Iron County register., 1882-05-25
Curlesities at Leisure.

CurlGs1tIeS at Leisure.
"He's passionately fond of him." the
manager said, referring to the giant,
who was gazing at the dwarf. "He
follows him all over in his travels. At
first the dwarf was very coy; but the
last proof of the giants affection soft
ened his heart. The giant followed
him from Liverpool, and after that the
dwarf gave him his friendship unre-
servedly. Since then they are togeth-
er nenriy all the time. Curiosities are
not usually SO devoted. I only know
two other eases Of genuine devotion
between curiosities. Capt. and Mrs.
Bates, the giants, are most happily
| married, and Hannah Battersby, the
fat woman weighing 720 pounds, who
married Il living skeleton, is passion
ately fond of her husband and he of
her. The giants as class are affec-
tiouate. They are like big nlastiffs,
fond of beng petted and kind to all
who are kind to them, but at the same
time ready to r, sent all insult. or
course there is some rivalry. S:ze is II
very delicate point with giants, and it
hurts the sensitiveness of giant to
SEE sonic one bigger than himself.
Then, again, some giants are active
and quick tempered. There was Mon
sieur Bien, the French giant. who
died few years ago in Brooklyn. He
was quick, gallant, and passionate.
He once got into u row with Goshen,
and they have a lively round or two,
i'm which the Frenchman got q little
the worst of it,"
do giants usually have the charac-
teristics of their countrymen?"
AS a rule they have. OF course
they have seen many countries, iearn-
ell many languages, and are conse-
Quently more or less cosmopolitan.
Still they retain some national traits.
Chang, the Chinese giant, for instance,
like all his countrymen, is cautious,
great reader, especially of books in his
native language. His library forms a
considerable part of his luggage. Then
he is continually receiving newspapers
from China, which he peruses with
great interest. He is also Il close OBJ
server of men and things. During off
hours, when he IS not reading, he takes
a carriage and has himself driven all
over town. When he gets u chance OF
all evening he goes to the theatre. He
made an arrangement with Judge Hill
ton once, and spent an afternoon in be-
ing shown all over Stewards. Curlos-
tiles are stared at So much during
exhibition hours that, as u rule, they
do not like to go in public during the
hours they have to themselves"
"What do Capt. and Mrs. Bates do
when they are not on shoW:'
"Their pursuits do not differ much
from those of ordinary persons. Capt.
Bates was born and brought up on u
farm i'm Kentucky. Being intelligent,
he has acquired considerable education,
and has the frank, pleasant address of
Il Southern gentleman. His wife, who
was Miss Swan, was born and brought
up on a farm near Nova Scotia. They
met in show in England. Both Were
hOmesick, anC, being from the same
continent, We're naturally attracted to-
ward one and another. Sizes and dis
positions being about equal, they con-
cludei to get married, and have never
regretted their conclusions. Both are
very domestic in their tastes. They are
wealthy, and spend the greater part of
their time i'll retirement on their farm
in Ohio. During the day he potters
around out Of doors, and in the even
and tells stories on an extended scale"
rs story telling on an extended scale |
a characteristic of giants?
"Well, | should say so. Bates once |
kept me here from IL O'Clock at night |
to ] O'Clock next morning telling me a |
story that man of ordinary size would |
have told in ten niinutes-the story of
his life, for instance? This is the way
he starts off: Il was born in Old Jeru-
salem. come from family of giants,
and am one of fifteen giants. am the
largest man in the world, except my |
mother, and she is only half an inch
larger. L am larger than all other
giants, Norwegian giants, ,Southwegian
giants, and all the rest. I've writ a
book. l writ in it all [ know, and
what / don't know didn't write.' At
this point some one in the audience
called out to him, The book you didn't
write must have been big one He
laughed like the rest of us. He's the
best nasured man I ever met. His
principal amusement is to huttonhole
people, and tell them about his inven-
tions. He once told Mr.. Bunne!l that
he had invented the phonograph, and
that Edison must have stolen it from
him. He claimed To have rugged one
up, and to have had It in full opera
ton in the barn on his farm in New
Jersey, and his theory is that Edison
petped through crack and stole the ,
dea. Shortly afterward lie informed
ne that he had of late been flying {
around the country all night on u fly I
ng machine he had invented. He {
'aid he flew with 1t during the night
yecause lie was afraid of frightening |