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ly。 Old Darrow fairly danced with delight； and as Barnum laid his coat on a chair he came running up in front of him； and slapping his hands together； exclaimed：
〃You needn't t…t…take off any more c…c…clothes； for if it ain't all on your b…b…back； you've lost it。〃
〃If it is； I suppose you have！〃 Barnum replied； pulling the whole shirt from off his back！
Such a shriek of laughter as burst forth from the crowd was scarcely ever heard； and certainly such a blank countenance as old Darrow exhibited it would be hard to conceive。 Seeing that he was most incontinently 〃done for；〃 and perceiving that his neighbor Hough had helped to do it； he ran up to him in great anger； and shaking his fist in his face； exclaimed：
〃H…H…Hough； you infernal r…r…rascal； to go against your own neighbor in favor of a D…D…Danbury man。 I'll pay you for that some time； you see if I d…d…don't。〃
All hands went up to the bar and drank with a hearty good will； for it was seldom that Darrow got taken in； and he was such an inveterate joker they liked to see him paid in his own coin。 Never till the day of his death did he hear the last of the 〃whole shirt。〃
CHAPTER V。 BEGINNING AS A SHOWMAN。
FINDING HIS TRUE VOCATIONTHE PURCHASE OF JOICE HETHEVIDENCE AS TO HER AGEHER DEATHSIGNOR VIVALLAA VISIT TO WASHINGTONJOINING A TRAVELLING CIRCUSCONTROVERSIES WITH MINISTERSTHE VICTIM OF A PRACTICAL JOKE。
Barnum was now satisfied that he had not yet found his proper level。 He had not yet entered the business for which nature had designed him。 There was only a prospect of his going on from this to that； as his father had done before him； trying many callings but succeeding in none。 He had not yet discovered that love of amusement is one of the strongest passions of the human heart。 This； however； was a lesson that he was soon to learn； and he was to achieve both fame and fortune as a caterer to the public desire for entertainment。
Philosophizing on this theme in later years； Mr。 Barnum once said： 〃The show business has all phases and grades of dignity； from the exhibition of a monkey to the exposition of that highest art in music or the drama which entrances empires and secures for the gifted artist a worldwide fame which princes well might envy。 Men； women and children； who cannot live on gravity alone； need something to satisfy their gayer； lighter moods and hours； and he who ministers to this want is in a business established by the Author of our nature。 If he worthily fulfils his mission； and amuses without corrupting； he need never feel that he has lived in vain。〃
In the summer of 1835； Mr。 Barnum was visited by Mr。 Coley Bartram； of Reading； Connecticut； who told him that he had owned an interest in a remarkable negro woman； who was confidently believed to be one hundred and sixty…one years old and to have been the nurse of Washington。 Mr。 Bartram showed him a copy of an advertisement in The Pennsylvania Inquirer for July 15； 1835； as follows：
〃CURIOSITY。The citizens of Philadelphia and its vicinity have an opportunity of witnessing at the Masonic Hall one of the greatest natural curiosities ever witnessed； viz。： JOICE HETH； a negress； aged 161 years； who formerly belonged to the father of General Washington。 She has been a member of the Baptist Church one hundred and sixteen years； and can rehearse many hymns； and sing them according to former custom。 She was born near the old Potomac River in Virginia； and has for ninety or one hundred years lived in Paris； Kentucky； with the Bowling family。
〃All who have seen this extraordinary woman are satisfied of the truth of the account of her age。 The evidence of the Bowling family； which is respectable； is strong； but the original bill of sale of Augustine Washington； in his own handwriting； and other evidences which the proprietor has in his possession； will satisfy even the most incredulous。
〃A lady will attend at the hall during the afternoon and evening for the accommodation of those ladies who may call。〃
Mr。 Bartram told him； moreover； that he had sold out his interest in the woman to R。 W。 Lindsay； of Jefferson county； Kentucky； who was then exhibiting her as a curiosity； but was anxious to sell her。 Mr。 Barnum had seen in some of the New York papers an account of Joice Heth； and was so much interested in her that he at once proceeded to Philadelphia to see her and Mr。 Lindsay。 How he was impressed by her he has himself told。 〃Joice Heth；〃 he says； 〃was certainly a remarkable curiosity； and she looked as if she might have been far older than her age as advertised。 She was apparently in good health and spirits； but from age or disease； or both； was unable to change her position； she could move one arm at will； but her lower limbs could not be straightened； her left arm lay across her breast and she could not remove it； the fingers of her left hand were drawn down so as nearly to close it； and were fixed； the nails on that hand were almost four inches long and extended above her wrist； the nails on her large toes had grown to the thickness of a quarter of an inch； her head was covered with a thick bush of grey hair； but she was toothless and totally blind； and her eyes had sunk so deeply in the sockets as to have disappeared altogether。
〃Nevertheless she was pert and sociable； and would talk as long as people would converse with her。 She was quite garrulous about her protege； 'dear little George；' at whose birth she declared she was present； having been at the time a slave of Elizabeth Atwood； a half…sister of Augustine Washington； the father of George Washington。 As nurse she put the first clothes on the infant； and she claimed to have 'raised him。' She professed to be a member of the Baptist Church； talking much in her way on religious subjects； and she sang a variety of ancient hymns。
〃In proof of her extraordinary age and pretensions； Mr。 Lindsay exhibited a bill of sale； dated February 5； 1727； from Augustine Washington； county of Westmoreland； Virginia； to Elizabeth Atwood； a half…sister and neighbor of Mr。 Washington； conveying 'one negro women named Joice Heth； aged fifty…four years； for and in consideration of the sum of thirty…three pounds lawful money of Virginia。' It was further claimed that she had long been a nurse in the Washington family； she was called in at the birth of George and clothed the newborn infant。 The evidence seemed authentic； and in answer to the inquiry why so remarkable a discovery had not been made before； a satisfactory explanation was given in the statement that she had been carried from Virginia to Kentucky； had been on the plantation of John S。 Bowling so long that no one knew or cared how old she was； and only recently the accidental discovery by Mr。 Bowling's son of the old bill of sale in the Record Office in Virginia had led to the identification of this negro woman as 'the nurse of Washington。' 〃
Everything seemed to Barnum to be entirely straightforward； and he decided； if possible； to purchase the woman。 She was offered to him at 1；000； although Lindsay at first wanted 3；000。 Barnum had 500 in cash； and was able to borrow 500 more。 Thus he secured Joice Heth； sold out his interest in the grocery business to his partner； and e