The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-18

rest OF the party at the plight OF the two
half-shaved men restored their good nature.
Making the best Of the situation. they
washed the lsther off their faces and in-
ished the trip with one half Of their faces
beardless and the other half covered With a
heavy scrub.
Barnum's last joke was perpetrated on his
legal adviser two days before his death. He
turned to that gentleman and very seri-
ously said: ''My neighbor here has a lot
Of peacocks. Suppose they come over in
my garden and lay eggs. Are the eggs
mine or hisP'
well" the lawyer inuocently responded,
that is an intricate point. The next time
his peacocks come over here and lay eggs
Well make him sue to recover them.a
Barnum chuckled and asked: but sup
pose his peahens GOMEZ The accent he put
on the "bens" showed the lawyer how he
had been caught, and he turned from bis
client with: "Confound your neighbours
peacockS and peahens"
No man in the world was closer to Bar
mum than Ben Fish, bis secretary. fhree
days before he died Fish was standing be-
side his bed. Suddenly Barnum turned to
him and said, in his high-pitched voice:
ben, am going TO die this time"
"Oh, what are you talking about!n Fish
answered with feigned indignation. "You
know you amt going to die, MIR. Barnum.
OQ huOH ~ Us well as L 40, 1Ouu De I'D
around making plans for the summer in a
week."
mo, Ben :" Mr.. Barnum answered slowly,
81 am going TO die"
Fish made no answer, and for moment
there was silence. Then Barnum turned to
him again and said brusquely;
II say, Ben, you had better see the con-
tractor about putting up some houses on
those shore lots. I've got too much money
in the bank, Ben, too much moaey in the
bank
"Why, Mr.. Barnum," Fish answered in
surprise, you said you were going to
dien
Eyes, Ben, yes" Barnum responded with
twinkle in his eye, but amt dead yet,
Ben, am IF
The man has yet to make himself known
who ever saw Barnum angry. He exhibited
bis displeasure by getting testy once in a
while, and when in that mood he was
hard man to swerve from an idea. Where
most men would take otfense, however,
Barnum would turn the tables on the Of
fender. On one occasion, in the Madison
Square Garden office, he said TO an en-
ploye who ranked as an agent:
"Well, Mr.. Blank, this work is in your
department, you know. Look TO it right
away, right away. You are the bill-poster,
you know"
mo. amt no bill-poster," hotly an
swered the man addressed, his dignity Of
Tended; land you know, Mr.. Barnum, l
amt no blll-posterm
o, amt you, amt your Barnum snapped
out. "What are you then, what are you"
~ am an agent, Mr.. Barnum. That's
what l am and you know it." the employe
responded.
80, excuse me, Mr.. Agent, said Barnum,
taking of his hat aud bowling low; excuse
10 what UnY1iro fold 70 met tha
same; do what you're toldr
Barnum was very proud Of the way he
had hobnobbed with royalty when in Eu-
rope; but he hated to have it thought here
in America that he Bonded his knee at all to
princes and peers. On the occasion of his
last trip over the Prince of Wales came to
the show. Barnum had met him before. The
prince was very cordial, and, extending his
hand, said:
"Mr. Barnum, I am very glad to see you
again"
According to the reports of that meeting
Barnum took the proffered hand, bowed
very low, thanked the prince very pro-
fusely, and answered:
"Ah, your highness, you have made an
| old man very happy"
Barnum went great lengths to contradict
any impression that he had been over
obsequous TO the prince, and insisted that
instead Of saying, You have made au old
man very happy" he had said. you have
made an old friend very happy"
Though Barnum III his life showed his
big-heartedness by giving away hundreds
Of thousands Of dollars to his children, to
institutions and charities, there was a streak
Of close-fstedness in his character that bor-
dered on eccentricity. He was most scru-
pulously particular in getting every scent
piece that he thought he was entitled to,
aud, in spite OF his open-handedness, he was
as quick as lightning to see an opportunity
to turn ar honest penny. When he came
down to New York on show business the
best that the Murray Hill hotel could give
him was what he wanted; yet he would turn
in TO the treasurer Of the show an expense
bill for his car and cab fares. One instance
is also related where on Thursday he Dor
rowed $50, 900 cash Of partner. On Satur-
day evening he handed the partner a check
for the $4,000, with two days interest.
Banking hours were over. The check was
not available until Monday. So Mr.. Bar
mum saved himself two days interest on the
money, or about $l3.
In Barnums nature, however, there was
everything to admire and little to criticise
His acquaintance with the Rev. DR.. Chaplin,
the Universalist orator, began when both
men were in their prime. II soon ripened
into warm friendship. Mr.. Barnum at
tended, whenever in the city, the Church of
the Divine Paternity, of which DIR. Chaplin
was pastor. and the clergyman and show
man found time to enjoy each others COM
pany when either needed relaxation, as DR..
Chapin's liking for a joke equaled the sho W.
mans. When one of them got a chance to
play prank on the other, the story went
the rounds OF their friends.
DR.. Chaplin lectured good deal In his
best days within limited circuit of New
York. It was of him that the story was
first told that when one asked him why he
bothered with lectures, having a rich parish
and comfortable home he replied 81
lecture for fame, fifty and my expenses :"
Mr.. Barnum wanted him to lecture at
Bridgeport. It took several years Of per-
suasion before he would consent. When at
last the day was SET Mr.. Barnum arranged
that the lecturer should make the Parnum
home his stopping place during the stay in
the Connecticut town.
Before leaving home on the eventful day,
Mr.. Barnum said to his wife: Business
may detain me late in the city. I must ask
you to receive DIR. Chaplin. You will find
him a most affable and pleasant man, but
be has one great infrmity. He is as deaf as
a post And, like all deaf people, he Is very
sensitive about his affection. Speak loud
to him, but on no account let him think
that you notice his deafness"
Arriving in town, Mr.. Barnum sought
out DR.. Chaplin. He informed him that he
doubted his ability to return to Bridgeport
with the doctor. but assured him that all
bad ham NJ houoa frv