Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-03-04

opposed to smallness of every kind. But
we've been peaceful, patient, long suffer
ing; too much so and too long, ] fear.
| we've let things take their course and
said nothing, when we ought to have
said something's good deal, indeed
and SO we've somehow come to be per-
secuted race-despised and moderated.
lhe dwarfs have had it all their own
way, and now they crow over us and
treat us contemptuously. The fact is,
We've not thought enough of ourselves,
and have allowed people to overlook us.
It's all wrong, sir, take my word for it
though | don't pretend to be the man
who can put it right"
His face was flushed as he concluded
| and his forehead was moist. He paused
for breath as it seemed. and then he was
moved to surprise at his own animation,
| at the length of his speech He looked
at me apologetically.
Il did not intend to speak so warmly
| he said. But your air of sympathy
tempted me to express myself more fully
than is usual with me. And own i
| lose patience when think of the errors
that have so long prevailed on the sub
| ject of giants-the injustice we have suf-
fered at all hands Perhaps" he added,
with smile, as with his forefinger-it
was about the size of one of those can
| dies of which four make a pound-he
tapped lightly his tumbler, which wa
| now empty" perhaps this extra glass
of grog has made me too loquacious. /
| beg you will pardon me if such has been
the case, or if my violence of speech has
given YOU any offense"
His glass was 600 in aponfv spa,otaI
upon it being filed. He made many
| objections to that course being adopted,
but when the brandy and water had been
duly placed before him he did not hest
tate to consume it.
Then he gave me certain particulars of
his own career He was of humble
origin, he frankly admitted and had
even in early life worn the quaint dress
OF charity boy. His father was by
trade a shoemaker and his mother had
gained livelihood by charming They
were persons of average stature only
and it was not until he had attained the
age of fourteen that his own height had
become at all remarkable. Then he
had with much suddenness grown
taller and taller He even pre-
tended to say that his increase i'm
height had been distinctly perceptible
to close observers of him. At any rate
many had ventured to aver that they
could absolutely see him grow. He had
been put 10 one or two trades, but with
out avail. Fault had been found with
his size. People all declared that he
was too young to be so tall. He was
like large piece of furniture in a small
house. Room could not be found for
him. 1t was necessary to take down
doors TO let him in or out. AT last his
father, who was impatient by nature and
often intlamed by drink, said angrily;
Hang the boy! He can do nothing
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. He was
often, as he said, very empty-and al
ways very tall. He suffered more from
emptiness, he needed more filling than
most people, owing TO his exceptional
size. At last situation as potboy was
offered him in a public house "out
Whitechapel way" 1t was held that "a
giant pots"-as he was styled in the
ighborhood-would attract visitors to
the bar of the establishment, and that
great consumption of liquor would re-
suit therefroln. 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 per-
manent and more profitable employment
and attached himself to caravan trav-
cling the country from fair to fair and
markettown to market.town. London
he rarely visited-although 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.
ITS dull, but then perhaps it suits me
the better on that account, for, you see,
Pm dull too"
deprecated such statement. ten
dered him hearty thanks Tor his most in
telligent and interesting conversation.
"It's very kind of you 10 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. II one can't agree
with il 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 food of tears.
/ had noticed previously that his ar
ticulation had thickened. Something
no doubt the brandy nd-water-had had
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.
at 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"
IT 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 jock