Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1869-10-29
struggles and TriumpIss,
FORTY YEARS RECoLLECTIoNs' OF
p IT RARNIyM

2. T. BARNUM.
Written by himself. Illustrated.
7s4 PIP. Hartford Conn, J. b. BLrrI
& Co. 1869.
A work like this by p. T. Barnum,
filled with the incidents, struggles
and triumphs of his varied life, and
recording bis shrewd observations of
linen and things, )" could not but he
intensely interesting. But not the
least notable fact about the book IL,
that 1t is. or purports to be q revela-
ton of the authors real motives. and
his way Of looking upon those things,
which, In his career, have been se-
verely commented upon 10y the pub
lie press, defense directly and by
Implication of himself against the
false charges under which he has
suffered. It Is only just that every
accused shall have a fair trial +" If
he desires 1t, and surely no witness
can know more of the outlines or
innocence of the party charged than
he himself. And nowadays In
many States the interests of person
in the issue of trial no longer dis
qualities him as O witness therein.
1t is but just then. that Mr.. Barnum
should be heard i'm his own cause,
and no more than properly cout eous
that the public should give him
candid hearing. Mr.. Barnum al.
ways openly avowed himself ready
tn eater 10 every innocent way to the
public love of tho marvellous, and
did so; and the candid reader in
closing the book, will be obliged to
admit, we think, that that has been
the end of his offending. this and
nothing more" And now that Mr..
Barnum has retired from public life,
1t Is fitting that he should come him.
self before the public in the charac.
ter watch he claims to be his true
one.
But K is not Of the book rs his Ter
sonal defense that the reading pub
lie will be enamored; for whoever
peruses its pages, rich with practical
facts, shrewd observations, and hui
morous anecdotes, will on every
page find something to think about
besides Mr.. Barnum personally, and
his captivating commentaries. Pro-
voked to hearty laughter, or held in
breathless wonder, or galy gliding
with the author along sprightly,
spirited pages, one moves OH from
the beginning to the end of the book
with unfiagging interest. We sus-
pect that the author and publishers
will In this book achieve, as they
ought to, one of those successes the
like of which. alternated with mighty
struggles and trials, have marked the
noted " Snowman"
We give our readers an extract
from the work:
thoroughly understand the art of
advertising. not merely by means of
printers ink, which | have always
used freely, and to which l confess
myself 50 much indebted for my sue
cess, but 10y turning every possible
circumstance to my account. 1t was
my monomania to make the Museum
the town wonder aud town talk. ]
often seized upon an opportunity 10y
instinct. even before l had very
definite conception as to how itsbould
he used. and it seemed, somehow, to
mature itself and serve my purpose.
AS All illustration, one morning a
stout, hearty.looking man, came into
ny ticket-office and begged some
money. l asked him why he did
not work and earn his living? He
replied that he could get nothing to
do and that he would he glad of any
job at dollar day. / handed him
quarter oi dollar, told him to go
and get his break fast and return. and
| would employ him ut light labor
at IL dollar and half day. When
he returned gave him five common
bricks.
Now" said I, Ego and lay brick
on the sidewalk at the corner of
Broadway and Ann Street: another
close by the Museum; third dia
gonaily across the way at the corner
of Broadway and Vesey Street, by
the Astor House; put down the
fourth on the sidewalk in front of
st. Paul's Church, opposite then,
with the fifth brick i'm hand. take up
rapid march from one point tn the
other, making the circuit. eXchang-
ing your brick at every point, and
say nothing to any one.n
what is the object of this?" lis
CURED the man.
mo matter" 1 replied, "all you |
need TO know Is that it brings you |
fifteen cents wages per hour. 1t is a |
bit of my fun, aud to assist me prop |
eriy you must seem to be as deaf as |
u post; wear a serious cuuntenance; |
answer no questions; pay no atten' |
ton to any one; but attend faithful |
ly to the work and at the end of
every hour Ivy st. Paul's clock show
this ticket at the Museum door; en-
ter walking soLemnIy through every
hall in the building; pass out, and
resume your work."
With the remark that 1t was call
one to him, so long as he could earn
his living" the man placed his
bricks and began his round. Half
an hour afterwards, at least five hun
bred people were Watching his mys.
ferrous movements. He had assumed
a military step and bearing, and
looking as sober as u judge, be made
no response whatever 10 the constant
inquiries as to the object Of his sing
ular conduct. At the end of the first
hour. the sidewalk in the vicinity
were packed with people all anxious
TO solve the mystery. The man, as
then went into the Museum,
fifteen minutes to a solemn
survey of the halls, and afterwards
returning to his round. This was
repeated every hour till shutdown
and whenever the man went into the
Museum dozen or more persons
would buy tickets and follow him,
hoping to crafty their curiosity in
regard to the purpose of his move
ments. This was continued for sew
eral days-the curious people who
followed him into tie Museum con-
siderably more than paying his wa
ges-till finally the policeman. to
whom / had impaired my object,
rom plained that the obstruction of
theSi,iewalk by crowds had become
40 SCI ious that / must call i'm my
- brick man." This trivial incident
excited considerable talk and amuse
ment; it advertised me; and il ma
advanced my purpose Of
q lively corner near the Mu-
scum.