Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-11-11
MR.. AND MRS. TOM THUMB AT
HOME.

The Rev. W. II Adams of MaSsachu-
,ctts mas written letter describing Wis
n To the home near Niddicboro, Mass,
of the wor,d-reuowncd dwartS, General
and Mrs. Tom Thumb, in which he says,
The public are not admitted to their
,umpuous home Only few favored
friends, who its proprietors are confident
viii appreciate the privilege, are received.
IL is q thrcc-story wooden mansion. taste
fully painted, with piazzaS and bay WIN
dows commanding an extensive view Of
yarcgated scenery, with the domcs and
spires Of Middleboro' in the distance, and
having the air of luxury. \ Scotch
maid announced us, who subsequently
told one of the ladies that they could not
help loving Mr. and Mrs. Stratton, who
were always kind and seeking to make
them happy. The General gave us
hearty welcome and ushered Us into an
elegant drawing room adorned with ltal-
ian and Chinese paintings, and portrait
of his father, who died some years since
at Bridgeport, Conn, where the family
still reside. On the marble centre table
lay large family Bible alone. Chairs
and sofas were all adapted to persons OF
ordinary size, and nothing in this story OF
the mansion suggested its owners wee
ness, save in the library, replete with
brio -brac and articles of ulrtu from all
the world, souvenirs of travel, where a
child's rocking-chair of black walnut re-
ceived the little Madame. while her guests
occupied ordinary seats during the half
hour in which the General kindly eXhib-
tied article after article, from a Masonic
apron hundred years old, to an elephant
carved from a tusk. but whose tusks,
alone from the whole animal. were not of
ivory, but of brass. To curiously carved
walking stick surmounted by long
bearded head with great glass eyes, they
have given the name of David, from a
fancied resemblance TO the sweet psalmlst
of Israel Mrs Stratton, pointing to an
elegantly carved set of East India chess
men, remarked her fondness for the game,
and (archly, and with the Generals good
humored response) her husbands dislike,
because, 'modestly | say it, always beat
him
1--WE could well appreciate her asser-
ton that she and the General had always
got along well together. He is forty
years old, and four years her senior. He
now weighs seventy-fve pounds, having
weighed fifty pounds at fifteen years OF
age. But, said he, Il began life good
big boy of six pounds Going up stairs
we felt inclined to be so unmannerly as
to take two steps at time, for the stairs
of both flights seemed but four or five
inches each in height; but we were not
so exalted above measure as thus to indi-
cate our own pedal superiority. At the
head of the first flight, in the sewing
room, stood the diminutive Wheeler n
Wilson sewing machine, wedding pres
ent. fifteen years ago, from that firm, who
at their own expense caused this exquls-
itely pearl-i inlaid plaything to precede the
little travellers in every land they visited
around the globe. 1t is a playthlng IN
size alone, Mrs. Stratton making 1t do
good service to the present day. In the
front entry over the entrance was the
Generals grand piano, about two feet
high, one of his pastors fingers striking
three of the keys at once, and with diff
Guilty covering only one. 1t was made in
England, and cost $500, being inlaid with
pearl and richly gilded and enamelled.
But the General was 'out of practice,