Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-08-02
A Touching Story of a Mothers Death.
WARREN-TOUCHING STORY-A MORE
FORTUNATE DWARF MOTHER.

Minnie Warren, the dwarf who has been
on exhibition with Barnum's troupe for
nlteen years in various parts of the globe,
died in Middleboro, Mass. on Tuesday last.
She was twenty-seven years of age, and was
but forty inches in heightand never weigh
ed over forty-fve pounds. She was married a
year ago to "Gea. Grant Jr.' another dwarf
OF the same troupe. The story Of her mar
rlage and death, which last occurred in
becoming mother, is a curious rs well
as touching one as told by the New York
Sun" 1t says :
When Tom Thumb was married to La
vlnia Warren the general o lnio.i was that
Commodore Mutt would take Minnie for
his bride; but The little Commodore had
set his aft, ctions Oh Lavinia, and his little
heart vas bliglittd when Gen Thumb won
h.r from! him.
Never mi d, Commodore the joviaI
Ba.num said, "Minnie Warren is a better
match for YOU. Size is younger than you,
Wailn Lavinia IS several years cider.
Thank YOU sir" tie Commodore said.
stifllY, 81 would not marry Tile best woman
living. | don't believe iii women, any
way
Time lesssened Commodore Nuts grief
and he partly renewed his attentions to
Miss Minimize. But after his fist disap-
pointmeut IN love, IL is said he became u
fast young man. and Minnie, like wise
young lady, discouraged his addresses.
A few years ago I}arnum found another
Liliputiall, Major Newell, vino was rechris-
tened Cen Grant, Jr., and added to the
Tom Thumb combination. The Major
was bright and intelligent, and lie and
Minnie became great friends. About IL
year ago they were married, and they lived
happily together with Gen. Thumb and
wife in Middleboro. Their last tour to-
gether Was in the Western States, from
which they recently returned.
When Mir. Bainum WAS in the city re-
cent?. he let out the secret, which had
been closely kept by Minnie's family, but
the memory of The spurious Thumb baby
led many t. regard the story as Barnum
hoax. But the New Haven women soon
discovered the purchase Of little bits OF
muslin, lace ana flannel by members of the
Warren household. and secrecy became
impossible. A lady friend who visited the
| Warrens described the little garments as
''too comical for anything Dolls pat
| terms. were used, and the little slips and
| wrappers were made Cne-SiXth OF the size
of garments for ordinary babies.
Mrs. Newell is described as looking for
ward tomaternity with great antici pations
of happiness and 10 misgiviags. Her hus-
band, however, had gloomy forebodings,
and expressed the greatest solicltuds. Her
death was a great shock to her family
| The child died at birth. 1t weighed five
pounds and ten ounces. -Four hours later
! the mother died from exhaustion.
| The death of Minnie Warren will prof.
lo, hi NJ no
| Thumb party. Minnie's death WAS I'M
doubtedly caused by her maternal love.
| Had she listened to the advice OF the ply
slclan sooner, her own life might have
| been saved, although her child would have
| been lost to her. But she would not, IN
Ill it was too late. During her sickness
| she seemed to think of nothing but TIE
baby that she soon hoped to fold to her
| bosom.
Il shall live," she said to her sister, Mrs
| Southworth; and after her baby was born
she said with u smile, II knew | should
live; take me and rock me.'' The sister
| took Minnie in her arms, as she would an
infant, and rocked her. "Don' terry" said
| Minnie, II shall live through it." Then
| after little while she said, "Rock me OH
| did so, and Minnie was quiet little
while. At length she said with sigh, Il
don't know whether l shall get through
after ALL Please put me On the bed, Ifeel
through it.''' The sister but her tenderly
on the bed. In a few minutes, without
another word and with only gentle sigh,
| Minnie died, three hours after her baby
was born. The baby was a beautiful child.
robust. and weighed just one-seventh of
| Minnie's weight. six pounds.
| At 2 O'Clock the family assembled in the
parlor around the casket. This was OF
| black walnut, covered with blue silk vel
vet, and was lined with white satin 1t
was the casktt OF child of ten years, but
as the friends looked within they saw the
little mather with one arm embracing the
girl baby, whose face lay nestled close to
the mothers bosom. The mothers head
was turned to the baby, and the two
seemed quietly sleeping. The baby's face
was a sweet one, a little dimple remaining
in the chin than even death had not TAX eli
away No one looked upon the little
neither and her child without weeping
Gen. Tom Thumb sat near the head Of the
caske5 and by him sat his wife, Lavinia
Warren. On the other side sat Major
| Newell, and he made no effort to control
his feelings. He We, t bitterly, as he has
! almost without cessation SINCE his wife
| died Besides thes., Minnie's father and
mother and her brothers and sisters, all
| large men and women, were in the room.
| They remember Minute as daughter and
| sister, who shared her wealth with them,
rather than as d famous little woman.
| Mrs. p. L. Barnum and MI. Blocker and
his wife, who have travelled with the Tom
| Thumb party for fifteen years, were also
among the chief mourners.
| Soon after O'Clock, the house being un-
comfortably filled, and fully thousand
persons OH tie lawn outside, a chant was
sung by choir, and the iieg. Mr.. Dyer
II AIDE a short prayer. He then spoke of
MInnie's Kindness and sweetness of dispo-
sitIon Mrs. Tom Thumb, as she heard
her sisters tenderness spoken Of, tainted,
and was car; led from the ROOM. There
was not dry eye in the house. After
another bymn had been sung, six young
ladies', old friends and mates of Minnie,
took their places as pail bearers, and then
the family looked for the last time upon
Minnie's face. Gen. Tom Thumb could
not control his grief as he turned from
the caSket. The doors were then opened
and the people passed through the parlor,
looking for a few minutes at the faces of
the mother and child. 1t was two hours
befoIe the last friend had passed by 'an.i
the casktt closed Borne by four young
men the casket was placed in the hearse,
and, followed by many carriages, taken to
the village cemetery. Here after the ben
ediction, the casket was lowered into the
little grave. Many stood near even after
the clergyman had dismissed them.
THE SMALLEST OF MOTHERS.
st. Louis Times.
Mrs. w. Fl. Bristol, better known as
Fannie Burdette, who has been travelling
for years with F"repauah's circus, gave
birth on Wednesday night last, in the
Commercial Hotel, to a child weighing
eight pounds. The mother weighs about
fifty pounds and is only thjrty-tWn inches
in starura. Her nHsbana is OF full size,
being six feet in hight aud weighing las