Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / Jan. 18, 1935, edition 1 / Page 5
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TOS PERQPIMAN3 WESXLT; HERTFORD, K. G, FRIDAY, JANUARY X8. 1085. PAGE FIVE 1 ) AS THE MOST FAMOUS COMMENTATORS OF RA0I0 RECALL HIM .... . .TODAY l mil ffeS a TELLS ABOUT tied by His Thumbs" See- the 2GTh Century Pictur wifi 5 Mt'k't'i1' a1 ts ' tier: iV VV A rV" Sr. ' U C ft T JatJ and 1935 by UNITED ARTISTS CORPORATION UEEN VICTORIA of England was what the Broadwa boys would tall a 'tough audience'. That celebrated historian of the unimportant, Strachey, tells how Her Majesty once squelched a wit of high renown. He was invited to show off at Windsor Castle. He sat down to dinner before an array of generals and admirals carrying enough chest decora tions to make a mint. At the first opportunity, his straigh man fed him a hook for a line. He cracked wise. There wa. a titter around the table until everybody looked at the top an X saw the Queen imitating a night desk-sergeant. She glarec - ... . . . . . . i i at tne smart aiec, gave nim tne lorgneue-iowaown ana purrea - acid : "We are not amused," she said. It was trie bum's rush and the gallows for the comic, altho friends intervened, arid Victoria compromised by letting him have a life-sentence as a second assistant lighthouse-keeper in Van Deeman's LanH. When n headline wit wouldn't draw anything but penal servitude with a bright gag, what kind of act could get by tne Widow of Wind sor? P. T. Barnum the same Phineas T. Barnum of Bridgeport, Conn., not only devised an act to get by, but he turned the Queen from a dead-pan critic into a push over stooge. Barnam went to England with another hope and another hoax from his series of smart frauds in America. On the streets of Bridge port he had found an underused youngster playing kid of five who had the liae of a new-born baby. Phineas T. bought the midget and bis mother's are for $3 a week, which he raised to $7, then to $25, while he made from ten to a hun dred time that amount out of the attraction. Barnum stole an idea irom some medieval minstrel and called the midget, whose real name was Charles Stratton General Tom 'Thumb. At his American Museum in New York he built up Tom 'Thumb and made him a genuine at traction with only a little helpful lying as to age and dimensions. Stratton (Tom Thumb) was an extraordinary little person. He spoke well, wrote fairly well, and had genuine histrionic talent as a very young boy. Barnum exploited it to the utmost. He inspired sto ries to be sent across the seas, and worked up what was then a tre mendous ballyhoo of the demand for the crowned heads of Europe to see Gptior.-l Tom Thumb. i I'mihib on To:r On tlia ateam-packet Yorkshire he took General Tom Thumb to England. A multitude of ten thou sand saw them off at the dock. But arrived in Liverpool, Barnum be came suddenly disconsolate. The English were not very excited about General Tom Thumb. Indeed, one veteran English showman advised Barnum that he couldn't expect much more than a penny a head for admission to see the General. Bar num had been getting twenty-five cents admission in New York. Having taken Horace Greeley's reversed-English advice, Go East, Young Man, Go East for Greeley, author of the Go West, Young Man, Bhibboleth, had told Barnum there was money to be made by an astute showman in Europe having got to Europe, Barnum was not easily dis suaded. Greeley had given Bar num a letter of introduction to the American Ambassador, the ice-spin-ed Edward Everett who was ex ceedingly cold turkey to other call ers, but took up Barnum on account of Greeley's recommendation. Through Everett, society took up Tom Thumb, and the powerful Baroness Rothschild made him a household pet. Then came the call from the Queen. A brilliant scene, Barnum carefully rehearsed by a major domo to talk to Her Majesty only through a third person never directly and ' to bow himself out backwards from the royal presence. Victoria, Imperatrix, herself con ducted General Tom Thumb about her picture gallery. The little fel low danced and sang for her, and gave his famed imitation of Napo leon Bonaparte . in three frowns. The major domo was amazed. He ms even more maed when he - ""d around to see Barnum chat - ""Marly with the Queen. 