New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-08
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.

pr +be death Of Phneas Taylor Barnum, the world
,osos i,s bostknovn Snowman. He was the patron
saint OF the amusementloving masses. Ills hahio
has been for years familiar to young and Old. Like
many other Americans whose names ana histories arc
public property Mr. Barnum started In life with httio
else than a good constitution and Yankee parentase
He was born In Bethel, Conn.,, July ., 1910. His
early life was full Of restless changes indicative OK
uneasy talents which lad not yet found their proper
chopre, ~ usefulness He early developed true
Yankee acqulsitivcness, but he was thorough boy
after ALL for on his first visit TO New-York, when
twelve years old he squandered all his wealth on toys
Then falling under the seductive influence OF certain
brand OF mo!asses candy, he traded of the toys fof
unnumpered rolls of this sweet dainty Phineas was
evidently a good boy, too, for he went 10 sunday
school with Old New England regularity aecumulatins
unendlng reward Of merit cards.
Handling the noe and riding horse TO plough wero
not congenia occupations for the future Snowman SO
his father nut him in store at Bethel. Here he
drove sarp bargains with the old women who had rags
and eggs 10 SELL and in year or two accumulated
800 or 800. This his father ty borrowed OF MN.
A previous tribute TO the younger Barnums nnanciai
abilities was the permission gver at an early age 70
buy his own clothes out Of the unearned increment OK
his many transactions in jachlnives and marbles. In
1904 the father died. and Barnum's earnings, being
those NJ minor were absorbed In his fathers estatc
Then followed a succession OF business changes Do
ginning In 1925, at $6 month, In STORE al grassy
Plains the young clerk afterward went 10 store IN
DroolxIyn. ~ w. In 1926, and in 1925 went back 10
Rethel and opened candy store. For short tme III
1927 the future temperance advocate and strict pro-
hbltiont kept porter house in Peck Slip dealing out
,ptoxicant fluids to others, but denying himself.
ON November 8, 1920, at the age OF nineteen the
youthful Barnnm married Miss Charity liallett,
nrettv Girl of his town. whose bright eyes, white teeth
and fair complexion had caught his fancy when boy.
Two wears later in the height CT popular excemens'
the Young merchant Illuminated number OF suppos-
ably powerful articles the danger of sectaran inter-
ference In political affairs. Publication OF these vas
promptly refused by the local paper Not 10 %
bottled ND In any such perempory manner, Mr.. Bar
mum. then Just twenty-onc years old, bought press
ana started the publication of "The Herald Oh froe-
dom in which he had free scope for the expression
Of his views. The paper met immediate success ana
three libel suits in less than year.
The young editor and storekeeper did business on
snch n large scale, however, that bad debts over
whelmed both his enterprises, and in the winter OF
1s34.,35 he sold out and came to New-fork, taxing
nm his abode In IIudson-st. Nothing turned up iof
he Youthful Micawber ron Connecticut. ana SO, on the
frat O, MAY 1895, he took small house ~
No SO Frankfort-st and began taking Doaruers'
Thanks 10 the patronage of visiting Yankees 'ns
venture was q moderate success. Soon anerwA~ ~
bought al interest In a small grocery store ~ ~