River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-10-16
TON THUMB AND HIS WIFE.
A Glance at the Home of the Renowned
Uwarfs.

The Rev. w. III. Adams, of Massa-
chusetts, has written a letter describing
a visit to the home, near Middleboro',
Mass, of the world-renowned dwarfs,
General and Mrs. Tom Thumb, in
which he says: ''The public are not
admitted to their sumptuous home.
Only few favored friends, who its pro-
prietorS are confident will appreciate
the privilege, are received. 1t Is a
three story wooden mansion, tastefully
painted, with piazzas and bay windows
commanding an extensive view of vari-
egated scenery. with the domes and
spires of Middleboro' in the distance,
and having the air of luxury. A 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 Italian and Chinese painting, and
q portrait of his father, who died
some years since, at Bridgeport, Conn,
where the family still reside. On the
marble center table lay large family
Bible, alone. Chairs and sofas we're all
adapted to persons of ordinary size,
and nothing in this story of the man
sion suggested its owners weeness, save
in the library, replete with bric-a-brac
and articles of uertU from all parts Of
the world, souvenirs of travel from all
parts of the world, souvenirs of travel
where a child's rocking-chair of black
walnut received the little Madam, while
her guests occupied ordinary seats dur
ing the half hour in which the general
kindly exhibited article after article,
from Masonic apron hundred years
old, to an elephant carved from tusk,
but whose tusks, alone of the whole an
imal, We're not of ivory but of brass.
To curiously-carved walking-stick sur
mounted by long-bearded head with
great glass eyes, they have given the
name of David, from a fancied resem-
blance to the sweet psalmist of Israel.
Mrs. Stratton, pointing to an elegantly
carved set of East India chessmen, re-
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..
eve could well appreciate her asser-
ton that the general and she bad al
ways got along we'll together He is
40 years old, and four years her senior.
He now weighs seventy-five pounds,
having weighed fifty pounds at Is
years of age. But said he, i began
life a good big boy of six pounds Co
ing up stairs we felt inclined to be so
unmannerly as to take two steps at a
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 indicate our own
pedal superiority. At the head of the
first flight, IN the sewing-room
stood the dininutive Wheeler & Wilson
sewing machine, a wedding present,
fifteen years ago, from that firm, who
at their own expense caused this ex-
quisitely pearl-inlaid playthlng to pre-
cede the little travellers in every land
they visited around the globe. 1t is a
plaything in size alone, Mrs. Stratton
making it do good service to the pres
ent 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 difficulty covering only
one. 1t was made in England and cost
$780, being inlaid with pearl and richly
eilded and enameled. But the Ger eral
was out of practice;' indeed, had given
up playing altogether.
perhaps our greatest treat was the
inspection of their own apartment.
Here were the Penates. Admitted into
the penetralia, we may be permitted to
write that here everything is adapted
to themselves alone. Bureau, cabinet,
dressing table, sofa, chairs and bed were
all diminutive; the last deliberately
carved from ebony, and richly cano-
pied in damask and lace, gift from
his father"