The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-01-21
BARNUM AND THE yESTRYMEN.

About the first ofJuly, 1912, 1 began
to make arrangements for extra novel
ties, additional performances, a large
amount of extra advertising, and an
outdoor display for the GLORIOUS
Fourth" Large particolored bills were
ordered, transparencies were prepared,
the free band of music was augmented
by trumpeter, and columns of adver-
tisements, headed with large capitals,
were written and put on file.
/ wanted to run out string of Amer
lean flags across the street on that day,
for / knew there would be thousands
of people passing the Museum with
leisure and pocket-money, and l felt
confident that an unusual display of ma
tional flags would arrest their patriotic
attention, and bring many ofthem with
in my walls. Unfortunately for my
purpose, st. Paufs Church stood direct
ly opposite, and there was nothing to
which could attach my flag rope, un-
less it mihgt be one fthe trees in the
church yard. / went to the vestrymen
for permission to so attach my flag rope
on the Fourth of July, and they were
indignant at what they called my Sim
sulting proposition ;" such concession
would be "sacrilege." 1 piled them
with arguments, and appealed to their
patriotism, but i'll vain.
Returning to the Museum / gave Or
ders to have the string of flags made
ready, with directions at daylight on
the Fourth of j uly to attach one end of
the rope to one of the third story win
dows of the Museum and the other end
to a tree in st. Paufs churchyard.-
The great day arrived and my orders
were strictly followed. The flags at
tracted great attention, and before nine
o'clock have no doubt that hund reds
of additional visitors were drawn by
this display into the Museum. BY half
past nine Broadway was thronged, and
about that time two gentlemen in high
state of excitement rushed into my Of
fee, announcing themselves as injured
and insulted vestrymen of st. Paul's
Church.
"Keep cool, gentlemen" said I. 81
guess it is all right"
"Rightr y Indignantly exclaimed one
of them, "do You think it is right to at
tach your Museum to our Church? We
will show you what is right and what
is law, if we live till tomorrow those
flags must come down instantly"
'.'rhank you," Isaid, ''but let US not
be in a hurry. l will go out with you
and look at them, and 1 guess we can
make it all right"
Going into the street / remarked ::
''Really, gentlemen, these flags look very
beautiful they do not injure your tree !;
/ always stop my balcony music for
your accommodation whenever you
hold weekday services, and it Is but
fair that you should return the favor"
Eve could indict your music, as you
call it, as a nuisance, if we chose" an
swered one vestryman, E'and now l tell
you that if these flags are not taken
down in ten minutes, / viii cut them
down."
His indignation was at the boiling
point. The crowd in the street was
dense, and the angry gesticulation of
the yestryman attracted their attention.
l saw there was no use in trying to par
ley with him or coax him, and so, as
suming an angry air, / rolled up my
sleeves, and exclaimed in loud tone
''Well, Mister, / should just like to
see you dare to cut down the American
flag on the Fourth of July; you must
be 'Britisher' to make such threat as
pair of Yankee hands in two minutes,
if you dare to attempt to take down the
stars and stripes on this great birthday
of American freedom
'What's that John Bull a saying"
asked a brawny fellow, placing himself
in front of the irate vestryman, "Look
here. old fellow" he continued, 'if you
want to save a whole bone in your body,
you bad better slope, and never dare to
rtalk again about hauling down the
American flag IN the city of New York
Throngs of excited, exasperated men
crowded around, and the vestryman,
seeing the effect of my ruse, smiled
family and said: '.Oh, of course it is
all right and he and his companion
quietly edged out of the crowd. The
flags remained up all day and all night.
The next morning / sought the van
quished vestrymen and obtained for
NAL permission to make this use of the
tree on following hOlydays, in consider
alton of nay willingness to arrest the
dolefnl strains of nay discordant balco-
ny band whenever services were held on
week days in the church.