Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-02-19

but grow tall !" and, without further
speech, turned the youth into the street
He then lived as he could, which, at
times, was very badly indeed. lie was
often, as he said very empty--and al
ways very tall. He suffered more from
emptiness, he needed more filing than
most people, owing to his exceptional
size. At last situation as potboy was
offered him in public house "out
Whitechapel way" II was held that "a
giant pots"-as he was styled In the
neighborhood would attract visitors to
the bar of the establishment, and that
great consumption of liquor would re-
suit therefrorn. The experiment disap-
pointed expectation, however Too
many, it seemed, avoided disbursement
and yet gratified their curiosity by peep
ing in at the chink of the doorway, and
viewing the "giant pots" for nothing.
In the end the giant had accepted a per-
manent and more profitable employment
and attached himself to caravan trav-
cling the country from fair to fair and
markettown to markettown. London
he rarely vlsited-althougb now and then
he had been much tempted by handsome
offers to appear upon the stage in panto-
mines at Christmas. Upon the whole he
preferred the country.
the better on that account, for, you see,
I'm dull too"
deprecated such statement. ten
dered him hearty thanks for his most in
telligent and interesting conversation.
It's very kind of you to say so, sir,
but the British public has quite made up
their minds that we giants are dull lot
and that settles the matter--for it's
never any good whatever arguing against
the British public. If one can't agree
with 1t one must shut up, and that comes
to much the same sort of thing. I'm
dull to begin with, and now I'm duller
than I'd any right to be, owing to-owing
to peculiar circumstances.
Here, much to my surprise, he burst
into sudden flood of tears.
| had noticed previously that his ar
ticulation had thickened. Something
no doubt the brandy-and watcr--had lad
to do with this, inducing perhaps in
addition certain disposition to senti-
mental emotion and expression Still
| the giant could not be said to be intox.
| icated. He was excited as much, |
! think, by the unusual amount of nara
tive he had delivered himself of and by
the sound of his own voice as by any
other cause.
weep not" said to him, scarcely
knowing what said.
Please let me-" he answered, feebly.
alt does me so much good. I'm very
unhappy. I'm one of the most misera-
BILE of men. I'm in love-"
| "Well, and why not? Surely man
of your magnificent proportions need
not despair of success. Surely any
WOMAN
1t is plain that you do not know Miss
| fiddler" he interrupted.
confessed that, to my sincere regret,
did not enjoy that privilege.
And of course you don't know Jeck-
er's Van?"
said l thought not
If ever you come across Jeckers Van
ask to see Miss fiddler. In point of
fact, you'll see her without asking if you
pay your admission at the door And
you'll see me. But that's nothing. I'm
nobody. Besides, you hare seen me. But
Miss fiddler will surprise you. You'll
find her real treat You see in her, sir,
a perfect woman. They call her the Pc
ruvian Pearl, or the Princess of Lilliput.
But that's only Jecker's way. She's
English and speaks no language but her
own, but she speaks that very freely,
especially when she's reused. It's non
sense about Peruvian; as q matter of
fact, she was born in Pimlico; and she's
never grown an inch since she was four
and half years old. Amazing, isn't it?
and delightful l call it."
"a dwarf"
We'll, what people call dwarf. Per-
tection in a small compass, that's my
view of her. There's nothing of the
dwarf really about her when you've once
overlooked her small size. And then
how charming she is! But you must see
her to appreciate her. For my part
love her to distraction. / can't call it by
any other name"
1t was plain that he loved, as giant
might be expected to love, in large way.
AS he spoke he trembled, swayed to and
fro, indeed, and turned up his eyes in a
languishing fashion that had something
almost of craziness about it. This giant
in love was rather a grotesque sort of
creature it must be confessed
'And Miss fiddler is obdurate?" in
quired.
Miss fiddler is adamant. Miss It'd
dler will not listen to me, or listens to
me only to mock me. In plain words she
chaffs me-"
suitor?"
"Well, her objections are of very
general kind, but chiefly she finds fault
with my size. The fun she makes of me
on that account It's wonderful to hear
her. laugh in spite of myself laugh
at myself, in fact She's so clever and
says such sharp things. Still it's hard,
you know. I've difficulty in believing
that it's really so ridiculous to be so tall
as she makes it out to be. But she thinks
it's very ridiculous indeed Perhaps it
appears so to her, you know, she being
so little. And then she calls me stu
pid.n
But that may not be such bad sign
I've heard of many lovers who like to be
called stupid by their mistresses. Very
likely it's mere playfulness on her part,
that conceals some measure of true affec
ton for you"
I'D think so ifI could, hut can't
No. she thinks me tall and stupid, and
feel that she's right. an tall and stupid,
and that's the fact I'd alter it if | could
but | can't. I'm sure I'd be very glad to
change places with brighter and a
shorter man. But can't grow brighter,
try hard as ! may; and l can't grow
shorter, though I've tried that too"
You've tried to grow shOrter?"
"Yes, over and over again. I'm for
ever trying to grow shorter. | carry
heavy weights on my head; lift that box,
for instance" As he spoke he drew from
beneath his chair substantial looking
black box with iron handles. tried to
raise it, but failed completely. 1t
seemed to be of enormous weight ave
walked miles and miles with that box on
my head, 1t contains pigiron. thought
that it might compress me. But it hasn't
as yet, so far as / can see. I've tried all
manner of ways indeed of packing my
self INTO smaller space, but all in vain.
Miss fiddler only laughs at me. Come
TO me when you're shorter, Doddy' (she
always calls me Doddy-it's not my real
name, which is something very different,
but somehow it seems to please her to
call me that-and / don't object; how
can ~ Come to me when you're shorter,
Doddy,' she says to me, and then, per
haps, Wen see about it, She only says