The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-02-05
Tom Thumb and His Wife.

Providence Journal.
Tom Thumb, or Charles Stratton,
as he was called in his baptisrnal name,
was, at his birth, rs all the world
knows, an understood specimen Of hu-
manity. If he was not put into
quart pot, he might have been, accord
ing TO what was said by his mother,
who averrel that he hardly measured
pint. lie grew up in strength OF
brain and in physical health, but with
only small development in anatomi-
cal structure and adipose tissue
Barnum found him in his rural home,
and after some pleasant negotiations
with his progenitors, brought him in
to uotoricty among the curiosities OF
the celebrated museum. 1t was forty
years or more ago when the great
American reportory was at the corner
of Ann street, in New York, that wan
dcring through the shadowy and mys-
terious hall~ and wondering over
birds, and Beasts, and wax figures,
monkeys, ami relics of the revolution,
we first made. acquaintance with the
little man Of Bridgeport. He was in
the prime ami beauty of a black
coatee, tapering off like the tail of
YOUNG swallow, while his trousers,
also Of the ministerial hue, and fault
less in set, were strapped under boots
that q Chinese princess might have
worn, and that gIistened like polished
mirrors. Small in size he was, yet
great in his adopte name, because his
measure was advertised in inches.-
And so he continued increasing in
fame. but not in stature, for many
wears, until he had gained a comforta-
bic portion Of this worlds goods, and
felt that lie might retire from the gaze
of admiring eyes to the quiet fields
and forest shades of his birthplace.
Lavinia Warren was also small and
understood at her birth, and grew
but little up to the time of her maid
enhooa. A happy thought of Bar
mum led him to seek an interview with
her parents, and to engage her as one
of the stars Of his museum. She took
her position among the orbs of his
celebrated armament and held it for
several years. 1t was here that she
found her Thumb; it was here that
her Thumb found her. Under the
tapestry of the museum walls, be-
meath the gaze of revolutionary wor-
thes pecring from Worm-eaten cam
vases, companioncd by Daniel Lam
bert and the stuffed tiger from Bengal,
and encouraged by the voice of the
parrot and the chattering OF the mon-
KEY, the romantic passion warmed up
ami seethed and buDbiel, and two
young and fond hearts, as a poet has
said
Like snow falls meeting
liellowed into one.
There was a fame of love, notwith-
standing the GOODNESS OF our smile,
and it leaped and tlourished until La
yiuia and Thomas were set into u
blaze. 1t gave new ornament to the
green curtain, it sparkled in the cham
delier, it added u luster to the foot
lights, and it sounded wedding pre-
ludcs in the inspiring harmonies OF
the Ammonium bass-viol and other IN
strumcnts of the customary band
Allu III pIOpcl llllS, uitSi al Pio'S'
sional engagements had been fulfilled,
Lavinia and Thomas were married.
There were wedding presents, and
sports and junketings after the solemn
ceremony, but the bride and BRIDE
groom, in that modesty which always
marked their character, retired from
the festive scene to the valley in Mas
sachusetts which they had selected Tor
their future home. And there ever
since they have lived, unl.sturbed ny
the illusions Of the public stage, ox-
cept in occasional dramatic episodes,
and perfectly contcntod in their Sc,
Quesiorcd dwelling among wool ana
streams and towering hedges. II the
namings of remembered chandeliers
have occasionally blaaoa inupon them,
they have illuminated the delights OF
their pleasant retreat, and the visions
of the polar bear in his stuffed integ-
nment, the happy family, and the pa,
thetic seal In his tank, have onl added
to the pleasures of A let abode.