GENERAL TOM THUMB.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1363, 2 October 1883, Page 1

GENERAL TOM THUMB.

PEOPLE who are now middle aged can remember the extraordinary furore created by this much advertised protege of Barnum. I very well recollect seeing him at the Pavilion at Brighton whilst at school there, aud hearing him sing some, then popular song, in a little squeaking voice. Looking back, it

seems rather strange now that so much excitement should have been caused over a poor abortion of nature like tne “General,” especially us dwarfs never have been so very uncommon. In days not long gone by there was always the dwarf in company with the giant, the pig-iaced baby, aud the fat woman at the public fairs in the old country towns, whilst history abounds with notorious men of diminutive stature who played sometimes gieut parts in their country’s history. Readers uf Sir Waiter Scott will remember Sir Geoffeiy Hudson, who was served up in a pie to please Heniietca Maria, and whose nature was rO fiery chat he fought two duels in one of which he killed his man ; and it was also reported that he once had a desperate encounter wit a a fierce game cock, in which the co. k by no means bad the worst uf it. There vva, also Kichebourg. who died in 1858, ninety years of age, and only 23-iuuhds high. He served his country as a king’s messenger to the Orleans family, aud it is i-ai 1 often passed in and out of Paris as an nfa <t in swaudling clothes, carrying secret despatches wrapped up in bis dress. Besides, the streets of every great city always cau show some dwarfish specimens of humanity. 1 myself have seen a score such during years of residence in this metropolis who might have equalled the mannikin of New England. However, Tom Thumb, or Charle. E. Stratton as he was christened, certainly “ fetched the public.” His earuings mounted up to £lOO a day, and often more. At Rugby, a liftle provincial town, he took £l6O a day, and he was even favored with au invitation to Buckingham Palace. But there is one episode in connection with his career which can never bo forgotten, in the very same building in which the Barnum show was taking place, a great painter was ex l ibiting his last work, in iking one last effort to get the generous help of t >e discriminating public, before starvation «n<l misery could d » heir wore'. But in vain h-» perservered, he held out, till he could stay no longer, and at ast, in desperate madness poor Haydon laid vio ent hands upon himself. Jurt before the fatal deed was done, he wrote in h s diary *urds which, us the Ntandard remarks will bo remembered long after liis rival is forgotten. “ L'hey rush by thousands to *ee Tom L’humb—they pu»h, they fight, they ««croain, they faint, they cry help and murder j they are my bills and caravan, but they du not read them, their eyes are upon them, but t-ieir senab is gone. It is an insanity, a rabies furor,’ a dream, <»f which 1 could not, hive believed could have been guilty.” 12,00 ) cowd •<! to seo the dwarf, but ■ mly 133 went in so see the picture of the Bauishm nt -of Aristides.” However, puihter and dwarf have now alike paid the <i“btof nature, and whilst one has left behind imperishable fame, the other will be speedily for.r »*en, and eush succeeding sg* will ea-ily produce a rival Io eclipse hun fhoug'i the “ General *’ married a fitti «g help meet, it is eminently satisfautury to know that they have left bphill i them no p-oguny ; and, indeed, the question ar ses whet ier such unions ought even to be permitted. L is worthy uf a notice that the liitli man died of apoplexy, a complaint to which such as ho ■♦re not often subject. Generally dwarfs dve to a great eg •, whilst giants are, on the other hand, usuaby short-lived.