The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-09-17
AN EXTRAORDINARY CREATURE.
a Dwarf who Ceased to Grow When
Six Months Old.
Nauv YO-k Wn~Id

New 1o-k World.
Mr.. p. T. Barnum will perhaps read
with regret that there has arrived in
this city without his knowledge, a more
remarkable dwarf than any with whom
his name has ever been connected. One
of the passengers by the steamer Wis
consin, of the Guion line which arrived
on Tuesday morning, on which the par
ents of the strange little creature jour
neYed as emigrants, tells the following
story of its history and antecedents:
Bridget Sughran is the daughter of
John Sughran and wife, and was born
thirty-one years ago on an island off the
coast of Kerry, Ireland. For six months
after her birth the child continued to de-
velop as seven brothers and sisters be-
fore her had done. 1t issaid to have been
| a remarkably pretty infant. AT the end
of six months, however, il suddenly
ceased to grow and all the intervening
years of the child's life have witnessed
no development in its stature. Its head
alone has grown and it is now the size of
an average adult woman. Its limbs are
rather more chubby than those of an av-
erage infant of six months, but its skin
is pale and delicate in appearance as that
of newborn babe. It's hair is two
or three inches long, but thin
and fine like that of a baby. All at
/ tempts at training have been unsuccess-
full in getting 1t TO walk or talk or even
10 utter a cry. Through there is appar-
/ emily no malformation of the tongue, il
does not give vent TO any noise even un-
| der the influence of pain. Yet it is by
no means idiotic for il understands con-
| versation and is keenly sensitive TO re.
marks that may pass concerning itself.
i 1t also appreciates and remembers kind.
/ nesses it may receive. and appears 10
have good memory for faces. 1t eats
but little. Its food consists of a very small
/ quantity of milk with pinch of bread
It is very good tempered as may be pre-
sumed, and gives its parents little trou
BILE. For thirty-one years the parents
have nursed and cherished it, never Civ
ing il over to n charitable institution
though often suffering for the necessities
of life. They speak of the chlld as an
affection sent in kindness by the will OF
God, and do not wish in any way TO ge
rid OF the burden. The account they
give of the origin of the affiiction &C
cords with the superstitution of the coun
try. They term il an overlook A cas-.
Of Overlook they say, is when som,
witch out Of evil motive calls down 4
calamity upon the object of its iliwill
The father relates how on one occasion
about the sixth month of the child,s age
two women were in the house and on
said TO the other, See what beaufifu
child that is, and from that time tn
child ceased to grow. The father sus
: tains this theory of his affection by re
. lating an instance in. which fairy VIC
man or witch pointed to particular
beautiful COW among the drove, and i'm
mediately it fell dead. At all events h
: deems il an afiiietion from which onl
the pleasure Of God can free him at ID
proper time. The child is now on i
way to Mahanoy City, Pa, where its d
: rents intend 20 settle with some of thei
! other children"
!, The physician At Castle Garden Wa
much interested IN examining the Cur
Gus little being. The child is parfl
bald and has lost many Of its teeth.