The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-12-12

DOfU III 1OAOs 8Hu " aS HOb Olil IcIAdEks
able for his smallness of stature, but
for an exceedingly good artistic faculty.
He was pupil of DeCleyn, and initial
ed Sir Peter LEY. He was appointed
drawing master of the princesses-
afterward Queens-Mary and Anne.
His painting representing the parable
of the Lost Sheep was highly priced by
Charles l., who gave it to Vandervort
to take charge of; Vandervort put il
away SO carefully that when the King
asked for it he could not fir.d it, and
fearing his royal masters displeasure
he hanged himself. Richard Gibson
married Anne Shepherd, court dwarf 10
Queen Henrietta Maria. The King gave
away the bride and the Queen present
ed her with diamond ring. Weller.
the court poet, wrote one of his pretty
sets of verses on the occasion. The
marriage turned out very happily, and
the little couple had nine children. five
of whom were of full ordinary stature.
Jeffrey Hudson, perhaps the most re-
nowned of all dwarfs. was born in 1919,
at Oakham. in Rutlandshire. His faith
er and mother were of full height, and
Jeffrey was the only one OF their family
who was in any way extraordinary.
Jeffrey's father kept the Duke of Buck
ingham's batting bulls, and the little
fellow was presented to the Duchess of
Buckingham between the seventh and
ninth year of his age, and when he was
scarcely foot and a half in height. 1t
was Jeffrey Hudson who, soon after the
marriage of Charles l., when that King
and his bride were entertained at Bur-
leigh, was served up at the table in a
cold pie, whence he jumped OH the ta-
ble-cloth fully armed, and made passes
at the ladies with his little sworti. There
is a rare old picture of this amusing in
cident in the dwarf's career. The
Duchess presented him on that occa-
sion to Henrietta Maria who was
highly pleased with him and kept him
as her dwarf for many years afterward.
Poor Jeffrey was continually sguab-
bling with the people about court.
more especially with the giant porter of
the palace On one occasion he was
nearly drowned in the basin he was
washing his face and hands in. Anoth-
er time large shrub was the only OBJ
stacle between him and death by
drowning in the Thames. In 1880 he
was dispatched on domestic mission
for Henrietta Maria, and returning
richly laden with presents from Mary
of Medicis to her daughter, he was
made prisoner by Dunkirk privateers.
Jeffrey fought duel with a Mr.. Crofts.
who came to the rendezvous armed
with nothing more formidable than a
sguirr. jeffrey, who was not inclined
to submit tamely to such an insult, in
sisted upon fighting real duel, and
shot his antagonist dead Immediately.
Jeff,rey's portrait was painted several
times by Mytens and Vandyke, and his
smart little waistcoat. breaches and
stockings are preserved in the Ashmo-
lean Museum, at Oxford. Matthew
Buckinger was another celebrated
dwarf. with neither hands, feet. legs
nor thighs; he had, however, two ex-
crescences like fins growing from his
shoulders. with which he wrote and
performed many curious tricks, among
which may be mentioned drawing pic
lures with a pen. playing at dice, play
ing on the hautboy, threading needles.
playing ut cards, blowing Il trumpet.
etc. Joseph Boruwlaski, was remarka-
BILE for his wit and repartees. He went
to see the great Empress Maria
Theresa when about fourteen years of
age and twenty-eight inches high. The
Empress took him on her lap and
asked what was the most wonderful
sight he had seen at Vienna. He an
swered TO see such little man on
so great a lady's lap" Tho Empress
had splendid diamond ring on the
hand in which she held one OF Boruw-
laski's. Seeing him apparently alb
sorbed in admiration of the jewel, she
asked him how he liked it. when he
courteously replied that it was not the
ring. but the beautiful hand he was
looking ut, which he wanted to kiss.
The Empress allowed him the honor,
and taking little ring from Marie An
toinette's finger she placed it on
Boruwlaskis. The celebrated Bebe,
whose real name was Nicholas Feny or
Ferry, dwarf of Stani>laus LesckzinSki,
the aged dethroned King of Poland,
was born at Plaisness, in the Vosges.
lie was taken in plate to be christ
ened, he was SO remarkably tiny. At
two years old his shoes were only an
inch and a half long. Poor Bebe was
not long-lived; at 4 very early age he
Showed signs of decrepitude; at twenty
three he was attacked with fever,
which soon terminated his life, and he
died on June 9, 1864. A dwarf named
Calvin Phillips was born at Bridgewa-
ter, Mass, in 1871, who did not weigh
quite two pounds. and whose thigh was
not thicker than a mans thumb. Tile
most celebrated of recent dwarfs was
Charles 5. Stratton, known as General
Tom Thumb, who was born at Bridge
port, Connecticute, on the 18th OF Jan
uary, 1882. He was first exhibited BIZ
Barnum ut his old American Museum
in New York, and subsequently brought
70 England. where he was presented To-
Her Majesty several Wonders
Of the Horid.