Daily globe., 1879-05-31
PATERsoN's PRODIGY.

PATERsON,s PRODIGY.
Remarkable Seven- Year Old Bov--T Total
/, Depractty Eret,p i1aed--T Tho Csergv Fssss
N sled.
New York HetAid.
The 6leta5 OF Paterson, Nd, having tired
of wrestling with each other over the various
modes of baptism, by dipping, sprinkling,
immersion, and of discussing total depravity
in the abstract, are combining to devise
measures for the reformation Of big
headed infant about years Of age, who is
regarded by tho .suneo guid, and even by
the tolefably wicked, as the very incarnation
Of total depfavity In the concrete. Georgie |
Lee, the infant prodigy, is regarded at once
as the wickedest and the wisest boy baby in |
the State, if not in the Union: AS to the
wickednesa, the catalogue is too long for re-
heatpal, but among his accomplishments is
profanity, in which he is fully the equal of
which line he can hold his own with the
average adult and with as little inconven-
ience. But tho greatest wonder Of all is tho
boys head, which is SO large and heavy that
his little frame seems scarcely able to sup
port the weight. His head has always been
of immense size, nearly as large as it is now,
and it is conceded that George has known
more, when sober, at any time since he was
years of age than nine out of ten adults
selected from the uDeducated class. Where
his wit and wisdom come from is q marvel,
for neither his father, James Lee, who
abandoned his family years ago and went
West, nor yet his mother, neat and indus
trious woman, who labors daily to support
herself and boy, were ever noted for their
superior Intelligence. From the cradle he
has semeed to take in hs if by absorption
all knowledge-of whatever scrt-that has
come within his reach.
He comes out especially strong in Language,
and already year or two since would listen
to a temperance lecture, or political haran-
que, or any like effort, and so vigorous was
his memory that few hours hftetward he
would be found petched on dry-goods box
or Bome other improvised fostrum rehearsing
the whole speech to an admiting audience,
both matter and manner being Ihartelously
perfect. The finale would, r1ost probably
be succession Of treats BY his listeners,
Until the bright intelligence was drowned
out by beer or stronger liquor, and this baby
bacchanal was assisted home and to bed like
the most inteterate of old topers. If not
quite SO far gone he might be met with on
the street singing ribald songs in his queer,
piping tones, or dancing to the music of a
hand-organ, or glibly cursing some one who
had sslnsulted" him. The Lees occupy Q
humble dwelling in Marshall street, and
George has been picked up and carried
home intoxicated 80 many times that
nothing is thought of it, and 1t causes NJ
more remark than the most ordinary oc
currence. Despite all his mothers efforts to
restrain him, at times by locking him tp {
prisoner in the house while she is out at hel
work, Georgie continues his drinking habits
and tipples whenever he can obtain money
until now, at less than Z years of age, b,
may be, and is, regarded as confirmed
drunkard
Recently, when he had been imprisoned
by his mother to prevent his getting il
trouble, he forced hewindow in her absence
and jumped from the second story windoy
to the ground, and soon after this..enfant te,
t ri6ze was sauntering leisurely down the mail
t street, touching his hat to his friends, AM
4 tossing kisses to the ladies on the. opposit
sidewalk or in upper windows. few day
ton in the circuit court atPatereon, when b
+ encountered George, who has the entree Q
y all public and most private places abou
!, town. The Ex-Governor was SO amazed 9
\ the boys precocity, as exhibited in his Ian
guage, logic, elocution, etc, that he gay
c him half-dollat at parting. George wa
v advised by lawyer friend I'd take it diree
y to his mother; to which the besotted infar
It made answer, ':No-o-o; I regard this as
e providential indication that I am t
X beer up.'" In the evening of that da
: George was carried home in helpless cor
d dition, and having overindulget
IS even for him, he came near to death. Th
later escapade of the boy was the imm'
diate cause of the present clerical effort fl
the reformation of Paterson's baby drunl
;. ard. But Georgie's head is much too lare
. too admit of his reformation, and unle
his extraordinary cerebral development ca
20 be reduced there is little chance of al
change. In this respect he is real MOI
strosity, there being few men, comparative
ut speaking, who require so large hat;
a. wears q hat No. ~. A queer little pinche
!. face, with an ancient, faded look, an unde
p sized figure, clad in short trowsers, lit
OF white jacket, cardinal hose and neat boot
.. q. and bristling all over with aggressivenes
~ an enormous head surmounted with man
N hat cooked knowingly-this is Geore
rs Lee, Paterson's wickedest small boy.