The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-02-21
HUMAN MONSTROSITIES


remembered visitors to England. and the
former of these-a most amiable and
business-like man-settled down in Lon
don and made X his home
Royalty itself. according to the ancient
records. has been fond of seeing indvid-
uals dancing without legs and "scaly"
boys-by which latter term Jockeys are
not meant Trnculo in THE Tempest, q
regarding Caliban, remarks Were | in
England now (as once / was) and had
but this fish painted, not holiday fool
there but would give piece of silver;
there would this monster make a man;
whom they will not give dolt to relieve
a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to
see dead Indian"
More Huge Celebrities.
Charles H. walked under the arm of
"broth of a boy from Ireland and the
siamese Twins and the Two-Headed
Nightingale were anticipated two eentu-
ries before by couple of girls at Ostend
who were Joined together by the crowns
of their heads A little Scotchman. 60
years of age, and thirty inches high, hav-
Ing given up the profession of dominic.
made a rare show of himself In London
about the same time, and found the occu-
patton more profitable than teaching
but three inches taller--had a pleasant
habit of sleeping with his head between
his feet, and resting his great toes m his
ears. The dwarf of the world how
ever was imported from Germany, and
was carried in little box to the house of
anybody who wished to see her. just az
though she were part of circulating
library. This latter circumstance led TO
the Introduction OF a little woman from
81 10 a. - ~.
inches, a counterbalast being provided by
a giant eight feet high. II years Of age,
and daily advancing nearer the skies.
In our country there has never been
any human specimen to compare with the
Arabian mentioned by Plny, who could
boast nine feet nine inches of height. The
English giant, Robert Hales, seven feet
six inches in stature, was most notorious
for his extraordinary bulk. which amount
ed to over thirty-two stones. A marriage
of giants-Captain Bates of Kentucky and
Miss Swami of Nova Scotia, each about
seven feet high-exclted considerable com
motion Just over thirty years ago A cold
ness and Indifference to both giants and
dwarfs has since then overtaken people,
and probably this iciness of demeanor
may be ascribed to the fact that persons
belonging to these classes are often unin-
terestlng personalities in themselves and
enhance public attention. In the show"
line the value of sensationalism was never
greater than today. If dwarfs and giants
could be made to develop really unusual
powers OF mlmicry and merriment there
might be "more money" In them.
Gen. Tom Thumb.
A critical age looks upon them as
tame" though Barnum had no cause TO
grumble over American or British want
of appreciation of Gen. Tom Thumb. Mr..
and Mrs. Thumb retained their popularity
over a long series of years. and 1t was In
1865 that they paid their second visit to
Windsor Castle and performed before the
royal family. On that suspicious day TIE
general and his wife took their baby along
with them Albert Smith wrote a play
called Hop O. MY Thumb" for Thumb,
and he performed at the Lyceum theatre
in 1t. He impersonated Napoleon before
the great Duke OF Wellington. and created
a faint connection in the royal presence by
having a battle with Queen Victoria's
poodle. which took objection to the tiny
courtier. Mrs. Thumb-born Warren-and
her husband. Mr. Stratton, were outdone
in size by Commodore George Washington
Mutt and Miss Minnie Warren. who be-
came his wife Mrs. Mutt was a third
smaller than her sister. Mrs. Thumb. and
the commodore was declared to be the