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He had a kind word or an entertaining one for everybody who came near him； as occasion offered； whether he was an old acquaintance or a stranger。 The occasion did not come to me； though I remember wishing it had； when I left the museum。 Probably I should have deliberately sought it if I had had more assurance and experience at that time； and if I had known； too； that we were afterward to meet intimately； and that for more than twenty years the latch…string of his different homes； in Bridgeport and New York； was to respond so many dozens of times to my touch； for days and weeks of remarkable hospitality。
My opportunity for knowing Mr。 Barnum personally came about when I was； as a young man； conducting； almost single…handed； a lecture course in a very small country town in the later sixties； soon after the close of the war。 The night for Mr。 Barnum to come to us was a very cold and forbidding one in February。 A snow…storm； the most formidable one of the winter； sprang up to apparently thwart the success of the performance； and so certain was Mr。 Barnum that nobody would appear to hear him； he offered not only to release me from the contract between us； but； in addition to that； would pay me the price I was to pay him； or more； to be permitted to return to New York。 〃There is nothing on earth I hate to do so much；〃 said he； 〃as to lecture to empty benches。〃
I said to him： 〃Please trust me for the avoidance of that。 If it had been a pleasant night； instead of this howling storm； I would have filled the hall and the yard in front to the front gate。 But； as it now is； I will still guarantee to fill the hall。〃 And filled it was； to our equal delight。
Before entering and discovering this fact； I ventured to say to Mr。 Barnum that； owing to the general untowardness and inclemency of the night； I would introduce him in my own way； and not in the conventional one； if he did not object。 〃By all means；〃 said he； 〃if you can awaken any warmth or hilarity on as sorrowful an outlook as this； do not spare ME； or hesitate for a moment。〃
On arriving at our seats on the platform； I arose and said； in some such words as these：
〃LADIES AND GENTLEMEN：You will bear me out in saying it has been my usual custom to introduce the speaker of the evening in the briefest way possible； and not to trouble you with any talk of my own。 To…night； in view of the storm； and while Mr。 Barnum is resting for a moment； I will break my rule and tell you a story。 Some years ago a queer fellow from the country went to New York； and； among the sights and experiences he had planned for； he went to Barnum's Museum。 Mr。 Greenwood was then its manager； and noticed with some interest his patron's rusticity when he called for a ticket。 He asked Mr。 Greenwood； after having paid for the card of admittance； 'Where is Barnum？' As Mr。 Barnum happened to be in sight on the entrance floor； Mr。 Greenwood； pointing to him said； There he is。'
〃At once the querist started in the direction named。 He got very near Mr。 Barnum and stood looking intently at him。 Then he moved a little segment in the circle he was describing； and looked again。 Several times he repeated these inspections； until he had from all points viewed the object of his curiosity and had completed the circle； when he started for the door； Mr。 Greenwood watching him all the time。 When he came near enough Mr。 Greenwood said to him： 'My friend； you have not seen the Museum yet。 There is a whale downstairs and any number of things up…stairs； a moral play soon to come off； etc。' 'I know it；' said the rustic； 'and I don't care。 I've seen Barnum； and I've got my money's worth。'
〃Now； ladies and gentlemen； I have not been able to bring to you the American Museum to…night； but I have done what is betterI have brought to you Mr。 Barnum。〃
Mr。 Barnum then arose； not in the least nonplussed； but greatly pleased with the packed house and the hearty cheers which greeted him：
〃MR。 PRESIDENT； LADIES AND GENTLEMEN：I cannot； for the life of me； see why you should have sent so far as New York for me to come and address you。 I am not really a lyceum lecturer at all。 I am only a showman； and it seems you have a man here who can show up the showman。〃
The whole story may read very weakly in print； for Mr。 Barnum's tones of voice； and gestures and mobility of feature are not communicable to cold type。 But the playfulness of this unusual preface not only stirred the audience on a dismal night； but put the lecturer at his very best。 Mr。 Barnum's lecture was elastic。 It might be shaped for an hour； as it was not fully written； or it might consume more time。 On this occasion it was two hours and over。 While the snow was still falling in open sleighs； that could find no shelter； their owners； not minding this； were enjoying one of the most delightful evenings of a whole winterof many winters； perhaps。
And all this leads me to say that Mr。 Barnum； while claiming no part of a professional lecturer's endowment； and only made oratory a casualif it was sometimes a frequentmatter； was； nevertheless； admirably equipped to entertain an audience。 He could tell a story inimitably。 His mimetic faculty； like Gough's； gave him something of the quality of an actor； so that he illustrated well what he had to say。 No lectures have proved much more instructive and entertaining than Mr。 Barnum's on The Art of Money Getting； and； wherever he went to address an audience； he was sure to be called again。
When I met him in Bridgeport for the first time； I found he was easily the chief man of the place。 He was living then at Lindencroft； on Fairfield Avenue。 His Oriental palace； Iranistan； had burned down some years before。 But； wherever he lived； his house gave open welcome to many guests； illustrious and other； and no one who had the good fortune to enter it； ever went away without connecting with his visit the happiest of memories。 At the table he especially shone。 Wit； repartee； and even puns； when occasion offered； coruscated over the meal； and diffused universal good humor。 He had always at hand innumerable anecdotes； which he made peculiarly his own； and which he told with inimitable grace and unction。 I am sure nobody will ever tell them again as he told them； for； contrary to the proverb； the prosperity of the jest in his case lay； nine…tenths； in his way of relating itthough it was never a dull one。
It mattered not what the business of the day might be； or what obstacles or discouragements had been encountered； his cheerfulness was perennial and unfailing。 Mirth and good cheer were apparently inborn and organic with him。 He could no more suppress them than a fountain could cease bubbling up； or a river turn backward in its course。 And what men and women he has had； first and last； at his table； it is impossible to exhaust the list or exaggerate its quality。 Horace Greeley； Henry Ward Beecher； E。 H。 Chapin； Bayard Taylor； Mark Twain； and the Cary sisters； were a few among Americans； and Thackeray； Matthew Arnold； George Augustus Sala； and I know not how many others； from abroad。 No catalogue of them； but only types can be given here。 He was almost never without people who made no claim to distinction； and to them； too； he was the