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Show BARNUN1 f HE CREATEST SHOW. In a recent interview with a New York World man, P. T. Barnum i said: But tho greatest card we have ia my own presence. People will como fifty milea to see me and hear ' me make a speech. And the mana-i mana-i gers understand this so well that I . hav agreed to travel with the Bhow and make a speech in the ring in all 1 the principal towns wo oro going to " visit. Wo ore going to o number ol ' New England towns, ond will travel f through Gonada, New York, Michigan, Michi-gan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, 3 i ..A lUn eonib fur an Texas. Aud next year, as I said, we go to England. It is curious to Bee the delight with which peoplo see me and the sincerity with which they appear to regard mo as the greatest curiosity in the show. I sat next a countryman country-man once who watched the Bhow keenly, and as each performer came out ho would say, 'That's all very well, but I wish 1 could see Barnum.' Ho repealed this again, and again, until at length one star rider came out on four horses aud rode around Hie ring, turning his sumeisaults and things. Then the countryman jumped up iu great excitement and, throwing up his hat, yelled, 'There he is. There's Barnum. I'll bet $50 that's Barnum. Nobody could de that but Barnum.' It is astonishing how everybody knows all about me. Why, the other day 1 got a letter from New Zealand that was directed 'Mr. Barnum, America.' That was all. Not another word on the envelope. Aud it camo to nio os straight as if it had been shot. It was not delayed a single day. That is why I want to to over and have one swoop witli my show on tho other side before I gel too old. Mr. Barnum saw a smile on his listener's iace, and continued: les. 1 don't feel old. I feel as young almost al-most as ever, but I know that in the nature of things a man can't expert many years alter he is sixty-six. It ia hard sometimes to realize- this. Only the other dav in New York I caught myselt just as I wits about to conclude a bargain that would have tied up a lot ofcapitai, and which I saw would pay in twenty-five years. Oh! if I were young if I knew I was going to live a thousand years, could make biue slreaks ali around. 1 But I am very careful of myself, and I have got my system in such a good icouditiou by my temperance habits that I suppose I am good tor a num-!b num-!b rot years yet if I don't overwork. You see, there isn't any nicoline or alcohol in my system. I used to smoke to excess, and found it harder to give that up than to give up drinking drink-ing wine; but I did it, and 1 am the ! belter for it now." |