The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-06-13
Marvellous Manikins- Some of the Most
Remarkable Dwarfs in History.
ISt. Louis Post.I

1t is scarcely to be believed that the
ancients gave any credence to the fabu-
lous accounts of dwarfish nations or
could be persuaded of the existence of
those pigmies spoken of by Aristotle
and other writers, who, In all proba-
bility, described as such species of
diminutive monkeys.
Athenaus mentions race of dwarfs
who were in perpetual war with cranes,
who harnessed partridges to their
chariots and were obliged to cut down
| corn with telling axes, like forest trees. |
| Pliny asserts that their constant enemy,
| the crane, drove them out of Thracia, |
| but that they were still to be met within |
/ Ethiopia, near the source of the Nile, |
| and above the rise of the Ganges, where |
they were named Spethania, their
stature not exceeding three palms. |
Nicephorus Calixtus in his Ecclesiasti |
cal History mentions an Egyptian who
was not larger than partridge and who
at the age of twenty-five displayed con-
siderable mental endowment. Strabo,
however, judiciously observed that
these stories arose from the circumstance
of the small size of every animal in
intemperate regions. Various modern
travellers have recorded the most absurd
stories of diminutive men, as well as of
| gigantic nations; but to most of them
the words of Congreve may be applied:
Fernandez Mendez Pinto was but type of thee,
Thou liar of the first magnitude"
| 1t is nevertheless true that man
exhibits differences of stature in various
climes. The Laplanders and Samoides
in Europe, the Ostiacks and Tungooses
in Asia, the Greenlanders and Esqui-
maux in America-all the natives indeed
of high northern latitudes-are re-
markably short, measuring little more
than four feet; and Niels Sara, the
Laplander mentioned by Won Buch in
his Travels, and who measured five feet
eight inches, may be considered as a
gigantic exception.
1t had been reported by travellers that
nation of white dwarfs called Quimos
or Rensos existed in the interior of
Madagascar; but Flacourt has posi-
lively denied the fact, although Com
merson, the naturalist of Bougainville,
and De Modane, confirm the former
statement. 1t has also been remarked
by various travellers that dwarfs are not
uncommon amongst robust and manly
| Sigismund de Herbestein made the
D same observation in Samogita, the popu-
lation of which was of high stature
1 It is by no means evident that climate
F.: or any external agency invariably pro-
i duces this effect, for, in the very region
e inhabited by the stunted Hottentot,
, the shortest race in Africa, if we except
f the nation of dwarfs lately claimed to
: be discovered by Du Chaillu, the tall
/. and strong Kaffir is to be found.
: Bebe, the dwarf of Stanislaus of Po-
land, who was thirty-three French
inches high, was weak and of delicate
t health and became deformed as he grew
. up, and died at the age of twenty-three
). his parents were of the usual stature.
D The Polish nobleman Borwlaski was
8 we'll made, active, and intelligent; he
measured twenty-eight inches; he had a
q brother of thirty-four inches and a sister
e of twenty-one inches.
o Stoeberin, of Nuremberg, was nearly
It three feet high at twenty. well proper
toned and possessing cultivated mind
l. his parents, brothers and sisters were al
dwarfs.
Such natural dwarfs have been known
l. to evince brilliant qualities. Uladislas
d King of Poland, surnamed Cubitalis
le from his only measuring a cubit il
s. height, was renowned for his warlike ex
70 ploits, and there was a dwarf by tn,
b name of Kashan, a Khan of Tartary
# who boldly led their enterprising bands
These individuals sprang from dwarfsl
ID parents, whereas the dwarfs general,
E. met with are deformities of nature
id their head is voluminous, their intellect
ual faculties obtuse, they are mostl,
r, childish in their ideas and pursuits. am
is are rarely able TO propagate their race
ut Dwarfs are naturally peevish and irri
Sc table, although there are many exceI
t. tions. The Latins called them homun
lg clones, the Italians piccoluomini, tn
Flemings mennekin-whence, no Edoub
1g the word maniKin.
A very curious case of dwarf borl
RS from parents of the usual stature wa
exhibited in Paris, in 1919; her nam
so was Anne Sonoray; she was born i
Nosges, and was only thirty-three inche
en- in height. She was at that period sey
all enty-three years of age, was gay, an
ck mated, ood-humored, and danced wit
tolerable grace with her sister Barbt
nl- seventy-fve years Of age, and taller tina
Id she by two inches. In 1862 King Star
nd islaus wanted to marry her to his Beb'
n The bridegroom, however, did not liv
to contract so desirable match; bu
'ly faithful to her lover, she ever afterwarc
Is, called herself Madame Bebe.
eir The most remarkable pair of dwart
do ever recorded was that narrated and d,
is. scribed by Marco Polo in his trave
m through Tartary. He says that at th
le- Court of Khan there were twins, of tt
he unheard of stature of eleven and twely
inches in height. They were twent,
he five years Of age. The one twel1
an inches tall was boy called Meeresha
and the other girl named Fatim
he They were perfectly developed and we
proportioned and formed, and are d
, scribed as extremely intelligent. tt
Khan ordered them to be married, an
ize for wonder, the union turned out to |
ill prolific. Four children were born
no this diminutive couple, three of who
en- attained the average Tartar statur
while the fourth and youngest grew
lie the gigantic stature of six feet thrt
to inches. Meereshal and Fatima lived unit
their forty-ffth year, when Fatin
ill sickened and died, and was followed
if few months by her husband. The
dwarfs were the smallest couple ever I
e's corded.
All the readers of "Peveril of Il
Peak are acquainted with Sir Geoar'
hudson, the tavOrlte dwarf OF Charl
fe. of England. He was born in 16
ow and died in 1852, sixty-three years
ess age. He was native of Oakham al
aid was about seven years of age wh'
di- eighteen inches high and was taken in
ew the service of the Duke of Buckingham
I've From the age of seven to thirty he gre
ind no taller, but afterwards shot up
od- three feet nine inches He was on
his served up in pie at a royal entertai
ect ment, from which he suddenly spral
8 g forth in full armor. Sir William Day
ted nant wrote poem on battle betwe
ads him and turkey cock, when a wom
of rescued him from his furious antagoni
aad Tho co11rtiors azod him about +