The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-08-12
MRS. TOM THUMBS LIFE.

10 SpenQ Gay with Mrs. 1Om
Thumb at her country home, to see
her using her tiny furniture, like the
trappings of a dolls house; to dire
with her and have Eer carry on
sprightly conversation while seated at
the table in her little high chair; to
have her tell the story of her event
ful life as the most famous little per-
SOP ever exhibited to the public of
two hemispheres-allth this is delight
ful experience.
Mrs. Tom Thumb has been before
the public nearly forty. seven years.
She has met many famous persons
kings, queens, great men and wo-
men in the professions, and millions
of ordinary, everyday folk-and at 64
she is bright and animated as a girl,
and possessed of all the intellectual
force that has made her celebrated
among the little people of the show
world.
Recently she observed the forty Sec
ond anniversary of her marriage to
Gen. Tom Thumb by sending out
pieces of her wedding cake, carefully
preserved all those years in her home,
at Middieboro', Mass.
The home of Mrs. Thumb, or
Countess Magri, as she is now known
for Tom Thumb has been dead 22
years, and she has been for 20 years
the wife of Count Magri, tiny Ital-
ian-is on the old homestead of the
Warrens, in Warrentown, North
Middleboro', a homestead that has
come down from a Mayhower immi-
grant, who was the founder of Mrs.
Thumbs family on the mothers side.
As the visitor to North Middle
boro', having All appointment to call
on Mrs. Thumb, alighted from the
country trolley car at little station
by a wind-sweep crossroads, a tiny
man came forward to meet him, ex-
tending friendly hand. 1t was the
Count Magri, consort to Mrs. Tom
Thumb.
The Countess proved especially
agreeable and spoke of her career
freely. She said: II was born in
the old red house next to this on
October 81, I84I. I did not go to
school until was 9 years old, then l
went to the school-house down by the
road where the railroad waiting room
is now. I remember it very WE'LL
"At 16I was persuaded to 60 on the
road by Col. ]. H. Wood, the Chicago
Snowman. Ny stage rame was La
vinia Warren, although my family
name is Bump. was christeued La
vinia Mercy Bump.
'My marriage to Gen. Tom Thumb
has been made the subject Of a good
many fairy stories," said the Coun-
tess, with droll little smile. 1.-The
show business, as you know, de-
mands romance. l am afraid Mr..
Barnum wrote about our courtship
what he thought the public would
like to read. But that is something
l don't want to talk about now.
"My wedding was grand affair,
quite excelling in magnifcence some
of the great weddings of recent days.
There was a very distinguished
company present, including members
Of the army and navy, and of Con-
gress, and noted persons in public life
generally. All traffic was held up
on Broadway, from Grace Church to
the Metropolitan Hotel, during the
progress of the wedding
After the marriage the little people
were seen at Mr.. Barnum's museum,
where they drew fabulous sums to the
Golfers of the great Snowman. Then
Mr.. and Mrs. Thumb went alone on
tour for some weeks, their route being
in the West.
Resuming her narrative the Coun-
tess described her first tour of Europe
with General Thumb, beginning in
1864.
eve received many famous per-
sons" she said. II remember very
well our reception of the Prince of
Wales, the present King, and the
Princess, at Marlborough house.
"The Duke of Cambridge was with
them. We received them as we re-
ceived other people, they walking
past. The Prince greeted the Gen.
eral as a fellow Mason. / was inn
pressed with the cordial greeting of
the Prince, who was fine sympathetic
young man.
In Paris we received the Emperor
Napoleon III, and the Empress Eu-
genia at the Tuilleries. OF course, we
could not converse with them, as they
spoke no English ard we no French,
but they were very cordial, shaking
hands and smiling. The Emperor
impressed me as being a very gentle
manly person. The Empress was
beautiful, and seemed pleased to meet
me-"
On their return to America the lit
tie people made tour of the West
ord S0ftff, in 1877