The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-02-21

= Dwarf who WeuId HAVE Bees . De-
nanss Had he Lived To-day.

Bebe Is supposed to have been che
smallest man who ever lived. He waa
borne by q peasant woman la Lorraine
Just $50 years ago. and was called Bcbe
because the first few years OF his life he
could articulate only bib" The day
Of his birth Bebe was smaller shan his
mothers hand.
Ten days aftcrward he was taken to
the village cure. TO be baptized. ia his
mothers wooden shoe because he was
too tired to be carried safely In her
arms. During the next six months
the same wooden shoe served rs Bebe's
crib.
When Bcbc was about seven years
old King Stanislaus Lcscynski Of Po-
land. who was then living at Lorraine.
heard what wonderful little fellow
he was aud ordered the child's father
TO bring him 10 court. Bcbe. ST.. car
ried his sou to the royal palace in q
small basket. Stanislaus said at oncu
that Bcbe must become his court
dwarf. Bcbe's father was induced TO
accedc to this proposal with good
bit - rcyyssi Polish gold. and Bebe was
made regular follower OF the Kings
court.
At the time Of his introduction TO
court life Bcbe was just twenty inches
tall and weighed eighty pounds. He
never grew larger.
lie had sweet little voice. good
ear for music and nimble legs. Hc
could dance and sing with the best of
the Kings courticrs. He was useful
Us a table ornament at all the Kings
great banuuets. His most famous APP
pearancc in this rather peculiar role
took place at dinner which Stanis-
laus gave to the Ambassador OF great
power in 1885. La the middle OF the
table was au immense sugar castle.
Shortly before the guests rose to
leave. the door of the castle opened
aud 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 obtained from the skilled
mechanics across the Rhine. He
wasn't. however. He was none other
than little Bebc. He walked around
the table. shook his sword In the face
OF every guest, saluted the King and
then turned back TO the castle en-
trance. where he assumed the position
OF a sentry.
AT signal from the King every one
at the table began 10 lombard him
with small sugar balls. Bebe hurried
al once Into the castle. locked the door
mounted the tower and pretended To
return the fire by setting oil lot of
pcrfumed explosives.
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 ennis
sary snapped Bebe up aud stuffed him
into the pocket of his great coat. Bcbe
screamed SO Justify that he revealed
the plot To the guard ut the door. The
emissary was arrested and Bebe was
rescued.
Not long afterward Bcbe accom-
panied Stanislaus TO the court OF Louis
XIV. In Versailles. where he again mar
rowly escaped abduction. A lady OF
the French court had been holding
him in her lap between the course of
state dinner. Suddenly she rose 10
leave the room. Her first step was ac-
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 Bebc's. He was inn
mcdiatcly dragged from the court
lady's pocket aud placed under the
guard of two pages, who were in
structed by the King Stanis laus to
watch him day and night.
The pcrils through which he had
passed aud the strict surveillance to
which he was now subjected depressed
Bcbe's spirits and demoralizcd his
nervous system. He became melan-
,holy. morose, roand-shouldered and
haggard.
The King thought he needed "a com
panion 10 cheer him up. and the ref
cree married him. with great pomp
and ceremony. TO Therese Souvray. u
dwarf of about his own age and slight
ly greater stature. That was the last
drop In Bebc'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