The sun., 1910-02-27
SKETCHES FROM TRAsrEyrRs.


teverine dispensary for sick children. A
few more cases were still to be examined
by the doctors. registered and nursed by
my kind lady helpers and by me. was busy
writing last diagnosis under the dicta-
ton Of the head doctor when q small voice
came from under my writing table. -si-
gnora. know am too old 10 be taken caro-
OF by you. for am nearly 10 years old But
do look at me. l am so small! am suffer-
ing too muchl sisnora, do help mel" =,
looked down on the smallest OF dwSrfs,
touching. pretty little face framed with
sort, fair curls, a minute. well made body.
Poor little Pietrol knew what he had suf-
fered, what he was still suffering. reool-
lected the sharp pains OF growth that had
gone through and that had gone through
me while l was growing up, a giant, and
could but too well imagine what he was
suffering from. his growth repressed In
his n1inuscular body.
i We undreseed him. His little body was
strong and elastic and well formed. The
doctor said that there was nothing the
matter with him and that he could not do
anything for him. so 1 asked Esculapius
to leave the child to my tender mercies.
took charge Of him myself. giving him cod
liver oil and good massage. He comes
very regularly every morning; he enjoys
his good rub and the bonbon he gets after
he has courageously swallowed his cod
liver or He came accompanied by his
fond parents-nasty. greedy father. and
| nastier. fat mother. I, q giant, took to the
dwarf and he established himself on foot
stool under my table and was thankful for
friendly pat on his little pate. for every
hasty caress. every kind word. He soon
got better. and by the time he was fairly
cured of his pains and aches had got fond
OF him, and as got fond Of him got more
/ and more anxious as to his future.
Only few steps from our dispensary I
had seen big show with wax figures and
other curios. and at the door there we're two
| large cages with a male dwarf in one OF
them, female in the other. put up to at
tract the not select public of Trsstevers
/ oy their uncouth gestures and their obscene
prattle. Each time I passed before them
shuddered at the thought that my little
Pietro could have a similar fatei
| Happily Providence had ordained other
wise. In those times rarely crossed the
Tioer. but Just then had been asked TO
play at concert at our Sala Bach In the
Teatro CostanEi. On my way to the re-
hesrsal saw big poster Announcing the
arrival Of the celebrated Liliputians who
were travelling under the care of Mr.. Mund-
stedt. The well made picture represented q
handsome man In evening dress surrounded
by dwarfs. Pietruocio had deservedly
awakened my interest for these poor little
creatures I counted them. four little fe-
AA@to0f
seen at the Costanzi theatre. just where
was going, An idea, Minsrvalike. sprang
up In my brain. but the unhappy CO aRed
dwarfs had made me cautious Luckily
the rehearsal was over sooner than had cal
culated. and had more than half an hour
before the time appointed me by my hyper
punctual lord and master. The old porter
OF the CostanZi had received many tip
after concerts given in the Sala Bach. 20 I
went TO his lodge and asked him about the
dwarfs. His reply was more than satis-
| factory They were well cared for, and
Sienor Mundstedt was a salantuomo--a
| true gentleman, In that very moment 0
handsome man came in and took down
key that was hanging on the wall The
handsome man was very civil and asked me
whether I would like to see his dwarf ami
rnals. that he was just going to look after.
Mr.. Mundstedt had walked uncslied into
| Pietro's existencei
went with him into the stable, whore ali
the dwarf animals looked happy at seeing
him and proud ~ being patted by him
There was an elephant about as tall as my
big Campaena dog, horse that could
dance on our dining room table. pocket dogs.
&c. After having cleaned and fed his
minia ture pets Mundstedt began 20 tell me
about hts dwaFfs. saying that each OF them
gave him more trouble than all the animals
together, that they were generally IN ma
buTou anu bNuVlQ- mas WAS toe F1Xny mo-
mcnt to speak up for Pietro. my gentle
and witty little patient.
Mr.. Mundstedt said that he had more
than enough Of his dwarfs. bus still invited
me very politely 20 come and see them any
day at his house close by. had asked my
two surgeons, both tall young men. to the
concert, and they promised to come with
me after IL to see the dwsrfs in their homo.
Good music. amiable public. bursts Of
applause; but I was thinking all the time
about the dwarfs. At the END OF my last
piece We went on to dwarnand. Ny 90 M
panions were Or. Bartolini and Dr. Rafael.
Bastianelli, the latter then quite a young
man. now q most celebrated surgeon OF
European and American fame. We were
each OF US much above the average height
OF man and womankind.
A nice clean house, q decent staircaee,
big reception room; Mr.. Munstedt was
out So asked whether any one Of the
dwarfs would do US the favor to receive
us The Hercules Of the company ap-
peared-a strong fellow indeed and tall
enough to be proud OF his size; he could
| even put his chin on q table OF ordinary
dimsnsionsi He had a big cigar in his hand,
though arm not quite sure whether II was
| burning: but II did look q rand all the came
I asked him whether he and his companions
would like TO have one playmate more.
q nice. decent. quiet little boy. He replied
politely that 1t depended on what the young
man was like and that II he was fine to
look at he could be the companion OF little
Lima, who had no young man OF her own
and envied the other young ladies, who
each had her beau to take her up to the
stage. After that he informed us that
he had left his dinner to come and talk
with US and that We were welcorns TO come
into the dining room and have q look gratis
at the company. He looked distinctly
| down" upon me when asked him whether
they were all well fed and well taken care
Of: Madame. pray do not forget that
we are artists. and as such must have the
best OF everything Mr.. Mundstsdt IA
quite aware Of the fact and acts up to Iti"
So in we went. we three giants. into dwarf
land. The dining room was warm and
cosey. the table elegantly laid out. At the
head sat Mrs. Mundstedt. a handsoms.
fair haired lady: she greeted us politely
and introduced all the company by name.
She had been told OF my proposal By her
husband and thought It would be quite
nice TO have little squire for the little
blonde and sentimental Lima, Mr.. Mund-