Life of Hon. Phineas T. Barnum baixar o livro de graça

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1891 edition. Excerpt: ...friends, but from entire strangers. Mr. Wm. E. Burton, Miss Laura Keene, and Mr. Wm. Niblo have in the kindest manner tendered me the receipts of theit theatres for one evening. Mr. Gough volunteered the proceeds of one of his attractive lectures; Mr. James Phalon generously offered me the free use of the Academy of Music; many professional ladies and gentlemen have urged me to accept their gratuitous services. I have, on principle, respectfully declined them all, as I beg, with the most grateful acknowledgments (at least for the present), to decline yours--not because a benefit, in itself, is an objec THE WHEAT AND THE CHAFF. 333 tionable thing, but because I have ever made it a point to ask nothing of the public on personal grounds, and should prefer, while I can possibly avoid that contingency, to accept nothing from it without the honest conviction that I had individually given it in return a full equivalent. While favored with health, I feel competent to earn an honest livelihood for. myself and family. More than this I shall certainly never attempt with such a load of debt suspended in terrorem over me. While I earnestly thank you, therefore, for your generous consideration, gentlemen, I trust you will appreciate my desire to live unhumiliated by a sense of dependence, and believe me, sincerely yours, P. T. Barnum. To Messrs. Freeman Hunt, E. K. Collins, and others. And with other offers of assistance from far and near, came the following from a little gentleman who did not forget his old friend and benefactor in the time of trial: Jones' Hotel, Philadelphia, May 12th, 1856. My Dear Mr. Barnum: I understand your friends, and that means "all creation," intend to get up some benefits for your family. Now, my dear sir, just be good enough to...