Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-05-11
THE GIANTS, HOME.
Where Captain and Mrs. Bates Find
Room and Comfort.

Captain and Mrs. Bates, the giant
couple, are, i'm a certain sense, the-most
prominent people in Ohio. They are
pretty sure to be prominent wherever
they are. The Captain once went in
bathing off the Jersey coast, and he
says the fishermen put out in boats to
harpoon him, because they thought he
was a whale. But this may be fish
story. They certainly form the high
est geographical points In the neigh
borhood of their home at Seville, Ohio.
Mrs. Bates is a trif1e the higher, but, as
height is a touchy point with giants,
she, out Of delicate feeling for the Cap
ton, rarely refers to this, or else at
tributes it to her coiffure. Their home
at Seville is the place tor which they
long when they are on their travels.
1t is not surprising that persons nearly
eight feet tall, and broad in proportion,
do not fine a berth in a sleeping car
conveniently ronny or feel quite safe
ut table d'hote on cane bottom chairs
Therefore it is that their spirits rise
when homeward bound. AS they pass
through the door of the railroad car at
their nome station they stoop for the
last time before they go travelling. A
coach drawn by eight stout Norman
broad as the roadway, and the wheels
are about as larga rs those on the pom
derous wagans used to haul granite or
marble shafts. When they are COM
forta bly, seated the coachman cracks
his whip, and the vehicle goes lumber
ing along toward the giants house, a
little way out Of the town. Other
driv ers on the road, seeing the giants
equipage coming, take down the fence
rails and drive into the adjoining
fields until the enormous vehicle has
passed.
An immense stone building looms
up, and soon the carriage is pulled up
in front of the entrances. If all ordin-
ary-sized person is with the giants they
kindly give him a boost or two up the
steps. Then they pass stately and
erect through hall door zen feet high.
The head of person of medium height
would about reach to the door knob.
They enter spacious hall, and go from
there to q parlOr with doors also ten
feet high, and windows in proportion
The chairs are SO large that ordinary
mortals have to climb into them as ba-
bies have IT, climb into their high
chairs. In the sitting room the piano
is the only piece of furniture of ordin-
airy StLS', DuJ IL Is ulOultCu on DIOCkS
about three feet high, 50 that the key
boar is up in the air. Thus the giant
couple marriage to escape annoyance
from visitors with musical proclivities.
In this room are two huge rocking
chairs. In one of them the Captain |
deposits his 47S pounds, and placidIy |
his wife sewing the seams |
,f many yards of silk for new dress |
with regulation train. On the table is |
\ large album containing photographs
Of fellow uriosities-bearded women.
and four-Iegged women,
giants, dwarfs, living skeletons, and
he like, all of whom the couple knew
Intimately. Next to this room, in
which they take their meals, is their
bedroom. The bedroom, which is the
smallest of the rooms, contains a bed
en- feet long, aud broad in proportion.
There is also bureau, with q glass as
arge as the wall of an ordinary room.
All the furniture is of mahogany and
highly finished, the giants having
pared no expense. Visitors quarters
ire up stairs, where the rooms and
nrniture are of ordinary size, as is also
he dinner service, for the giants are
rot large eaters.
The farm comprises 160 acres of cul-
ivated land, aud the Captain takes
,reat pleasure in busying himself
round the place. He is respected in
he ueighborhood. and noted for his
ourtesy and hospitality.-Neao Fork
'un.