The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-06-03
The Giants Home.

Captain and MIS-. Dates, The giant
connie. are, in certain sense, the most
prominent people in Ohio. They are
pretty sure to be prominent wherever
thev 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 a fish story.
They certainly form the highest geo
graphical points in the neighborhood
Of their home at Seville, Ohio.
Mrs. Bates is a tribe the high
err. but, as height is touchy point
with giants, she, out of delicate feeling for
the Captain. rarely refers to this fact, or
else attributes it to her couture. Their
home at Seville is the place for which
they LONG when they are on their travels.
1t is not surprising that persons nearly
eioht feet tall, and broad in proportion,
do not find berth in a sleeping car con-
veniently roomy or feel quite safe at table
d'hote on cane-bettom chairs. There
fore it is that their spirits rise when
homeward bound. As they pass through
the door of the railroad car at their home
station they stoop for the last time be-
fore they again go travelling. A coach
drawn by eight stout Norman horses is
in waiting. 1t is about as broad as the
roadway, and the wheels are about as
large as those on the ponderous wagons
used to haul granite or marble shafts.
When they are comfortably seated the
coachman cracks his whip, and the We
hicle goes numbering along toward the
giants house, little way out of the
town. Other drivers on the road, seeing
the giants equipage coming, take down
the fence rails and drive into the adjoin-
ing fields until the enormous vehicle has
passed.
An immense stone building looms up,
and soon the carriage is pulled up in
front of the entrance. If an ordinary
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 ten feet high. The head
of a person of medium height would
about reach to the door knob. They en-
ter spacious hall, and go from there to
a 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 babies have to
climb into their high chairs. In the
sitting room the piano is the only piece
of furniture of ordinary size; but it is
mounted on blocks about three feet
high, so that the key board is up in the
air Thus the giant couple manage 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
placidly contemplates his wife sewing
the seams of many yards of silk for a
new dress with regulation train. On the
table is large album containing photo
graphs of hundreds of fellow curiosities
bearded women, two-headed and four
legged women, giants, dwarfs, living
skeletons and the like, all of whom the
couple know intimately. Next to this
room, in which they take their meals, is
their bedroom. The bedroom, which is
the smallest of the rooms, contains bed
ten feet long, and broad in proportion.
There is also bureau with a glass as
large as the wall of an ordinary room
All the furniture is of mahogany and
highly finished, the giants having spared
no expense. Visitors quarters are up
stairs. where the rooms and furniture are
of ordinary size, as is also the dinner
service, for the giants are not large eat
ers.
The farm comprises 100 acres of cult
waited land, and the Captain takes great
pleasure in busying himself around the
place. He is respected in the neighbor-
hood, and noted for his courtesy and
hospitality. Y SIN.