The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-03-03
Tom Thumb and His Wife.

New York letter in Cincinnati Commercially
Down stairs rushed the crowd, and in few
moments the curtain that concealed small
stage was drawn up, und particularly long
and lean man cantered out to announce Mr..
and Mrs. Charles Stratton. A man at the
piano struck up, "Seel the Conquering Hero
Comes!' and the tiny couple entered. Tiny,
did 1 say? Then let me take it back, as far as
the general is concerned, for he has grown
fearfully and wonderfullyl rather yellow
and very wrinkled. He looked, in fact, like
an orange that had been sat upon, and his
gray goatee and hair added to his evident ac-
cumulation Of years. He must weigh at least
no pounds, which considering his height to
the sq1are inch, is doing very well.
His little wife looks careworn, and is hardly
stouter than when she first appeared, but she
wore charming toilet of pink satin and
pearls, and smiled the same five for cent little
smiles as of yore. She sang in voice fine as
100 thread, a song about the shamrock, and
then the general appeared in his favorite
would have made the great warrior wriggle
in his grave even more than Nine. Remusat's
"memoirs;" and when the plump exhibitor
went to strike the attitude of meditation he
lOSU MS Dalance anu IOppleu over OH OHe Sue,
to the amusement OF the audience. Then
tall, slim young man came out as Chinaman
and danced and slid round on parlor skates
and the matinee was over.
After the people had dispersed 1 had little
chat with the famous small couple.
"How long have you been before the public,
general?" was asked.
"Over 40 years." said he, folding his arms
and striking an attitude. people seem to
have an idea that have retired, but the truth
"a l.. af
life, though my wife is getting rather tired of
it."
eyes," said Mrs. Thumb, with a weary little
sigh, 1--WE have been married II years to-day,
and think it's about time we stayed at home
You see, am domestic in my tastes, and love
housekeeping, but the general wants to be on
the go all the time"
"Well, wel,'' said the husband, with an
imperial wave of his short, fat hand. "In
summer have my yacht and fast horses, and
that passes the time away, but the winter sea-
son is pretty dull in marlborough"
eyes, said Nine. Thumb with an express
sive look, ''if it were not for so much yachting
and fast driving, our bank account would be a
little bigger to-day
my dear!" said the general, and an awk-
ward pause ensued, broken by our correspon-
| dent remarking: people were very sorry to
hear of your sisters Miss Minnie Warren)
DEATH"
| "Yes," said the wee woman with tears in her
eyes anu DIS IuuCH loclliiS dS u SlA iOOIcr. LII
| was great blow to me, and then came the loss
of my dear little son. A good many people
| thought he was nothing but an advertise
| ment," she continued, growing trifle incoher-
ent; 'sbut if they had known how felt til ey
wouldn't"
"And what has become of little Mai. Newell,
| your brother-in-law?"
why, didn't you see him in the Chinese
song-and-dance?"
'"That tall young man? impossible
"Oh, yes; that was the major. You see,
| about the time that Minnie died the poor fell
| low began to grow (this very mournfully), and
he kept on growing and growing until he was
| just like anybody else. OF course it ruined his
business, and he had to go into the varieties
so we try to get him engagements with u.s.
| "And where is Commodore Mutt, nova
| days?"
"oh, he is making his money fly out in San
| Francisco
| Here the carriage was announced, and with
| "Come along, my DEAR the general led his
| wife and helped her in the coupe, and filled uI
one seat himself. The colored driver whipped
up the dapple gray ponies, and off they went,
smiling and bowling.