her repulsive qualities, even though in the fullness of his mature notoriety he grew to be ashamed of her and of his own lowly origin in the field of showmanship; he referred to her in the last edition of his autobiography as “the least deserving of all my efforts in the show line....” Some years after the death of Joice Heth, R. W. Lindsay, who sold Barnum the negress, lost all his money and became ill. Barnum wrote the following letter, which throws interesting light upon the Joice Heth episode, and still more interesting light on Barnum’s character: “MR. BAKER: “Dear Sir.--Yours of the 3rd inst. has been forwarded to me. Please read and then seal the enclosed to Lindsay. I send along $100, which I wish you to use in the best possible manner for _his benefit_. I really expect that if he had the money himself, he would lay it out foolishly, and that if a little pains was taken to get him into a Hospital in Boston or elsewhere that money, or less, would procure for him a _permanent cure_ and then leave him in health to look out for himself. If he is allowed to _live out_ this $100 in food and clothing he will soon be begging again and the relief will be but _temporary_. I earnestly trust that you will try to have this prove a _real_ benefit to him. On reflection perhaps he had better not receive my letter, nor know that you have got my check, until you have got it cashed, and looked about and determined how it is best to use it. His assertions that I understand he has made to others that I am under obligations to him are _ridiculously false_. I never had anything to do with him except to buy from him in _perfect good faith_ and pay him the money for an old _negress_, which he falsely represented as the ‘Nurse of Washington’ and which he imposed on me as such, by aid of a _forged Bill of Sale_ purporting to have been made by the _father_ of George Washington. I honestly _believed_ all this and exhibited accordingly as Lindsay had done for months previous--finally she died and the imposition became manifest, and _I_ have ever since borne the stigma of _originating_ that imposture. I never denied it before--but I might have done so truly. This is all the ‘obligation’ I am under to Lindsay, but he is a poor devil, and I hope to see him recover. Please take his receipt or some acknowledgment when he receives the benefit of this sum if convenient--if not--no matter. I would be pleased to hear from you at Charleston, S. C. Truly yours, “P. T. BARNUM.”[2]