The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1894-03-01
HISTORIC DIV ARfS.
Nicholas Ferry, The Dwarf OF the King
OF Poland.

Far away in eastern France, under
The shadow Of the great Nosges Noun
tains, lived, century and a half ago,
a worthy couple named Ferry. They
were strong and healthy young peas
ants, and for time they had dwelt
together quite contentedly. The hus-
band titled his field of flax while the
wife MIXED her goats and made her
famous cream-cheese.
One bleak Novem Der morning in
1z41 there was born ut the Ferry cot
tage little boy-so little indeed that
all who saw him wondered how such a
wee mite of humanity could even
breathe. He was not quite eight inch
es long, and weighed less than pound;
and yet he was thought very pretty
and perfect infant.
The appearance of this tiny stranger
created great excitement all through
the village. No one so tiny had ever
been seen before. and all the good
danes crowded into the cottage, fll-
inc it so full and chattering 50 loudly
that it was marvel the little fellow
was not killed outright; and indeed it
was no easy matter TO rear "Bebe" till
he grew up-if such manikin could
ever be called grown up. His mouth
was so tiny that it was difficult to feed
him: but his kind grandmama finally
hit upon plan of giving him goats
milk through quill, and after that he
did very well.
OF course all the little linen shirts
and dresses for babies were many
times too large, and had it not been
for good-natured girl who gave it
her dolls clothes, Bebe would have
been left Oike our own Flora McFlim-
sey in the ballad) with nothing to
wear.
The work of dressing and undress-
ing him was very difficult. He was
such 4 fragile little toy that his father,
with his big rough hands, was afraid
TO touch him lest he might break
tiny leg or arm. or pinch off few fin
gers and toes altogether; so Bebe was
qnite mothers boy, and it took her
somo time to get used to handling
him. She made little bed for him in
one of his fathers wooden shoes lining
it with tow; and in this humble cot
the child slept as soundly and as sweet
iy as if he were a high-born baby Of
ordinary size in a satin-lined cradle.
When he was about month old,
there was sent to him from the town
of Nancy a handsome china dish hold
inc tiny pillow of fine white linen
stuffed with softest down. On this
Bebe was placed when carried TO the
church to be chriStened.
Never was there such christening
in the town before. The whole village
,b
and the children were SO anxious to
see this mite baptized that the priest
had to stop more than once and wave
back the crowd OF inquisitive faces be-
fore he could 90 on with the ceremony.
But it was finished at last. and the
Ferrv's eldest son had a right to the
name of Nicholas, though most people
called him Bebe, to the end of his life.
Nicholas grew very slowly, and when
he was only six months old he had the
smallpox. The little fellow was quite
i'll, but he recovered, owing to his
mothers tender care.
He did not begin TO talk until he was
a year and half old, and even then
he could speak only few words.
When he WAS two years old he made
his first attempt to walk, and his
proud and delighted mamma carried
him to the village shoemaker and or
dered a pair of shoes for Bebe. At
first the man only laughed at her, but
a last she induced him to measure the
child'S foot. 1t was just one inch and
a half long. After 4 great deal of
trouble pair of shoes were fashioned
to tit. Such shoes!-they must have
looked like doll 6 DUmpS
Naturally, Bebe became an object of
great curiosity, and people travelled
long distances to see him. Although
his diet now consisted of vegetables
and bacon, he managed TO keep well
and grow up straight and shapely-a
charming little iigure.-.St Nicholas.