exhibition of him in Now
/ ork was only fairly remuneratiye and Bar
rum started for London in the hope of doing
hetter Ills first appearance was in Pail Mali,
OUT despite heroic endeavOr and the loudest
Growing General Thomas Thumbs claims
to public notice was overlooked. The first
leyee proved a q" levy of the purse instead
OF the people favor. and Barnum withdrew
in disgust.
The second trial was at various English
country fairs-hard work and little pay, or as
me story goes, " more kicks than cOppers -
Most men would have given up entirely, but
not Barnum He returned to London and
like Micawber waited for something to turn
up, though 1T must be confessed even his hope
had almost ebbed out. His misfortunes excited
the sympathy of his fellow -countrymen. and
among them Of Edward Everett, then United
states Minister at the Court of St. James. Mr..
Everett was preparing for one of his usual
diplomatic dinners, and remarked to Barnum
that he would let his guests see the General
after dinner If he would have him ready-that
something might come of. it, and that at all
events, 1T would be n qualification to him and
diversion to them. if he were present for a
few moments. Of course, the proposal was
accepted.
1t happened that at the dinner Sir Charles
Augustus Murray. master of the Queens house
hold and Sir Edward Phipps. were among the
company. When the cloth was removed. Mr..
Everett rose and said, that his guests had seen
In him fair specimen of a good sized Yam
kee, but he wished them to understand
that his native land was not confined in her
productions, to large representatives of the
genus homo, and therefore he proposed to show
them specimen OF a small Yankee With that
ne made signal, at which Barnum entered
and placed Tom Thumb at the lower end of the
table. The General had been trained i'm hi.
role, and away he went, nodding and bowling
leaplng over wine glasses and straddling the
decanters, until he reached Mr. Everett's side
The sudden irruption, the winning little face
and blithe manners not less than the dimipu-
i've form, created sensation which remained
and showed itself in conversation after the
General had been removed. Sir Chas Murray
dIla:lnS somewhat upon the pleasures it would
give the Royal children to see the little sprite
OF course, Mr.. Barnum heard of this from Mr.
Everett. Having no 'local habitation' in all
London, he availed himself of the kindness OF
GeGrge Catlin, Esq, (whOse Indian Gallery has
made him famous the world over. } and sent hi:
card and that of Tom Thumb to Sir Charles
Murray, coupled with Mr.. Catln's address
From that day Barnum was new man. lie
began forthwith to draw pictures of n gloriou.
future, in all which the exhibition of Tom
Thumb to the Queen and her children appeared
in the foreground. Day after day, and many
times day, he went to Catln's rooms, expect
ing to receive the royal mandate. But days
wore to weeks, and the missive came not Bar
mum grew despOnding again. At last, jus,
when hope stopped for her final fight, letter
hearing the well-known royal seal appeared
Barnum's joy knew no bounds. He could moi
open the precious envelop. He danced and
hollered-tOld Catlin over and over again thai
his fortune was made-then lay upon the foo,
screaming with delight and kicking up hi.
heels. BlOndin never performed more wonder
ful antics.
The presentation of Tom Thumb to the Cour
followed in due time, and afterward came tn,
fortune which Barnum 50 confidently predicted
would be its inevitable result