San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-23

less than three years that Barnum
was looking for new worlds TO con
guer. and he took his general under his
arm, and went to Europe.
On the day of sailing, January
10. General Tom Thumb was on
exhibition until IL clock in the morn
ing; the boat sailed at noon. lie was
escorted 10 the dock by the municipal
band, and more than 10000 persons
saw him off. 1t was estimated that
more than $4,000 persons had visited
General Tom Thumb at the Museum.
Making Tom Thumb the Fashion.
Arriving in London, Barnum pre-
pared to exploit his prodigy on a
grand scale. lie hired Lord Talbot's
mansion in Grafton street. where Lord
Brougham was one of his neighbocs,
and from this house he sent invita-
tions to the nobility and the editors
to visit General Tom Thum.
They came in large numbers and
told their friends about the general.
The friends. who were not invited.
also came in large numbers, and were
turned away by the butler. Barnum
was in England. and he planned to
do what no English Snowman would
have darel to do: he treated himself,
unobtrusively. as an equal of every one
from the queen to the coster. But he
also catered to their opinions OF them
selves.
He realized that he must maintain
a dignity, if he was TO receive upper
class patronage, and he instructed the
servants to admit no one to the pri-
vate at-homes Of General Tom Thumb
without a ticket of invitation. But IL
was always careful to send invitations
the next day TO all those who had not
been admitted.
Barnum .nlr certain that the only
way to establish Tom Thumb finan-
cially in England was to MAKE him the
darling of fashion; the common people
could be trusted to follow in the tracks
of their 5etters. And Barnuni knew
also that the one road to sure success
lay in the direction of approval by
Her Majesty the Queen. He there
fore turned all his persistent and cum
ming attention towards this consumma-
ton.
Since the court was in mourning
il was extremely doubtful that he
could be received, but as it was not
impossible, Barnum refused to delin-
quish the hope. Horace Greeley, one
Of Barnum's best friends and an ad-
wiser to whom he always listened at
tentively. had given him a letter OF
introduction to Edward Everett,
American minister to the Court of ST.
James. and Barnum admitted that ito
that letter, perhaps more than to any
thing else. l was indebted for my first
introduction to Her Majesty"
Visit to the Queen.
On the night of the appointment at
the Palace, BarnuE placed a placard
on the door of Egyptian hall. read
ing: "Closed this evening. General
Tom Thumb being at Buckingham
Palace by command Of Her Majesty"
When they arrived at the Palace,
B5rnum was told by a LOrd-in-Wait-
ing that he must answer all questions
addressed TO him by Her Majesty
through the Lord-in-W Waiting and un-
der no circumstances must the queen
be addressed directly.
He was also told that in leaving
the presence Of the queen he must
back out" so that the queen always
saw his face: and the Lord-in-Wait-
ing illustrated his instructions by
few steps in the proper direction.
Everything was then quite clear. ard
the party was conducted up marble
staircase TO the queens picture gal
lery, where Her Majesty. Prince All
bert. the Duchess Of Kent, and about
20 of the nobility were waiting.
General Tom Thumb strutted proud
~ up the long gallery towards the
side of which the royal party was
standing. and as soon as he came
within speaking distance. bowed deep
" and said in his high treble voice.
Good evening, Ladies and Gentle
men,"
Every one laughed merrily at the
dwarf's simplicity. but the dwarf did
! not mean to be facetiOus: he thought
they were ladies and gentlemen. Queen
Victoria took his hand and led him
about the picture gallery, asking him
many questions, and his answers
caused her to laugh continually.
lie informed the queen that her pie
ture gallery was "first-rate," one of
his common expressions of approval,
and lie expressed a desire to see the
Prince of Wales. But the queen re-
GREETED that the Prince of Wales was
in bed, and invited General Tom
Thumb to call again, when he would
see him.
The general sang and danced for the
company, and after conversations with
Prince Albert and other members of
the party, lasting more than an hour.
Barnum and General Tom Thumb
made ready to leave the royal pres
ence.
Barnum had been talking with the
queen while General Tom Thumb was
entertaining Prince Albert. After two
or three questions, put through the
Lord-in-Waiting and answered via
that official. Barnum began to feel
uncomfortable. and he entered directly
into conversation with the queen. The
| Lord-in-Waiting was shocked, but
Victoria did not seem to object, for she
Immediately entered into direct CONVEX
sation with Barnum.
a Trial for Short Legs.
The time for backing out arrived.
and Barnum Modified the I.urd-in-
| Waiting by following carefully his in
/ Structions and example. But General
Tom Thumbs legs were short. and he
found his manager and the Lord-in.
Waiting were retreating towards the
door more rapidly than he could step
backwards.
The general turned and ran a few
steps, then faced again towards he
queen and respectfully bowed and
walked backwards, continuing this
method of catching up whenever he
found himself behind in the race for
the door.
The rnval marty found these nniins