Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-11-02
Living CuriOsitlrs.

On the scales she would probably go
a little above 800. II is an easy thing
to make fat women look 200 or 800
pounds heavier than they are. Mrs.
Iiattcrsby. it viii be remembered, car
ricd her husband, the living skeleton,
tout of the old Broadway museum at
the time Of the fire and saved mis- life.
She has beautiful daughter, who is
living with her father in Penn
sylyania. The next largest woman
Is Jessie Waldron, BiNtecn-year-o
mountain Of flesh, who was born and
reared in Grccnpoint, Long Island
She is six feet six inches high, and
weighs about $50 pounds. On the
bills she is put down as weighing GOO
pound, Emile Hill is the lightcst Of
the fat women, weighing only about
2jO pounds. She is only four feet
high, and IL is her immense circum-
ference that makes her great curl
osity. Fat women are easy to pick
up. Showmen find women all over
the country that will do, and by add
ing 200 or 800 pounds 10 their weight
on the gorgeous canvas they awe the
public with their immcnsity.
Living skeletons are the result Of
disease, and cannot be manufactured.
While, doubtless, consumption and
dyspepsia have made few respectable
skeletons, the cause Of their thinncss
is. for the most part, incXplicable. No
skeleton Of consequence is shown who
has not been examined by more doctors
than all the other curiOsitics put to-
gcthcr. Calvin Edison, who died ten
years ago, and who, singularly enough,
was yiolinist, came into prominence
twenty years ago, and was the first
living skeleton of account TO be oN-
hibitcd. Isaac w. .Spraguc is still alive
and enjoying the comforts Of home
life in Massachusetts,. lie married
and became too stout for business. He
has three big, strappiup sons. Colonel
Martin j. Avery, who died last win
ter, in this city. was the adjutant Of
cx-Prcsidcnt Hayes regiment lie
was aitcrward made colonel, and was
hrcyctted brigadicr-gcncral for lray-
cry. At the last charge at Petersburg
a shell killed his horse under him and
tore his thigh. The wound never
healed and was what reduced him to a
living skeleton. Skeletons are gcncr-
ally rayenous eaters, but Colonel Avery
lived on ice cream and milk. 4 skcle-
ton is made e look thinner by dress
ing him in black. the same as fat
woman is made 10 look fatter hy
covering her frame with light or bright
material. The trunk is kept well
covered, but the arms and legs, which
are the thinncst parts. are freely
exposed. Another trick Is TO place the
skeleton alongside the fat woman. in
which position he looks much more at
tcuuatod than he really is.
Dwarfs are simply natural curiosi-
ties which must be put in contrast
with larger people, but six inches or
more can be added TO giants without
difficulty. High boots with high heels
high hats, and long coats really con-
tribute three inches or so TO the actual
height and a foot in looks. Giants
nearly always wear uniforms to make
them appear imposing, and they raise
their arms slowly 20 give them a mas
siyc air. Captain Bates. however. nj
ways insisted On appearing in a dress
suit. Chinese giants show TO the best
advantage. The long gowns give
them the appearance of being taller
and heavier than they really are. The
contrast presented by woman in
male and female attire will serve as
an illustration Of this principle. In
dresses she looks much larger |
than she does in trousers. II is amaz-
ing TO note how giants increase in
weight after being placed on exhibi-
bition. Their life Of comparative ease |
and the freedom from care has the |
effect of aiding twenty-five pounds a
year TO their weight, A giant, to Sc
cure an engagement. must be at least |
seven feet in height. There are too
many men over six feet six inches who |
come to the show to contrast them
with. There are seven giants. in /
cluding a pair of twins, in a family in
Texas, three of whom are on cxhibi-
tion. Bunnell has engaged Marina,
the beautiful gisnteSs, who is leading
I. l.. I