WHY HE WANTED THE TIGER.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 561, 5 April 1876, Page 3

WHY HE WANTED THE TIGER.

Those who attended the sale of animals from Barnura’s Hippodrome in Bridgeport, report the following occurrence. A tiger was being offered. The hid ran up to 4,500 dol. This was made by a man who was a stranger, and to him it was knocked down. Barnum, who had been eyeing the stranger uneasily during the bidding, now went up to him and said:— * Pardon me for asking the question, but will you tell me where you are from ? ’ ‘ Down South a bit,’ replied the man. ‘ Are you connected with any show? ’ * No.’ ‘ And are you buying this animal for yourself ? ’ ‘Yes.’ Barnum shifted about uneasily for a moment, looked alternately at (he man and the tiger, and evidently trying his best to reconcile the two together.

‘Now young man,’he finally said, ‘you need not take this animal unless you want to, for there are those here who will take it off your hands.’ ‘ 1 don’t want to sell,’ was the reply. ‘ What on earth are you going to do with such an ugly beast if you have no show of your own, and are not buying for some one who is a showman ? ’

‘ Well, I’ll tell you,’ said the purchaser. *My wife died about three weeks ago. We had lived together for ten years, and—and I miss her.’ He paused to wipe his eyes and steady his voice, and then added— ‘ So I’ve bought this tiger. ’ ‘ I understand you,’ said the great showman in a husky voice.