Helena weekly herald., 1880-09-16

town, we 60 on a little jaunt in order to re-
fresh our weary souls and ''float our power
ful minds" in pure country air prior to the
opening of the winter season, when we shall
have to whittle our pencils and 60 to work in
dead earnest. Instead of vexing our spirits
with the society and gossip of fashionable
resort, we can take a. coaching tour through
Connecticut and the eastern part of New York
State. The air is soft, balmy and delicious,
the roads in perfect order, having been beat
en- down by recent rain storms, and the
scenery grandly picturesque. Our way lies
through some of the most beautiful parts of
eastern New York, with its fine dairy and
fruit farms. in all their glory of rich summer
yerdure, and through the southern part of
Connecticut in sight of the Sound.
Foreigners complain that there is nothing
old in America, but they quite overlook the
grand old elms and the maiden ladies of New
England, which rear their tall, slender forms
the elms, mean-slong the roadside, FORM
ing graceful, and sometimes impenetrable,
arches over theroad under which the traveller
drives, secure alike from the burning sun
and the sudden summer storms which are SO
frequent along the sea coast. Nothing could
be more beautiful than these elm-shaded
drives Through Ridgefeld, one Of the love-
liest places in Connecticut-Wilton, Nor
walk, Westpolt, Westfield and intervening
hamless, to Bridgeport, what charming
journey!
At Bridgeport we make tour of inspec-
ton and visit the home of P. T. Barnum, the
beautiful ''Sea Side Park" which his gener-
osity has provided for the city, the cemetery,
and other places Of interest. Bridgeport is
one OF Mr.. Barnum's pet objects. and he has
done more to beautify the place than all OF
the other inhabitants put together. His own
residence is, as one would naturally imagine,
set upon a hill, for Mr.. B. is not prone to
hide himself or his light under bushel. The
place is very slightly, overlooking the city in
front and the park and the sound in the rear.
The house is large, rich-ornamented, gaud-
ily painted structure-very Barnumish-in
the midst of handsomely laid out grounds,
and from its cupola floats the stars and stripes
when the great circus man is at home. BY
this signal his goings-in and comings-out are
announced to the interested citizens of Bridge
port. Near his house he has built houses for
his two daughters, and set them up in grand
style. In the park we met several of his
granddaughters, who are now young ladies,
driving about with their coachman and foot
man, and bowing right and left to their many
friends, for everyone in the town knows the
Barnums, and likes them, too, believe The
venerable saw-dust hero is not without his
little romance in bis old age. His first wife,
who died few years since, was confirmed
invalid for several years, and her genial
spouse sought consolation-and found tin
the smiles of handsome and dashiDg eques-
trienne whom he met in London ring. Her
beauty and cAic melted the old gentleman 8
heart and his money and devotion melted
hers, and he engaged her for an American
tour. They came to America, and notwith-
standing Mr.. Barnum's knowledge of the
world and his vast experience, he was simple
minded enough to think that his house in
Bridgeport was large enough for two rival
women to live in. It is large, to be sure, but
it couldn't contain-c comfortably Bar
mum and ''the Most Daring Bareback Rider
the Age has Ever Produced" in big letters,
and the unhappy gentleman was obliged to
remove the young circus lady to side tent,
where she remained patiently waiting until in
due time Mrs Barnum died, and he had
magnificent monument erected to the memo
nv of ''my beloved wife," ETC., with polished
pedestal and all that, and then she had the
little ceremony performed which made her
and P. T. one, and is now endowed with all
his worldly goods, including the "Greates'
Show in the World" the Zulu chiefs, and all
the other ''Living Curiosities." But alas, FOL
human expectations! She, too, is enjoying
very poor health, and may soon have to sleep
under that magnificent monument out in the
cemetery. How Fate mocks US sometimes
Near the Barnum monument is that erected
by Tom Thumb on his family lot. 1t is
most ambitious piece of work, apparently
striving, like the tower of Babel, to reach to
the high heavens. A gigantic shaft. on the
top of which stands life-sized statue OF the
little man himself, and if it were given to hu.
mans to Judge of their fellow creatures, we
might say that perhaps Tom will never gel
nearer heaven than his statue, for they say
he is wicked little fellow. But fortunately
such evidence as 'they say will weigh not
whit against us hereafter, and if there is
tender, gentle spirit in Toms heart, and there
perhaps is, the recording angel will set i