The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-06-04
TWO PUZZLES
FOR DOCTORS
Strange Story Of Two In
diana DwarsS-ArreSted
Development
By .. F. campbelI. NJ. D.


he last twelve months, and even now
l must acknowledge the difficulty OF
reaching an altogether satisfactory
theory in explanation of the phenom-
enon In all my experience have new
er come across such a strange retard-
ing of natures ordinary course Of
growth.
The boys progress Is slow and their
constitutions 50 strong that if nothing
happens they may live far beyond the
ordinary span Of life. If they develop
bodies as strong as the ordinary per
sons they may live to be 200 years
OF age. Their development is very
slow, but It is certain.
AS | calculate It, siy years have the
same effect upon these boys that one
year has upon the ordinary person.
Clyde Is now like a boy of four or FIVE;
Oscar is barely in development child
of twenty months or two years. They
are not idiots or imbeciles. They de
velop regularly. but SIX times as slow
ly as ordinary children.
Query VIII the lives of Clyde and
Oscar Harner be spread over two
centuries? Are these two strange
specimens of humanity destined to
live two hundred years?
If mar of twenty-three-not an
idiot, mind you--has the mental and
physical development of a boy Of five
and his younger brother Of thirteen
the frame and intellect Of a baby Of
twenty months, will they keep on as
slowly developing until they reach
manly prime one hundred and fifty
years hence, and finally die Of senilo
decay at the ripe old age of two hun
dred odd, as other men die who pass
three score and ten?
These are questions which science
is actually considering seriously.
Their physician calculates that ev-
cry period Of six years passes as one
year in the strangely slow growth of
these boys. Clyde at twenty-three is
just getting into boyhood; Oscar, is
still a baby. And, most marvelously,
both have the healthy mentalities OF
youngsters whose growth is normal.
Clyde can do anything that boy
of five has learned. In another six
years. to Judge by his growth, he will
be as active as a boy Of six. Oscar is
as bright as a baby Of twenty months,
and IS now just getting sure on his
feet, just as other babies learn to
walk. 1t is scientifically reasonable
TO suppose that in eighteen or twenty
years more he will be able to talk as
easily as any small boy Of five and be
just as mischievous
These queer little people have just
been discovered by the medical world
They live in the little village Of Rad
nor, Ind, ten miles south of Delphi
To the nelghborhood in this quiet
Hoosier section they are maryels
Nothing like them has ever been seen
in all the state. Scores visit them
every week Dozens OF circus men
have tried to get the parents to con
sent to their exhibition, but George
Harner. the boys father is well-to-dc
and he sturdily refuses TO make an ex
hibiiion OF his children.
Even If they are going to live two
hundred years" says he. they are not
goiSg 20 be tpotted out like couple
OF freaks. I'm glad to have the doc
tors see them, because perhaps they
can do something to make Clyde and
Oscar like other folks. But there il
always a good home for them here
and if they live a century after the ole
folks are dead End buried there will bt
enough to take care OF them wheT
they come OF age in seventy-hye or one
hundred years from now"
Both boys are almost diminutive il
stature. Clyde wgl be twenty-thre'
years old on Aug. 26 next He Is 81
inches tail and weighs As pounds. os
car win be thirteen years old on Oct
next He is S5 inches tan an'
weighs 20 pounds Clyde wears No
10 child's shoe and Oscar a No. 5.
There is an older brother. who i
the tallest member Of the family an'
as smart and shrewd as any cleye
Hoosier can be He measures six fee
one inch IA his stocking feet and hold
a job on the Mcnon railroad as sectiol
boss. Ills father has similar posl
ton with the railroad
When Clyde was born he weighs
nine pounds and gave promise OF 500
developing into Iusty, healthy boy
For several months he went on as otf
er babies do. sucking his thumbs, kicl
ing bis little pink toes, and hnall
learning TO say goo gool" 70 his d
lighted mother.