Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 August 1890 — How Barnum Humbugged the Deacon’s Wife. [ARTICLE]

How Barnum Humbugged the Deacon’s Wife.

Chicago Tribune. “When we were looking at the big trees in California, ” said Phineas in a chuckling way, “we came to one that was bigger than any of the others. A pious lady hr our party, Mrs. Pearce—she used to live in Chicago—wanted it measured. She was the most accurate woman I ever knew. Her word was gospel.—Her husband was Deacon Pearce. Mrs, Pearce took a' spool of cotton from her reticule and said to her husband, “Put your thumb on one end of this cord and hold it while I walk around the tree with the spool and unreel the thread. In that Way we will get the exact measurement, so as to be able to show our friends the size without exciting their credulity.’ “I always tried to be gallant sol said to Mrs. Pearse I would walk around the tree for her, taking the spool of cotton and measuring as I went. “‘No, sir,’ she replied, ‘ldon’t want any of your humbuggery in this measurement. I want to get it accurate. I know too well.’ “She made the measurement, broke off the string and wrapped it carefully about hep first and second fingers, put it into her reticule, and said: ‘There, when I unroll that and show it to our friends they will believe.’ Attbe same time she looked at me. “We started back to the hotel to see our friends. When we got there Mrs. Pearce began telling of the great trees. Then she took a little bundle of twine out of her reticule and told them she would show them the measurement she had taken herself. The deacon given one end of the string and told to walk until he had gone its length. He started around the rqom, which was a large one. When he reached the door Mrs. Pearce was still giving out string. He walked out of the door, out upon the lawn, and down the road until he gave out. “The people looked on with amazement They had such a high regard for the veracity of the deacon’s wife they didn’t say anything. When the deacon stopped to rest his wife still had about 200 yards of string in her hand. She locked at me, but I never betrayed any emotion. I think she thought I had stolen her measurement from the reticule and put in my own. She never was as genial after that And her veracity in the community hasn’t what it bad been. And they Bay I am a humbug,’’ chuckled the old man as he walked away