The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb - Melanie Benjamin [63]
“What is that?” My thoughts raced wildly; did he suspect about Colonel Wood’s contract?
“It’s the one thing that could doom this whole enterprise.” He gazed at me, not blinking; I gazed right back, holding my breath. I waited for him to speak, for a terrifyingly long time; I heard every creak and movement in the house, a muffled door slam, a silvery tinkle of china, so many clocks ticking out of sync. Still, he stared at me, until I was about to blurt out Colonel Wood’s name—then, finally, he grinned.
“Now, what are we going to do about your last name? Bump will never do.”
I drew in my breath sharply, then exhaled. And I began to laugh, out of pure relief and delight. He joined in, and suddenly I felt as if I’d known him all my life. He was no longer the great, revered P. T. Barnum, nor “that Barnum,” nor even the Prince of Humbug.
He was my mentor and friend. Mr. Barnum. And that was what he would remain.
Or so we both believed at the time.
INTERMISSION
From the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, February 6, 1863
A SURPRISE
Doctor Colton is preparing a surprise for Ladies and Pupils of Schools at the Athenaeum tomorrow afternoon. In addition to the Laughing Gas exhibition, he proposes to condense into half an hour a great variety of experiments, illustrating the properties of the air, with simple explanations—among other things a Balloon, holding thirty gallons of hydrogen gas, is to be sent up with a car full of “little folks.” Such a lecture must prove highly instructive, and as the admission is only five cents for children, we trust they will be allowed to attend.
From Harper’s Weekly, February 14, 1863
THE INEVITABLE QUESTION
The question that every body has seen from the beginning of the war must be answered has at last been asked. Shall there be colored soldiers? It is a question upon which there need be no loss of temper. If a man says that he is willing to see the Government lost rather than maintained by such allies, he must answer the question whether, then, he cares enough for the Government to fight for it.
[ SEVEN ]
I Prepare to Make My Grand Entrance
HOW SWIFTLY THINGS HAPPENED AFTER THAT MEETING! Mama and Papa and I returned home, where I spent the next few weeks washing and mending my wardrobe. Minnie helped, even as she valiantly sniffed away her tears, to no avail; every five minutes she dropped something and threw her arms about my waist to cry, “Oh, how can you leave again, Sister? Why don’t you like it here with us? I wish I could make you love it here like I do!”
“Oh, Minnie, I do! Of course I do, but you and I are so very—I promise you, things will be different this time. I fully intend to come home often. And maybe even you’ll visit me in New York; Mama and Papa might bring you on the train!” I smiled as I said this, but inwardly, my stomach tightened. Mr. Barnum had asked, jokingly, if I had a sister just like me at home—“The more Bumps, the merrier!” I hastily replied that I did not; perhaps too hastily, as his eyes narrowed suspiciously.
I had no desire ever to inform him of Minnie’s existence. Even as I eagerly looked forward to my next adventure, I needed to know that Minnie would remain where she always was—back on the farm, protected by Mama and Papa, waiting for me to return. It was almost as if she were my conscience, my anchor, the one thing tethering me to home, reeling me back in occasionally so that I wouldn’t completely lose my way.
“I might want to take the train,” she admitted with a reluctant, shy smile. “Mama said it wasn’t as dreadful as all that. But now that I think about it, it must be, because it keeps taking you away! What a terrible, nasty old thing it is, carrying people away from their homes so easily. No, I don’t want to take it, at that.” And she shook her head so vigorously she almost lost her balance.
“Minnie, darling, you don’t understand, even though you’re thirteen now—imagine! Trains are wonderful things—you’ll see, someday. But you have to know that this time, it’s going to be so different—I’m going to be so grand!”
“As grand