The Washington critic., 1890-03-31
LAsr-orNruRv TOM rnuan
The Dwarf Bebe, Who Belonged "a
King Stanislaus


last ceniury's history, which has lust
been rescued from oblivion by Cont
mental Dryasdust. Bebe is supposed TO
have been the litlest man who ever
| lived, says the New York Sun. He
was borne by peasant woman in LOr-
raine just 150 years ago, and was called
Bebe because the first few years Of his
/ life he could articulate only "b.b." The
day of his birth Bebe was smaller than
/ bis mothers hand. Ten days afterward
he was taken in his mothers shoe 10
the village church to be baptized, be.
| cause he was too tiny TO be carried
safely in her arms. During the next
six months the same wooden shoe
served as Bebe's crib.
Bebe's early childhood was unevent-
ful. He did not grow, and he did not
! talk. He was famods throughout Lor.
/ raine, however, as the cunningest ami
tiniest hit of humanity ever seen. He
was perfectly pr0portioned, had won
deTful large ana beautiful brown eyes.
and was remarkably active upon his
diminutive legs. When Bebe was about
7years old King Stanislaus Lesczynski
| OF Poland, who was then living in Lor-
Talne, heard what wonderful little
fellow he was, and ordered the child's
father to bring him to court. Bebe, ST.,
carried his son to the royal palace in O
small basket. AS the father came into
the kings presence the king asked him
very grutily why he had not brought
his son with him.
Bebe, ar, answered this question by
opening the basket on his arm and drag
eing forth the child. Stanislaus said at
once that Bebe must become his court
dwarf, Bebe's father was induced to
accede to this proposal with q good bit
Of royal Polish gold, and Bebe was
made u regular follower Of the kings
court.
At the time of his introduction to
court life Bebe was just twenty inches
tall and weighed eight pounds. He
never grew larger. At first the king
tried to teach him jokes and fairy
stories and bits of questionable poetry.
Bebe's intelligence, however, was not
| equal to the demands thus made upon
it. His memory was so weak that he
forget one hour what he had learned
the hour before. Reading and writing
were for him quite impossible.
With all these failings, however, he
was by no means q failure as a court
dwarf. He had a sweet little voice. o
| good ear for music and nimble legs.
He could dance and kick and sing
with the best of the kings courtiers
lie was very useful as a table orna-
ment ut all the kings great banquets.
His most famous appearance in this
rather curious role took place at q
dinner which Stanislaus gave to the
ambassador of great power in 1155.
In the middle of the table was an i'm
mense sugar castle Shortly before the
guests rose to leave the door of the
castle opened. and a knight, in full
armour, stepped out with a drawn
sword in his right hand.
All the guests thought the knight
must be some wonderful automaton
which the king had obtained from the
skilled mechanics across the Rhine.
He wasn't, however. He was none
other than little Bebe. He walked
around the table, shook his sword in
the face sf every guest, saluted the
king, and then turned back to the
castle entrance, where he assumed the
position Of sentry. AT q signal from
the king every one at the table began
to lombard him with small sugar balls.
Bebe hurried at once into the castle,
locked the door, mounted the tower,
and pretended to return the fire by set
ting off lot of perfumed explosives.
Within ten or twelve years after
Bebe's appearance ut court he was one
of the most celebrated persons in royal
society on the continent. With fame,
however, came to him numerous perils.
All the sovereigns of Europe were Gov
eting him, and many Of them tried
hard to steal him. In 1853 the Empress
Catharine of Russia sent an emissary
after him to the court of the Polish
king. Late one evening, when the royal
palace was almost deserted, Catharine' S
emissary snapped Bebe up and stuffed
him into the pocket of his great coat.
Bebe screamed 50 Justify that he re.
yealed the plot to the guard at the door.
The emissary was arrested and Bcbe
was rescued.
Not long afterward Bebe accompanied
Stanislaus to the court of Louis XIV, at
Versailles, where he again narrowly
escaped abduction. A lady of the
French court had been holding him in
her lap between the courses of court
dinner. Suddenly she rose to leave the
room. Her first step was accompanied
by shrill cry from the folds of her
gown. Your Majesty, your Majesty,
this lady has stuck me in her pocket
and is running away with me-" The
voice was Bebe's. He was Immediately
dragged from the court lady's pocket
and placed under the guard of two
pages, who were instructed by King
Stanislaus to watch him day and night.
The perils through which he had
passed, and the strict surveillance to
which he was now subjected, depressed
Bebe's spirits and demoralized his ner-
vous system. He became melancholy,
morose, round shouldored and haggard.
The king thought he needed a compan-
ion TO cheer him up, and therefore
married him with great pomp and cere-
mony 10 Therese Souvray, dwarf
Of about his age and slightly greater
stature. That was the last drop in
Bebe's cup. Two weeks after his mar
riage he lost his mind. He ceased to
talk entirely, ate little, and passed most
of his time in his crib.
His honeymoon was hardly up when
he died. Shortly before his death his
clouded mind was cleared in a most re-
markable manner. His memory, which
had always been weak and after his
marriage had vanished. suddenly re-
turned. lie recollected all the Incl.
dents of his early childhood. his
mothers face, which he had not seen
for fifteen years, and all the songs
which had been taught him him since
his advent to court Behe was just 81
years old when he died. His wife
Thcrese survived him fortytwo years
SWIFT RETRIBUTIoN.
Z How Woman and Her Nsmesi,