Half an hour after this incident, the Commodore came to my office, and said:
“Mr. Barnum, do you think it would be right for Miss Warren to marry Charley Stratton if her mother should object?”
I saw that the little fellow had still a slight hope to hang on, and I said:
“No, indeed, it would not be right.”
“Well, she says she shall marry him any way; that she gives her mother the chance to consent, but if she objects, she will have her own way and marry him,” said the Commodore.
“On the contrary,” I replied, “I will not permit it. She is engaged to go to Europe for me, and I will not release her, if her mother does not fully consent to her marrying Tom Thumb.”
The Commodore’s eyes glistened with pleasure, as he replied:
“Between you and me, Mr. Barnum, I don’t believe she will give her consent.”
But the next day dissipated his hopes. Mr. Wells returned, saying that Lavinia’s mother at first objected, for she feared it was a contrivance to get them married for the promotion of some pecuniary advantage; but, upon reading the letter from the General, and one still more urgent from Lavinia, and also upon hearing from Mr. Wells that, in case of their marriage, I should cancel all claims I had upon Lavinia’s services, she consented.