"Here it is, sir."
"Did you ever see Mr. Greeley?" he inquired. "I live in the country, and I have often thought I should like to see so intrepid a champion of the people's rights."
"There he is now," said the newsboy, pointing to a somewhat portly man, who had just got out of a horse-car.
"You don't say so!" ejaculated the country reader of the "Tribune." "I should like to go and shake hands with him, but he might take it as too great a liberty. I didn't know he was so stout."
"Go ahead!" said the newsboy. "He won't mind. He's used to it."
"I think I will. I should like to tell the folks at home that I had shaken hands with Horace Greeley."
Now it happened that the personage who had been pointed out as Horace Greeley was really no other than Mr. Barnum himself, the illustrious showman. The newsboy was well aware of this, and was led to make the statement by his desire to see a little fun. I shall not attempt to justify him in this deception; but I have undertaken to set Rough and Ready before the reader as he was, not as he ought to be, and, though a good boy in the main, he was not without faults.
Mr. Greeley's admirer walked up to Mr. Barnum, and grasped his hand cordially.
"Sir," he said, "I hope you will excuse the liberty I am taking, but I couldn't help addressing you."
"I am glad to meet you, sir," said Mr. Barnum, courteously. "Perhaps I have met you before, but I meet so many people that I cannot always remember faces."