The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-08-17
CIRCUS CURIOSITIES.

lows him all over in his travels. At first
the dwarf was very coy; but the last
proof of the giants affection softened
his heart. The giant followed him from
Liverpool, and after that the dwarf gave
him his friendship unrGserVedly. Since
then they are together nearly all the
time. Curiosities are not usually so de-
voted. | only know two other cases Of
genuine devotion between curiosities
Capt and Mrs. Bates, the giants, are
most happily married, and Hannah
Battcrsby, the fat woman Weighing 720
pounds, who married n living skeleton,
is passiOnatcly fond of her husband and
he of her. The giants, as & class, are
atfectiOnate. They are like big mastits,
fond of being petted and kind to all
who are kind to them, but at the same
time ready to resent an insult. OF course
there is some rivalry. Size is Il very
delicate point with giants, and it hurts
the sensitivencss Of y giant to see one
bigger than himself Then, again, some
giants are active and quick-tempercd.
There was NJ. Bien, the French giant,
who died a few years ago in Brooklyn.
He was quick, gallant, and passionate.
He once got into Il row with Goshen,
and they had lively round or two, in
which the Frenchman got q little the
worst of it.
''Do giants usually have the charae-
teristics of their cOuntrymen?"
GAS rule they have. OF course they
have seen many countries. learned many
languages, and are consequently more or
less cosmopolitan. Still they retain
some national traits. Chang, the Chi
nese giant, for instance, like all his
countrymen, is cautious, cute, and thrifty
in his living. He is u great reader,
especially of books in his own language.
His library forms considerable part Of
his luggage. Then he is continually re-
ceiving newspapers from China which
he peruses with great interest. He is
also close observer OF men and things.
During off hours, when he is not read
ing, he takes a carriage and has himself
chance of an evening he goes to the
theatre. He made an arrangement with
Judge Hilton once, and spent an after
noon in being shown over Stewart S.
Curiosities are stared at SO much dur
ing exhibition hours that, as a 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 a
farm in Kentucky. Being intelligent,
he has acquired considerable education,
and has the frank, pleasant address Of a
southern gentleman. His wife, who
was a Miss Swan, was born and brought
up on farm in Nova Scotia. They
met in a show in England. Both were
homesick, and, being from the same
continent, were naturally attracted TO
one another. Sizes and dispositions be-
ing about equal, they concluded to get
married, and have never regretted their
conclusion. Both are very domestic in
their tastes. They are wealthy and spend
the greater part of their time in retire
ment on their farm in Ohio. During the
day he pOtters around out Of doors. and
in the evening he sits in his large rock
ing-chair and tells stories on an extend
ed scale"
'1s storytelling on an extended scale
a characteristic of giants?'
''Well, l should say so. Bates once
kept me here from II o'clock ut night
to l O'Clock next morning telling me Il
story that a man of ordinary size would
have told iii ten minutes. But did yOu
ever hear Goshen tell storics-thc story
of his life, for instance? This is the way
he starts of: i was born in Old ,Jerusa-
lem. | come from y family OF giants,
and am one of fifteen giants. | am the
largest man in the world, except Iiy
mother, and she is only half an in"ii
larger. | am larger than all other giants;
Norwe@ians giants, SOuthwCgian giants,
and all the rest. I've writ u book. |
writ in it all know, and what | don't
know l didn't write At this point sa2ne
one in the audience called out TO him:
The book you didn't write must have
been bio one He laughed like the
rest of us. He's the bcst-naturcd man
/ ever met. His principal amusement
is to button-hole people, and tell them
about his inventions. He once told MIR.
Bunnell that he had invented the phon-
ograph, and that Edison must have
stolen it from him. He claimed to have
rugged one up, and to have had it III full
operation in the barn on his farm in
New Jersey, and his theory is that Edi-
son peeped through a crack and stole
the idea. Shortly aftcrward he inform
ed me that he had Of late been flying
around the country all night on q flying
machine he had invented. He said lie
flew with it during the night because
he was afraid of frightening people by
day, when they saw him descending to-
ward them from mid-air. Tie machine
was only adapted to a man of his size
and power, but he hoped soon to finish
his calculations for making flying ma
chimes on smaller scale for ordinary
persons He is also fond of telling his
adventures in the Crimean war, where
he claims to have won his title of colo
nell l believe he has invented q circus
trick--riding and Juggling at the same
time-and instructs pupils on his farm. y
''How does he spend most Of his
time?''
'sHe likes to sit on q chair and whittle
away at stick. He is quite skillful nj
whiting, turning out wooden guns and
pistols and the like. He is also great
to small ladies. He has been married
several times, but one by one his wives
ran away from him. He is also & very
accomplished IlnSulSC, LOT thefe arc leN
living languages in which he cannot
converse. [ may add that he sleeps or
an extended SCALE
care fat boys and fat women at al
like giants in temperament?'
"They resemble giants in being usu
ally good-natured; that's all. Thei
chief amusement is to 90 to sleep.
have known many of them to fall ASLEEP
in their chairs while hundreds were star
ing at them"
''Hannah Battersby and her living
skeleton husband, l suppose, have fire
quently showed together?"
Eyes. And a very interesting coupt
they were. There was, you see, The
charm of contrast and variety in thi
couple. She used to carry him up ant
down stairs and prove her devotion il
other ways. A very nice little gil wa
| born to them, and they live togethe