The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-05-15
The Smallest Man Who Ever Was.

The Smallest Man Who Ever Was.
Bebe is supposed to have been the smallest man
who ever lived. He was born by peasant woman
in Lorraine. just $50 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 Bebs
was smaller than his mothers hand.
Ten days afterwards he was taken to the village
church, to be baptized, in his mothers wooden
shoe. because he too small to be carried
safely in her arms. During the next six months
the same wooden shoe served Bebe's crib.
When Bebe about years old, King STAN
slaus Lesczynski, Of Poland who was then living
in Lorraine. heard what a wonderful little fellow
he was, and ordered the child's father to bring
him to court. Bebe Sr. carried his to tho
royal palace in a small basket
Stanislaus said at once that Bebe must become
his court dwarf. Bebe's father was induced to ac-
cede to this proposal with good bit Of royal Pol
ish gold and Bebe was made regular follower of
the kings court.
At the time of his introduction to court life.
Bebe just 20 inches tall and weighed eight
pounds. He never grew larger.
He had a sweet little voice. good for mu-
sic, and nimble legs He could dance and sing
with the best of the kings courtiers. He
full table ornament at all the kings great
banquets His most famous appearance in this
rather curious role took place at dinner which
Stanislaus gave to the ambassador of great
power in 1855. In the middle of the table was an
immense sugar castle.
Shortly before the guests rose to leave the door
of the castle opened and knight in full armor
stepped out with drawn sword in his right hand.
All the guests thought the knight must be some
wonderful automatOn which the king had OBJ
tanned from the skilled mechanics the
Rhine. He none other than little Bebe. He
walked around the table. shook the sword in the
face of every guest, saluted the king and then
turned back to the castle entrance. where he as
sumed the position of sentry.
AT signal from the king every one ut the ia
BILE 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 setting off lot of perfumed explos-
ives.
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 snap
ped Bebe up and stuffed him into the pocket of
his great coat. Bebe screamed so Justify that he
revealed the plot to the guard at the door. The
emissary arrested and Bebe rescued.
Not long afterward Bebe accompanied Stanis-
laus to the court of Louis XIV, in Versailles, whore
he again narrowly escaped abduction. lady of
the French court had been holding him in her lap
between the courses of state dinner Suddenly
she rose to leave the room. Her first step was
companied 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 we're instructed
by King Stanislaus to watch him day and night.
The perils through which he had passed and the
strict surveillance to which he subjected
depressed Bebes spirits and demoralzed his
nervous system. He became melancholy. moross.
round-shouldered, and haggard.
The king thought he needed a companion to
cheer him up. and therefore married him. with
great pomp and ce remony, to Therese Souvray, .
dwarf of about his own age and slightly greater
stature. That the last drop in Bebe's cup
Two weeks after his marriage he lost his mind.
He ceased to talk entirely, ate little, and spent
most of his time in his crib.
His honeymoon was hardly up when he died. at
the age of FL. His wife Therese. survived him
AZ years.-Evening Tribune.