Struggles and Triumphs · Chapter
XXII: Close of the Campaign explained
Barnum recounts the final leg of Jenny Lind's American tour, including a visit to the Hermitage, an April Fools' prank on his company, a concert in a pork house, and a ruse in Cincinnati.
What happens
Barnum recounts the final leg of Jenny Lind's American tour, including a visit to the Hermitage, an April Fools' prank on his company, a concert in a pork house, and a ruse in Cincinnati. Upon returning to New York, tensions with Lind's advisers lead to an early termination of their contract after the ninety-third concert, with Lind paying a forfeiture. The chapter concludes with Lind's marriage to Otto Goldschmidt and a statement of the tour's total receipts.
Themes in this chapter
Showmanship and Humbug
Barnum's April Fools' prank and the Cincinnati ruse demonstrate his flair for theatrical deception and public amusement.
Public Perception and Reputation
The crowd's reaction to the Cincinnati ruse and the influence of Lind's advisers highlight the constant negotiation of public image.
Financial Wisdom and Economy
Barnum's offer to close the contract for a forfeiture and his statement of total receipts underscore the financial calculations behind the tour.
Characters to notice
- P. T. Barnum
Orchestrates an April Fools' prank, negotiates the end of the Lind engagement, and reflects on the tour's conclusion.
- Jenny Lind
Visits the Hermitage, performs in various cities, and accepts Barnum's offer to close the contract after the ninety-third concert.
- Le Grand Smith
Receives a fake telegraph about his village burning; later plays an April Fools' revenge by fabricating a highway robbery plot.
- Mr. Otto Goldschmidt
Marries Jenny Lind after the tour concludes.
- Mr. James Gordon Bennett
Not directly mentioned in excerpts, but referenced in the context of advisers; omitted as no direct evidence.
- George D. Prentice
Accompanies the party from Louisville to Cincinnati with his wife.
Key passages
“I'll give five dollars to any man who will take me out and give me a good horsewhipping! I deserve it, and am willing to pay for having it done. To think that I should have been such a fool as to have paid forty-eight dollars for four tickets for my wife, two daughters, and myself, to listen to music for only two hours, makes me mad with myself, and I want to pay somebody for giving me a thundering good horsewhipping!”
A ticket buyer in Nashville regretted spending $48 on four tickets for a two-hour concert and offered $5 for someone to horsewhip him.
Illustrates the post-purchase regret and the high cost of Lind's concerts.
“Well, Barnum has humbugged us after all!”
A Cincinnati crowd member admitted that Barnum had fooled them by passing Jenny Lind off as his daughter.
Shows Barnum's successful ruse to avoid a crowd.