'aris, where they nicknamed him General Tom Pouce, and he became the toast of the Boulevards and a favorite of Louis-Philippe, the then reigning and subsequently ruined monarch. General Tom Thumb 'himself dragged of his prowess how he .'iad been kissed by more than a million fair women, and conquered the crowds in every country he vis ited. Barnum made a fortune out of Thumb. And Phineas was fair. He gave Thumb a decent cut after the lad had gone over big in his various acts ranging from Cupid to Atlas and Napoleon and the Dy ing Gladiator. Thumb retired rich, ending his days in comfort. . When Thumb was about finished, ""--.til's alert fancy rushed to the rr 1 jui arnum took General Tom Thumb to ?3 Phineas T. had been uaay. i-ic had begged or bribed the editor of the Court Circular to print a large item about General Tom Thumb's visit to the Court. This was done and London and England began to talk about Tom Thumb. All for Bulld-Up But Barnum held back. He let him continue appearing at private, high-toned parties at ten guineas n party. This was the build-up. To his astonishment, the Queen com manded Tom Thumb to appear be fore her again. Did Barnum ex ploit this? Indeed, indeed. Lord Wellington was there the Iron Duke himself, with his iron chin. He watched Tom Thumb give his famous imitation of Napoleon. ' . "You look unhappy in that imita tion," said the Duke. "I'm Napoleon thinking of you," said Tom Thumb to the hero of Wa terloo. The whole world was in formed of that stroke of wit per haps Tom Thumb's only quotable come-back. Thumb became the rage. Bar num put him in the Egyptian Hall, London, and got his quarter, not a penny, a head from the customers. Competing with, Tom Thumb was a famous British artist making a private exhibition of his paintings. Thumb drew ' $2,500 weekly and more; the artist couldn't take in $100. He killed himself, at this signal defeat in drawing-power by a freak. Barnum took General Thumb to other fc.vireiiio. lie nad had experi ence with giants he had two at one time, a thin giant and a fal giant. Bat they both fell in love with a lady I think, a bearded lady and had a fist fight in private. Barnum offered them high pay if they'd repeat their physical n counters in public. The giants were not big box-office. But he conceived something more devastating than a human giant just a foot or two taller than normal men. He would unearth a prehistorical mommal. He did the Cardiff giant a mammoth man, petrified, and excavated from the tiny town of Cardiff, in York State. This huge fabricated fossil weigh ed about four tons but it began to give at the seams, through too much travel, and Barnum was smart enough to withdraw it from exhibi tion before it met with the same mockery as his celebrated slogan: This way to the Egress, which was a deceptive method of emptying one house rapidly to make way for the next. ISornum himself boldly admitted the Cardiff Giant to be among his humbugs, for once when be wrote to a friend counselling him how to collect a show he advised him to get a Cardiff Giant that wouldn't break. But if his fancies and fakes made him the Arch-Chairman of the An anias Club is Barnum unexcelled as a swindler? Sad to relate, no. .For Barnum's bunk was amusing, nnd there remain many, very many, brands of swindling that are not. Glancing At ... . , ; The General JBy M. L. SHIPMAN , , ' Raleigh, Jan. 14. It has been Baid that death loves a shining mark, and ao it would seem in the case of North Carolina " State ' officials. - Attorney General Brummitt, stricken down in his 53rd year, is the fourth State of ficial to. die within a period of seven months Associate Justice William J. Adams of the Supreme Court died last spring and in rapid, succession followed the deaths of State Superin tendent of Public Instruction Arch T'. Allen and State Health Officer J. M. Parrott. State Highway Chairman E B.. Jeffress- was stricken with a " V critical illness last fall, necessitating his retirement the first of the year. - Devastation of State officialdom by the grim reaper In recent years calls attention sharply to the fact that the short ballot about which there was so much argument during the Gardner administration is now a reality. With exception of -; Governor Ehringhaus and Chief Justice Stacy, of the Su preme Court, there are now only three State officers who were origin ally elected by the people. These are Secretary of State Stacey W Wade, State Auditor Baxter Durham and State Commissioner of Labor A. L. Fletcher. Agricultural Commissioner Wil liam A. Graham was appointed by Governor Morrison to succeed his father; Insurance Commissioner Dan iel C. Boney was appointed by Gov ernor McLean to succeed Stacey Wade, resigned; State Treasurer Charles Johnson was appointed by Governor Gardner to succeed Nathan O'Berry; Associate Justice Heriot Garkson and George W Connor were appointed by Governor. Morri son; Associate Justice W. J. Brogden was appointed by Governor McLean, and Associate Justice" 'Michael Schenck was appointed-by .Governor Ehringhaus. All of these appointees of Governors have since Been" elected by the people. - .,.-,.