按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
earance。 His reception was an enthusiastic one； cheers and shouts rent the air； and tears filled the showman's eyes as he thought of this triumphant conclusion of his four years' struggle。
Recovering himself； he bowed his acknowledgments for the reception； and addressed the audience as follows：
〃LADIES AND GENTLEMEN： I should be more or less than human； if I could meet this unexpected and overwhelming testimonial at your hands； without the deepest emotion。 My own personal connection with the Museum is now resumed； and I avail myself of the circumstance to say why it is so。 Never did I feel stronger in my worldly prosperity than in September； 1855。 Three months later I was so deeply embarrassed that I felt certain of nothing； except the uncertainty of everything。 A combination of singular efforts and circumstances tempted me to put faith in a certain clock manufacturing company； and I placed my signature to papers which ultimately broke me down。 After nearly five years of hard struggle to keep my head above water； I have touched bottom at last； and here to…night I am happy to announce that I have waded ashore。 Every clock debt of which I have any knowledge has been provided for。 Perhaps； after the troubles and turmoils I have experienced； I should feel no desire to re…engage in the excitements of business； but a man like myself； less than fifty years of age； and enjoying robust health； is scarcely old enough to be embalmed and put in a glass case in the Museum as one of its million of curiosities。 'It is better to wear out than rust out。' Besides； if a man of active temperament is not busy； he is apt to get into mischief。 To avoid evil； therefore； and since business activity is a necessity of my nature； here I am； once more； in the Museum； and among those with whom I have been so long and so pleasantly identified。 I am confident of a cordial welcome； and hence feel some claim to your indulgence while I briefly allude to the means of my present deliverance from utter financial ruin。 Need I say； in the first place； that I am somewhat indebted to the forbearance of generous creditors。 In the next place； permit me to speak of sympathizing friends； whose volunteered loans and exertions vastly aided my rescue。 When my day of sorrow came； I first paid or secured every debt I owed of a personal nature。 This done； I felt bound in honor to give up all of my property that remained toward liquidating my 'clock debts。' I placed it in the hands of trustees and receivers for the benefit of all the 'clock' creditors。 But at the forced sale of my Connecticut real estate； there was a purchaser behind the screen； of whom the world had little knowledge。 In the day of my prosperity I made over to my wife much valuable property； including the lease of this Museum buildinga lease then having about twenty…two years to run； and enhanced in value to more than double its original worth。 I sold the Museum collection to Messrs。 Greenwood & Butler； subject to my wife's separate interest in the lease； and she has received more than 80；000 over and above the sums paid to the owners of the building。 Instead of selfishly applying this amount to private purposes； my family lived with a due regard to economy； and the savings （strictly belonging to my wife） were devoted to buying in portions of my estate at the assignees' sales and to purchasing 'clock notes' bearing my indorsements。 The Christian name of my wife is Charity。 I may well acknowledge； therefore； that I am not only a proper 'subject of charity；' but that 'without Charity； I am nothing。'
〃But； ladies and gentlemen； while Charity thus labored in my behalf； Faith and Hope were not idle。 I have been anything but indolent during the last four years。 Driven from pillar to post； and annoyed beyond description by all sorts of legal claims and writs； I was perusing protests and summonses by day； and dreaming of clocks run down by night。 My head was ever whizzing with dislocated cog…wheels and broken main…springs； my whole mind （and my credit） was running upon tick； and everything pressing on me like a dead weight。
〃In this state of affairs I felt that I was of no use on this side of the Atlantic； so； giving the pendulum a swing； and seizing time by the forelock； I went to Europe。 There I furtively pulled the wires of several exhibitions； among which that of Tom Thumb may be mentioned for example。 I managed a variety of musical and commercial speculations in Great Britain； Germany； and Holland。 These enterprises； together with the net profits of my public lectures； enabled me to remit large sums to confidential agents for the purchase of my obligations。 In this manner； I quietly extinguished； little by little； every dollar of my clock liabilities。 I could not have achieved this difficult feat； however； without the able assistance of enthusiastic friendsand among the chief of them let me gratefully acknowledge the invaluable services of Mr。 James D。 Johnson； a gentleman of wealth； in Bridgeport； Connecticut。 Other gentlemen have been generous with me。 Some have loaned me large sums without security； and have placed me under obligations which must ever command my honest gratitude 〃but Mr。 Johnson has been a 'friend in deed；' for he has been truly a 'friend in need。'
〃You must not infer； from what I have said； that I have completely recovered from the stunning blow to which I was subjected four years ago。 I have lost more in the way of tens of thousands； yes； hundreds of thousands； than I care to remember。 A valuable portion of my real estate in Connecticut； however； has been preserved； and as I feel all the ardor of twenty years ago； and the prospect here is so flattering； my heart is animated with the hope of ultimately； by enterprise and activity； obliterating unpleasant reminiscences； and retrieving the losses of the past。 Experience； too； has taught me not only that； even in the matter of money； 'enough is as good as a feast；' but that there are； in this world； some things vastly better than the Almighty Dollar！ Possibly I may contemplate； at times； the painful day when I said 'Othello's occupation's gone'； but I shall the more frequently cherish the memory of this moment； when I am permitted to announce that Richard's himself again。'
〃Many people have wondered that a man considered so acute as myself should have been deluded into embarrassments like mine； and not a few have declared； in short meter； that 'Barnum was a fool。' I can only reply that I never made pretensions to the sharpness of a pawnbroker； and I hope I shall never so entirely lose confidence in human nature as to consider every man a scamp by instinct； or a rogue by necessity。 'It is better to be deceived sometimes； than to distrust always；' says Lord Bacon； and I agree with him。
〃Experience is said to be a hard schoolmaster； but I should be sorry to feel that this great lesson in adversity has not brought forth fruits of some value。 I needed the discipline this tribulation has given me； and I really feel； after all； that this； like many other apparent evils； was only a blessing in disguise。 Indeed； I may mention that the very clock factory which I built in Bridgeport for the purpose of bringing hundreds of workmen to that ci