The Evening critic., 1883-04-30
THE CRITIC ABROAD,

THE CRITIC ABROAD,
The most noted gambler at the present
time-notable by reason of his remarkable
winnings at cards-is "Dink" Davis, of
New York. OF all men In the world he
bears the least resemblance to the typical
gambler. He is young man, the son of a
Pennsylvania dairyman, and drifted to
New York some years ago in all appear
ances the ideal green provincial. He had
some money, and the salted sports of the
metropolis thought they had q soft snap on
woefully disappointed. To the present
time he clings to his country makeup
and lack of style. He is tall, lean, gawlSy
fellow, dressed in the'shabbiest and slouchi-
est sort of hand-me-down clothes, affects no
.ewelry, not even, watch, and is utterly
regardless as to the condition of his linen.
A few months ago, when the dealer in q
swell faro bank turned down the box,
'Dink' having won $4,000 in a single
sitting, a friend called to him:
"Say, Dink, now that you've won all
that money you can afford to have that
hole in your pants patched"
Nav can't" drawled the "luclxy" man,
depositiDg his wad of bills in his inside
vest pocket, II can't afford to be stylish
nohow. l wants all my money to play
faro bank with.''
Playing against the bank is food, sleep
and raiment to him. He wants nothing
else on this terrene sphere.
-:o:-
Speaking of Brewster and his vanity the
other evening, gentleman who has long
been close observer of public men said he
In1 1NF., 80 1,N -,
the West:
1.-TWO brothers, both long noted in the
neighborhood for their lack of wit, got into
quarrel and called each other fools. Said
Ben to Bill
ayes, they call me fool, but you know
you are bigger fool than am
"'Yes,' replied Bill, Il know am fool,
but you haven't sense enough to know you
are FOOL
Brewster by his action proclaims him.
self fool, and evidently he is like Bill,
without sense enough to know that he is a
fool.''
Apropos of Barnum's SHOW, Durand, the
gentlemanly press agent, tells how Jumbo
came to be such feature of the ADVERTISE
ments of the show. Barnum had heard of
a big, overgrown elephant in the Zoologi-
cal Gardens Of London that could be bought
at bargain, and telegraphed his agent to
buy him, simply with the idea of adding to
the number Of his elephants. At that time
in the great showman's mind he was
simply an elephant, nothing more. But
when Jumbo came to be taken out for ship
ment, when he got to the gate of the gar
dens he laid down and would not go out.
He had been in the gardens fifteen or six
pn an1 ha nufIantly ~ 20
leave. Anyhow, he could not be induced
to go through the gate. The fact was pub
lished in the London papers, and immedi-
ately cry went up from the people that
he must not 20, and the agent was notified
that under the circumstances the elephant
would not be given up. The London Iele-
gram cabled the facts of the case to Barnum
with request to answer by cable without
limit what he intended to do. Barnum was
in Bridgeport, and Mr.. Durand received
the cablegram in New York, and immedi-
ately telegraphed to Barnum. In two
hours the great Snowman was in New York.
The first words he said were, " Durand, this
is the opportunity of my life." Durand re-
piled that he did not think so; that he had
had Jennie Lind, Tom Thumb and many
other attractions, which were greater feat
ures than this elephant could possibly be
worked up to be. But Barnum persisted
that he considered this the greatest oppor-
tunity of his life, and he sat down and
dictated dispatch in answer, into which
he interpolated q description of his career
as q Snowman and of all the principal feat
ures of his present show, and wound up
with the statement that he had paid for the
elephant and he must have him he was his
property and he would take him away, and
directed Durand to send it by cable, collect
on delivery. Durand demonstrated that
that would be rather mean and
to pay for the dispatch in advance, but
Barnum would not have it, "You know"
he said, II do not care for the price of the
telegram, but it would defeat my plans
Send it collect, and if necessary I will pay
for it afterward." The dispatch was sent,
and cost $500. 1t was published in the
London papers, and was recalled back aud
was published the next morning by all the
papers in the United States having the AS.
sociated Press reports. Durand says he
then saw that Barnum was right, as he al
ways is in the estimate of what thing is
worth. The people Of London still pro-
tested against the elephants removal, and
finally it went to the courts. 0fcourse the
result was that the Court said the elephant
belonged to Barnum, and he could take
him rs he was. The case decided, the next
thing was to get Jumbo's consent. After
many trials, always resulting in failure,
strategem was resorted to. A huge box
was built, mounted on small wheels, and
after much trouble the great beast was in
duced to enter, and his renewal
was accomplished. "Of course" said
Durand," we did not let the public
interest, once aroused, lag, Every incident
connected with his removal was worked
into the newspapers and telegraphed home
and published here, and for long time
Jumbo was national issue, until he ar
rived in the harbor of New York and was
landed and hauled up the entire length of
Broadway by team of dozen elephants"
What was the result ?" asked the Critic.
Did all this expensive advertising pay?"
"Pay2 Advertising always pays" said the
experienced agent. why, it's an abso-
lutte fact-no show talk-but absolutely
true, on my honor as a geutleman-that
Barnum's show cleared last year over $780,
900, and it is within bounds to say that
$780, of that amount was duo to Jumbo.
1t is also true that If it had not been for
the genius Of Barnum. and his ability to
grasp opportunities, that Jumbo would not
have been worth any more than any other
great, big overgrown elephant, notwith-
sfaudino ha Ia fha IarOast haast liuinov