Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-12-29
AN AFRICAN TOM THUMB.
A Little Nan in Far-OG Land of D,n,,-
tive Stature.

A Little Nan in Far-Of Land of Dnl,,
tive Stature.
From the Star (Afrieo).
Pet Pick is the dwarf of HeiGe5r,,
the local Tom Thumb, and one Of ,As lion.
of the place. He is best seen a. houtl.,
him undergo the process OF dilsscti,
there. Down near mountain stresnl.
which takes it's rise in tbs rocky Suik,
boschIand, stands little mud cabin Of
rather supirior class. Ga the side a.ir,
the town there is small aperture c.ossi
by shutter. Here the dwarf lives. N.
little man is not visible, and he has % !.
summoned.
An expectant eye is cast toward q.
door, but it does not open. All OF =.
den the little shutter before mentioaGs
opened; snd with hop and a jnmp al.
tie figure drops out and comes up .ob
visitor with a spragling gait Th.r
stands the much-spoken-of-goblin, Pa
Pick, the dwarf ofSOuth Atrics. There's
weird look in the eyes of the dwari ss !,
scans his visitor from head TO foOt fxi,,
bis eye on him somewhat like the Anc's.,
Mariner fixed the wedding guest. Thc
apparently satisfied, he advances, strelas
forth his long, braWDy arm ard shan
hands cordially; for, to add to bic r.
tesqueness, the dwarf has disproDortios
stely long arms and an extsaordinsril
large head. He AYERS that he stands two
feet eight inches in his socks, and no oue
who sees him will doubt it.
Pet, who reminds ore forcibly oi Can.
ME Elshie, though perhaps not quite as
ugly aa ScOtt's hero, TELLS his tale. Pie.h
q European of Dutch extraction, nud he
peaceful village of Cradock in the Colony
claims the honor of being tae birthplace Of
his race. There, on a Sunday morning ia
1852 the hero of this tale yelled under The
application of the bsptsnal water. Some
how his youth was uneventful, a1i IN
1876 he packed up his traps and sccomps-
MED bis parents on the trek to the North,
scjourning for some time in the Free Ss,e
and then going further North till they a,-
rived at their present home. Hero q pa.
teFnal government presented these trogio.
dytes with a piece of land ct q nominal
rate for cultivation. This, then, is their
placs. II is some distance from Heidel-
burg, bat they frequently recourse
thither, aud then the little house above
mentioned is their abode. Pet is not the
only dwarf in the family; nine children
were born to his parents, snd OF these I've
are dwarfs and the rest of normal stature.
In 1888 Piet thought be would take unto
himself a wife, and mere comes the strang-
est part of his story. Pet once met 8 fair
maiden in the country. She took forcible
possession of his heart, and nothing daunC
ed by the fact that his adored was aboul
six feet in height, he popped the question
and was accepted Now Pet i the happy
father Of three children, the youngest see
ing the light of day but two weeks no.
His daughters are respectively 5 and
years old, the eldest already topping him
by half a head, end both bidding fair be-
come strspping lassies Once PETS pa
ternal patience was sOrely exercised
There is an old Greek tale which says that
there vas once a dwarf named Plie.as
who was 80 thin that be bad to
wear leaden shoes TO prevent b being
blown away; bat that story can no. hold
a candle to Piet's actual experience Oae
Of h daughters having arrived az afuit-
able age for baptism, date was fixed
when the ceremony YVES TO be performed
The child was being argayed "a Che long
white garment used on such occasions
wben her arm being lifted 70 pu, into ihe
sleeve, broke Medical assistance was pro-
cured and the bone vas SET, bat on Cps
rations being recommend another ir,-
ture of the limb took p.acs. From now
both arms seemed to gee brittle, and ca
The slightest provOCation, bgoke Pet vas
h a terrible etate Of anxiety, for The ch.li's
arm broke sixteen times before the bsp-
ism could be performed end then every
care had to be exercised. Pet and hn
wife sometimes take q walk, and The coz
rass is intensely ludcrous The passion
or extremes haunts The family. Pilts
avOrite sister, Who is perhaps loi
lutte 20 tall" Gs be, has mar
led q strspping five feet teurer. There
Ire, however, no children from this union.
Pet is somewhat of q m0ralist Hespeaks
n high terms of coDjugal bliss bni warns
VI young men to thorough sound the
-ouug woman's character before becoming
led for life. When he speaks thus 1T is
generally with a twinkle in his eye end
wing Of his walking-stick total height Of
which is eighteen inches). That liz 4
tick was in action few days sgo. Ia .
vii hour a wicked shop boy saw our her
'sss. Taking up a Chinese lantern b
rep. up behind the dwarf aud tried to
t chimney-pot fashion on his head. The
little walking-stick made itself felt here
nd the shop boy retired ssdder and maJ
e wiser. Pet Gays be will not reins
ny presents sent 10 him on the 18Th o..
october next, whea he will have ATTAINED
lis 37th year.