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Sketch Of The Life, Personal Appearance, Character And Manners Of Charles S. Stratton, The Man In Miniature, Known As General Tom Thumb, And His Wife, Lavinia Warren Stratton; Including The History Of Their Courtship And Marriage, With Some Account Of Remarkable Dwarfs, Giants, & Other Human Phenomena, Of Ancient And Modern Times, And Songs Given At Their Public Levees

Creator: n/a
Date: 1863
Publisher: Press of Wynkoop & Hallenbeck, New York
Source: Robert Bogdan Collection
Figures From This Artifact: Figure 1  Figure 2  Figure 3  Figure 4  Figure 5  Figure 6  Figure 7  Figure 8  Figure 9  Figure 10  Figure 11  Figure 12

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Their marriage became the topic of conversation in all circles of society, and especially in fashionable conclaves, the creme de la creme sought opportunities to see the prospective groom and bride, and endeavored to secure an invitation to be present at the nuptials.

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A GREAT TALK ABOUT LITTLE FOLKS. -- Among the prominent topics of discussion at this time, is the marriage of Gen. Tom Thumb. The remarkable and charming Miss Warren, who is to be the bride of the occasion, holds her levees daily at the Museum, whither crowds of all classes in society daily press to enjoy an interview with her.

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Unlike all the dwarfs we have ever seen previously, Miss Warren has no feature or characteristic in person or voice to repel, but on the other hand, from the perfect symmetry and beautiful developments of body and mind, attracts the admiration of all. The marriage ceremony is appointed for the 10th of February. -- New York Observer, January 29, 1863.

THE MARRIAGE

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On Tuesday, the tenth of February, 1863, the grand national event of the season transpired; time, noon; scene, Grace Church; Chief actors, General Charles Thomas Thumb Stratton, Miss Lavinia Warren, Commodore Nutt, and Miss Minnie Warren. The mind of New York had been previously excited to a high degree by its announcement; the coming event "had cast its shadows before" in the shape of comely cards, gotten up strictly after la mode's latest edict, being bits of prettily printed pasteboard, got up in Gimbrede's best and latest style -- for which fabulous sums were offered, in some instances fifty dollars each -- but for whose possession Barnum was not to be bribed, they being distributed with a serene eye to the eclat of the occasion. The wedding guests, were selected from among the haut ton of Gotham, and the celebrities of the country. The President, and many members of the Cabinet were among those invited; also the Foreign Ministers; nor were the noble men fresh from fields where laurels had crowned their brows, forgotten.

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Before the hour of high noon, designated, the entire neighborhood of Grace Church was thronged by expectant and smiling crowds, awaiting the coming of the happy pair and their attendants, and examining, with ill-concealed envy, the scores of carriages that bore to the scene of action the favored ones of wedding-card good fortune. All stages and vehicles had been turned from the route, by order of the police, whose co-operation had been obtained by the fatherly foresight of the presiding genii, P.T. Barnum, and which, no less than the self-respect and decorum that always characterizes an American crowd, secured the utmost quiet and order; and an outsider could only have discovered the marriage to have been one of peculiar and touching interest from The snatches of feminine gossip, in which small-sized adjectives and diminutive ejaculations were profusely employed.

THE CHURCH.

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The interior of the church was crowded with a gay assemblage of the youth, beauty, wealth, and worth of the metropolis. The cards of invitation had requested full dress, which was, in most instances, complied with, so that the swarming, bustling congregation resembled one vast parterre of brilliant tulips all ablaze in the mid-day sun. Major-General Ambrose L. Burnside was, perhaps, the most notable guest who " assisted" upon the extraordinary occasion. While awaiting the arrival of the bridal party, the grand organ poured forth its lordly strains beneath the musical fingers of Mr. Morgan, the church organist.

THE NUPTIAL DAYS.

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To the diminutive Stratton-Warren bridal pair, the ordinary arrangements of the chancel would have been far too Brobdignagian. The chancel rail would have towered above their heads, and the chancel steps would have proved heights beyond their powers to scale. Therefore, a neat platform was erected in front of the chancel, to the right of the pulpit, carpeted like the aisles, six steps leading to it, and spanning the three ordinary steps which suffice for ordinary-sized mortals. The platform was prettily bordered with gilded mouldings, and the surface of it was at about half the height of the chancel rail.

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The arrival at the church of the Rev. Mr. Willey, one of the officiating clergymen, caused a great excitement in the congregation, and everybody rose to get a better view of the expected couple. But the alarm proved false. The flutter was, however, renewed when Rev. Dr. Taylor, Rev. Mr. Willey, and two other clergymen entered the chancel in clerical robes, and took their seats, awaiting the arrival of the man and woman soon to be joined in the bonds. The organist then striking up a lively strain, the audience, like the individual spoken of by the ancient mariner, became excited: "The wedding guest here beat his breast, He heard the loud bassoons,"

THE ARRIVAL.

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After sundry false alarms, and consequent stirrings and settlings, finally the bridal cortege appeared. Foremost towered the great Barnum the tutelary genius of the little couple, some attaches of Queen Lavinia's court, members of the General's staff, and family friends; but these were hardly glanced at, the dainty darlings of the public forming the cynosure of all eyes. The imperturbable Commodore Nutt led the way, escorting, with the grace of a Beau Brumwell, the tiny bridesmaid, Miss Minnie Warren, a sister of the bride elect. Close followed the world renowned General, with the fair one upon his arm, who was about to barter her maiden liberty.

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