THE MAN WHO DID BARNUM.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2769, 12 April 1890, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE MAN WHO DID BARNUM.

Among the many stories told of the 'outeness of the famous showman, few are better than the following:—One day in New York, Phineas T. went into a hair outting saloon for the purpose of being shaved. Every attendant was engaged, and Mr B. was in a great hurry. Casting his eyes round the various draped figures, they fell upon a man of seedy appearance who had only that moment taken a seat. " Sir," said Barnum, approaching him in his suavest manner, "I an anxious to catoh a train, I have a particular engagement, and if you would give me up your turn I should be very happy to pay for your shave and anything else you may require." The seedy man gave place with great alacrity, and Barnum, having had his ohin scraped, and told the proprietor he would pay for the stranger, hurried away. Now the seedy man was determined to make the best of his bargin, so he was shaved, his hair cut and shampooed, then he had his hat ironod, bought a bottle of hairwash and another of eau-de-Cologne, a pair of brushes, half a dozen shirt collars, and half a dozen shirt fronts, a pair of gloves, a couple of neokties, an J, in fine, took a sample of everything in the shop, which, as Barnum had said that he would be answerable for everything the stranger required, the proprietor let him have. When the " genial sbowinan " called in about a week afterwards, a most portentous bill was presented to him, which he read with great astonishment. It had never oocured to his mindthatthe man would lot him in for more than a shave and a hair-clipping ; but he' was too spry a mau himself not to enjoy the sharpness of another, though it was at his own expense, and an nmused smilo quickly took the place of the expression of blank amazement. Payintr the bill, Barnum asked tho proprietor whether he knew the man. " Yes," was the answer, "he comes here frequently." "Next time he comes let me know " —Birnum's museum was only a few doors off—" and tell him I want to see him." A few days afterwards Barnum received a message to say that the stranger was then in the shaving saloon, Off he went, and there was tho identical man. "I am glad you availed yourself of my offer tho other day in a proper manner," observed Barnnm. " Ya-as, I guessed you would be," said the stranger coolly, though he had expected a good jacketing for his 'cutenes-i. " Would you have a.iy objection to fit for your photograph if I paid for it and gave you some oopies ?" "Not in tho least," answered Mr Sangfroid nonchalantly. There and then Phineas conducted him to a photographer, aud gave the necessary directions. The sitting over, Barnum thanked him, and said some copies should be forwarded to him as soon as they were ready. A few days afterwards all tho picture shops wore flooded with these cartes-de-visite, and underneath each in large type were printed the words, " This is the man who did B irnuum." The joke proved an enormous .-iioiiess; everybody desired to have the likeness of one who was 'cute enough to overreach tho smartest of Yankees, and the speculation in less than a week had reimbursed a hundredfold for " the leetle bill" he had paid the barber.