St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-17
A MIGHTY MONGOLIAN.
Chang, the Giant, That Sleeps In Two
Beds at Once,
Speaks Many Languages and is One OF
the High Mandarins-

Attendants wrapping sundrY spreads and
blankets across two beds and a giant d.
recting them met GLOBE reporters gaze
as he stepped across the Threshold of an
apartment on East Seventh street last night.
The occupant requiring this novel and
mOnstrous couch was Chang, the celebrated
Chinese giant. who Is to be on exhibition at
the Seventh Street museum this week.
After friendly greeting from the host, the
reporter was mOtioned TO seat.
''YOu see the penalty Of being tall, said
Chang, pointing 10 the beds. lis to endure
such discomforts, but this is nothing. How
do you imagine get along in sleeping cars?
have to take an end berth and stick my
feet out upon a stool or chair, and now and
then sleepless passenger prOmenading up
and down the aisles of the car falls over
them. But that's detail" Chang at that
moment arose and, Offering the reporter a
cigar, gave an opportunity to judge OF his
great heighth-and his hospitality. Chang
claims, and 1t is apparently true, that he is
the tallest man ION earth. " as the showmen
have it. He has been in this country a
number of years and has during that time
travelled extensively with Bamum's circus.
He was born in Pekin, China, in 1S49, and
was greater curiosity among the Mon
golians than here, ON account OF the rarity
of giants in China Chang's father and
mother were OF ordinary Chinese stature,
which is below that of European people.
he has a brother i'm New York. who
Is only five feet, two inches in height. Dur
ing the conversation the host mentioned the
fact that he was tired Of the show business
on account Of the diseomforts, and that this
would be his last season In the business.
I'm the spring go to China to look after
my tea aud silk plantation, and then shall
come back to New York and open a store
in that city," said the tall Monaghan.
Chang speaks remarkably good English,
and besides this accomplishment has mas
tered French, German and Italian. For a
number OF years he travelled through these
countries. as well as India and Australia.
He speaks
SEVEN CHINESE DIALECTS,
besides Siamese and HindoOstanee- Medi-
cal men assert that the intelligence of giants
is below the average. but Chang seems To
be an exception. lie told several anecdotes
that are worth repeating. He called atten-
ton TO the time he was quarantined In New
York harbOr TO await the action of the
courts concerning the legality Of the Chi
nese migration act. at the trial he was
asked If he had come to this country to
|
business the case was decided in his
favor. So Chang saws. When
the giant was younger he was
notified that his services would
be acceptable in the military, and there be-
ing no way OF escaping he was pressed into
| service. The stories of his great height
reaching the prime minister he was as
signed to special duty in the upper prov
inces, and, accompanied by band of Tar
tar soldiers, he made the tour of the great
wall that stretches across the empire-the
| object being TO brighten the hordes of Tar
tar horsemen who yearly make inroads on
the dOcile Chinese. 1.-The duty was not
! pleasant i assure" said Chang. as he drank
deep of some tea Of his own brewing. Il
can now return to and leave China without
mOlestatiOn. By special command l grow
the tea used by the imperial household.
This quality of tea is never used by any one
else. and is very superior. l suppose you
know that the Russians get the best tea
that is exported from China. Oh, yes.
They pay fancy prices, and are nation OF
tea drinkers. The decOction they drink is
! called chat, and is made by infusing lemon,
brandy and sugar with the leaf. You want
10 try it? Come down before leave and
I'll make you some.
Chang possesses some curious gifts that
were shown his visitors. A monster watch,
presented to him by the director general Of
the Paris Worlds exhibition, adOrns his per-
son, and delicate music box given him by the
Spanish infanta. lay on the center table.
Chang, though not high caste Chinaman.
has been made a mandsrine by the present
emperor, and Is a member of the Imperial
Order of Yang Sti Rang, the decoration Of
which was shown the reporter. After pre-
senting some oriental fruits and bonbOns
and bundle of peculiar matches to the
GLOBE man, the giant politely gave his
''cOnge" and proceeded to bow out the re-