-. The law provides for.the selection of the State ; "highway . chairman by the State Highway Commission, but in practice appointment is made by the Governor. The State health of ficer is named by the State Board of Health. The commissioner of reve nue is appointed by the Governor. Because of the devastation of death, the Governor must now appoint an attorney general to serve until the next election. The Governor found a ready re sponse in the hearts of legislators to his appeal that steps must be taken to decrease the slaughter on the highways. He suggested a driv ers' license, not for the purpose o. securing revenue, but to keep reck less drivers off the highways. Dot he and the members of the Legisla ture feel that it is high time th; vigorous steps be taken to check the death toll of three and four a day oi: North Carolina highways. Only a few years ago, it was only two ; week, and that was considered then a highly dangerous tendency. Now more people are killed in a month on the highways in North Carolina than were formerly killed in a year. Governor Ehringhaus urged the Legislature not to divert funds from the motor license taxes for purposes other than the maintenance of the highways. This will be the occasion for much debate. Many legislators would like to dip into that fund for money with which to pay other bills. A strong lobby has been organized to prevent diversion. Much will be heard in the Legislature on this subject While the majority of the members of the Legislature are fresh from the people, they re-elected experienc ed clerks to look after the routine. Thad Eure, principal clerk of the House, is conducting a daily school in legislating. There is a large at tendance. The legislators are taking their jobs seriously. Miss Mary Koonce Honored By Party Mrs. B. G. Koonce was hostess to a number of young people on Saturday night, when she entertained in honor of the sixteenth birthday of her at tractive daughter, Miss Mary Wood Koonce, with William E. White, Jr., whose seventeenth birthday fell on the same date, a3 a guest of honor. Many delightful and entertainin; games were played, followed by danc ing, after which dainty refreshments of ice cream and cake were served. Those present included, in additior to the two honorees, Misses Prue Newby, Jeannette Fields, Edith Ever ett, Joyce Harrell, Mattie Bert Relfe, Katherine Stephens, Edna Ruth Can non, Ona Mary Stephens, Ruth Nach man, Katherine Je3sup, Mary Feild, Polly Tucker, Mary Thad Chappell, Martha Elizabeth Jordan, Eula Nixon, Grace Knowles, Bernice White, Vir ginia White, Ruth Robinson Frances'' Lamb, Carolyn Lamb, Mary Temple, Jane Marfitt, Sara Ward, Jean White, Katherine Winslow, Hilda Hobbs, Naomi Spivey, Frances Perrow ami Mable Spivey; Hollowell Cox Nixon, William Hardcastle, Francis Jessup, Tim Rufus Brinn, Roy Reed, William Feild, and Eldon Winslow. JUDGE COWPER AT ROTARY Judge G. V. Cowper, of Kinston, who was in Hertford this week to conduct the January term of Per quimans Superior Court, was guest speaker at the Rotary meeting Tues day night. Lost 20 Lbs. of FAT In Just 4 Weeks A St. Louis, Mo., lady wrote: "I'm only 28 years old and weighed 170 lbs. until taking one box of your Kruschen Salts just 4 weeks ago. I now weigh 150 lbs. I also have more energy and furthermore I've never had a hungry moment." Fat folks should take one-half tea spoonful of Kruschen Salts in a glass of hot water every morning, before breakfast a quarter pound jar lasts 4 weeks you can get Kruschen at Anderson's Drug Store or any drug store in America. If not joyfully sat isfied after the first bottle money back. adv 111 F arm And Machinery O Use our low prices to get the equipment you'll need on your farm for early Spring conditioning. Our stock includes the finest quality in Harness and Harness Hardware in addition to a complete line of special machinery and equipment for truck and all other types of farming. We have complete stock of Fencing, Poultry Wire, Barbed Wire, etc. So get yours now . . . there's a quality and price to suit you on every article. Below Are Just A Few of Our Many Bargains. Crumps No. 32 Horse Collar ... $3.75 Crumps No. K Horse Collar ... $2.90 Crumps No. 174 Nose Strap Bridle....E75 U. S. No. 61 Hames, per pair H2t5 Plow Traces, per pair 75c Webb Back Bands and Buckles 25 Leather Back Bands S5C 12-yard Plow Lines 33C 12-in. Yellow Collar Pads 45C Home-made Cart marm Saddles 75 Home-made Single Trees 3VC IF ITS HARNESS, FARMING IMPLEMENTS, BUILDING MA TERIAL, PAINTS, TOOLS ... IN OTHER WORDS, IF IT'S IN THE HARDWARE LINE. GET OUR PRICES BEFORE BUYING. Supply (CdDsimipaimy "Trade Here and Bank the Difference" HERTFORD, N. C. 1
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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Jan. 18, 1935, edition 1
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