Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-08-15

knees, spread the little coat out to its
fullest extent upon the fourth page of
the newspaper.
There, thought So" said the little
general, in his peculiar treble; There's
plenty of paper to spare all round the
coat, don't you see? Why, in the DAYS
when | wore that coat it used to be the
fashion for men-Imean grown-up men
to wear large box coats, with deep
pockets and large lapels; and Mr.. Bar
mum used frequently for a joke, to put
me IN one OF his coat pockets, and then,
while IN conversation with some one, to
cOolly take me out and hold me upon
his hand, ha! ha!''
when did you return from England,
general?"
at was in the early part of Il
February, [ think. [ had visited nearly
every city and town in France and
Belgium and all the principal places in
England and Scotland, besides going to
Belfast and Dublin, Ireland. | receiv-
ed presents from all the crowned heads
OF Europe. Subsequently [ visited
Havana, Europe again, and travelled
pretty much all over this country"
" 1t was during this time that you and
Commodore Mutt were brought togeth-
er, was it not?"
" Yes, Mr.. Barnum got him at Man
chester, n. H., in the early part of go,
and in August Of that year he and |
were exhibited at the museum in New
York as The Two Dromios' and The
Two Smallest Living Men The COM
mOdore looked in those days very much
rs l did when | was first exhibited, and
he and | have been together until with
III three years, when circumstances
compelled a separation
" You and the commodore were once
rivals in q love affair, it is said. Is that
true general?"
" Pooh! that's all nonsense. Winnie
My wife's name is Lavinia, you know,
and [ call her Winnie never looked
upon him other than as a boy, he was
so much younger then herself He was
no rival of mine in her affections. My
wife's maiden name was Lavinia War
rem Bump, and she was born in this
town October 81, 1871. Like her sister
Huldah poor Minnie Warren, you
knOW-she weighed about six pounds at
her birth. There were six other chill
dren in the family, all being of ordinary
size. When she was at the age at
which | was exhibited her weight was
between four and five pounds less than
mine. AT present she is about forty
inches tall and weighs about fifty
pounds. Both she and Minnie were al
ways highly cOmplimented by ladies
who saw them in their perfection of
form. They were not III any way de-
formed, but were perfect miniatures of
their Sisters Of larger growth We were
married with a good deal of ceremony
IN Grace Church, New York, February
10, 1868, and after q brief wedding tour
began travelling, which has continued
almost constantly until last spring, both
IN this country and Great Britain In
June, 1869, we started via California for
a three years tour around the world
While IN California, on this trip, Il tor
nadO passed oyer the spot where we sit
this moment and scattered my new
house, which was well advanced to-
wards completion, to the four winds. |
got telegram from my father-in-law,
saying, Your house is blown down. [
wired back the immediate reply, PUTT
up again, and went forward on nv
journey. We travelled $4,000 miles, of
which 81 900 were by sea, and had we
not been detained on our return by
fog at Sandy Hook, our trip would have
lasted Just exactly three years to day,
from New York
Our last trip which was in this country
and Canada. lasted a year and eight
months, our last performance being in
Jersey City, N. J. on May 10th of this
year, when we returned on account of
Minnie's health. That was poor Min
MES last appearance in public"
Seeing that the general was saddened
by the mention of Minnie Warren, the
to divert the conversation, re-
marked: 81 have understood that
you were high in Freemasonry, gen
eral."
cob, yes; [ have taken 80 out of the
80 degrees, and always carry my re-
gala, sword, ETC., with me when [
travel. | am q member Of st. Johns
Lodge No. 3, Jerusalem Royal Arch
Chapter, No. 43, and Hamilton Encamp-
ment, No. 5, Knights Templars, all of
Bridgeport, Conn.,"
Did you ever have any family ?"
q Yes; Il little girl was born to us in
Brooklyn, n. Y, ten or eleven years
ago-I'm very poor at remembering
dates. 1t died when only 2 years and s
months old, at Norwich, England"
Il have often wondered how you and
your wife managed about gloves and
the like. You have them made especi-
ally for you, presume?"
Yes: we are obliged to do So on our
gloves and underwear. Why! no three
year-old child could wear my wife's
gloves. The articles / have mentioned
are imported expressly for us. Our
boots and shoes are made here on
special lasts, as also are, of course, our
clothes, etc"
it used to be frequently reported
that Commodore Mutt had married
Minnie Warren, did it not?"
Yes, indeed; people fell naturally
into the idea because they were of the
same age-he was born in April and
she in June, 1S49-and travelled so much
together. Sometimes hotel-keepers
would tell us that such and such a room
had been set apart for Mr.. and Mrs.
Commodore Mutt and they We're quiet
to learn that there was no
Mrs. Mutt Major Newell, to whom
she was married in July of last year, is
% years old, and was born in Chicago.
He was exhibited by Mr.. Barnum, you
will remember, rs General Grant, Jr.,'
at his New York museum. Come now"
said the general abruptly changing the
subject, 81 want to show you over my
house. But first let me tell you a bit