The bee., 1883-08-25
TOM THUMB.
Additional Incideuas I'm the Little Mans Life
---His Two Visits to Queen Victoria.

---His Two Visits to Queen Victoria.
It was in November, 1912, that the
great Snowman, P. L. Barnum. first
heard of the general. Tom Thumb
was then fourteen years old, two feet
high, weight less than sixteen pounds,
and was considered the smallest child
for his age in the world. He was per-
fectly formed, bright; yed, had light
golden hair and ruddy cheeks. He
was very bashful. but, with a little
coaxing. would talk with any one.
When Barnum first engaged him he
agreed to give him So week and
travelling and hotel expenses. His
first public appearance was IN New
York on Thanksgiving day, December
8, 1912, at the American Museum. At
the expiration of the first engagement
Barnum made another cont act with
the general for one year at 81 per week
and expenses for himself and mother,
but before the expiration of the con-
tract he had become such q great
favorite that Barnum increased his
salary to $50 and afterward to $50
per week. He was taken to Europe
in 1S4l, whore he appeared before all
the crowned heads, and from them he
received valuable tokens of regard
and esteem. At this time he was
fourteen years old, but was advertised
by Balnum as twenty-one years old.
All Europe, from the nobility to the
peasant, seemed to have perfect
craze to see him, and Barnum, in his
"Life," speaking of the success of
Tom Thumbs first visit to Europe,
says "The word of approval was, in
deed, 50 passed around in high circles
that unlimited parties drove to my
door in crested carriages and were not
admitted. When first presented to
Queen Victoria the general exclaimed,
"Good-evening, ladies and gentlemen. )"
\ burst of laughter followed the salu-
tatiOn, in which the queen heartily
Joined. When asked by her majesty
how he liked the royal paintings, he
replied that they were First rate" 1t
is customary in leaving the royal pres
ence to back out, and the general and
Barnum were both given lessons in
the art by the lOrd-in-waiting before
.hey were admitted to the palace. Bar
mum, in speaking OF the way in which
they left the queen, says:
"The lord in waiting was perhaps
Modified toward me when he saw me
following his illustrious example in
retiring from the royal presence. He
was accustomed to the process, and
therefore was enabled to keep some
what ahead Cor rather aback of me,
but even [ stepped rather fast for the
other member of the retiring party.
We had a considerable distance to trav-
ell in that long gallery before reaching
the door, and whenever the general
found he was losing ground, he turned
around and ran few steps, then re-
sumed the position of backing out
then turned around and ran, and so
continued to alternate his methods of
getting to the door, until the gallery
fairly rang with the merriment of the
royal spectators. 1t was really one of
the richest scenes l ever saw. Run
ming, under the circumstances, was IN
offense sufficiently heinous to excite
the indignation of the queens favorite
poodle dog, and he vented his displeas-
ure by barking so sharply as to startle
Al eA~e-~l from hio Pr0PIiCty. He,
however, recovered Immediately, and
with his little cane commenced an at
tack on the poodle, and a funny fight
ensued, which renewed and increased
the merriment of the royal party"
At the second visit of the general to
the queen. the queen introduced him
to the Prince of Wales, saving: "Gen-
eral, this is the Prince of Wales"
" How are you, prince, oil fellow?"
said Tom Thumb. The queen then
asked him if he would sing hera song.
at the same time asking him what
song he preferred " Yankee Doolle''
was the prompt reply. In 1S47 he ap-
pearel before Pre:ident Polk at Wash
ington, and had audience with all the
Presidents since that tine. In every
city in the United States he was a
great success. His first appearance in
this city was at old Carroll hall, on Bal
timore street, corner of Calvert. in 1913.
He also appeared at the New American
museum, where the Baltimore and
Ohio building now stands, under Mr..
John E. Owens management: at Front
Street theatre, Ford's Opera-house and
the Academy of Music.
Charley Howard, the veteran min
strel of this city, says: 81 Travelled
with the general for five months in
1848, and used to carry him from the
hotel to the theatre every rainy or
snowy night. He was the most irri-
table fellow / ever saw. He was al
ways in a bad humor, and would get
up every morning crying; but he got
over that in after years"
During the burning of the Newhall
house in Milwaukee about year apo
the general and his wife barely escaped
with their lives from the burning
building by means of a clothes line.
He lost at this fire some of his decora- |
tlons, medals, etc, to the value Of |
$4,000. In 1868 he was married in
Grace church, New York. to Minnie |
who survives him. The gen.
eral had little or no voice, and his per-
formances consisted of dancing and
fair limitations of actors and actresses.
Both Mr.. and Mrs. Stratton, the par
ents of the general, were large people.
Mr.. Stratton was five feet eleven inches
high and weighed leo pounds, and
Mrs. Stratt on was nearly as tall and
more than her husband. At
the time of his death the general had
grown quite tleshy.-B -BnZtiroore Amor