A Unique Story of a Marvellous Career: Life of Hon. Phineas T. Barnum
Benton, Joel, 1832-1911
ake you another proposition; I'll bet you hadn't got a whole shirt on your back." The catch consists in the fact that generally only one-half of that convenient garment is on the back; but Barnum had anticipated the proposition --in fact he had induced a friend, Mr. Hough, to put Darrow up to the trick--and had folded a shirt nicely upon his back, securing it there with his suspenders. The bar-room was crowded with customers who thought that if Barnum made the bet he would be nicely caught, and he made presence of playing off and at the same time stimulated Darrow to press the bet by saying: "That is a foolish bet to make; I am sure my shirt is whole because it is nearly new; but I don't like to bet on such a subject." "A good reason why," said Darrow, in great glee; "it's ragged. Come, I'll bet you a treat for the whole company you hadn't got a whole shirt on your b-b-b-back!" "I'll bet my shirt is cleaner than yours," Barnum replied. "That's nothing to do w-w-with the case; it's ragged, and y-y-you know it." "I know it is not," Barnum replied, with pretended anger, which caused the crowd to laugh heartily. "You poor ragged f-f-fellow, come down here from D-D-Danbury, I'm sorry for you," said Darrow tantalizingly. "You would not pay if you lost," Barnum remarked. "Here's f-f-five dollars I'll put in Capta
