The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-06-29
FINEST MIDGET FOUND HERE.
NEGRO Child May be Smallest Person
in the World.

About nineteen inches in height
two and a half years old, weighing
exactly eight pounds, and partlcu-
larly strong and bright for child
of her age, frankie May Fordham'
a little negress, living with her par
ents at No. Z Heyward's court, is be-
1ieved to be about the smallest per-
son in the world, with perhaps one
or two exceptions.
The child is a. veritabie marVel.
She was born in February, 1909, De-
ing the fourth child of Henry ana
Kate Fordham, the husband being a
navy yard employee. The first three
children, who were born away from
Charleston as the family have been
here only about a year, are hearty
and full sized; but it is the baby that
is the wonder of the family. The
child is not a deformity, but is PROB
ably one of the most perfectly-formed
negro children in the city.
Nothing was known generally OF
the midget's existence until yester-
day, as efforts have been made by
the parents to keep the fact OF her
diminutive size secret, as they feared
kidnapping; but reporter, having
received a mysterious "tip' in the
form of an unsigned pencil-written
letter, visited the house last night
and marvelled at many things which
he saw.
He was met by the husband at the
front door of the house, which is
neat two-story affair, and was ush-
cred into the bed room, where the
mother had the little girl in her night
gown, just ready to put her to bed.
AS the reporter entered the room,
the child, catching sight of the faith
er exclaimed, in a sweet and childish
voice, with perfect enunciation:
Hello, papa"
The reporter glanced to see who
1t was talking and really had trouble
In locating the owner of the voice,
finally espying the tiny tot on the
floor. She was playing around in
high glee at the prospect of staying
sp a few minutes later than her regu-
lar bedtime, and danced and sung at
a great rate; showing unusual pre-
cocity for a child of her age. Her
eyes which are dark brown, are ex-
ceptionally clear and piercing, and
her hair is silky and rather long, alb
solutely unlike negro's. Yet she is
very dark, and had many of the raci-
al characteristics.
The child weighed five pounds at
birth, and gained three pounds dur
ing the first six months of her life.
Since that time she has not taken on
an ounce, and several we'll known
doctors who have examined her, &C
cording to the parents, have stated
that she will never gain another inch
in height or another three pounds in
weight. Her parents have reconciled
themselves to this and lavish their
affection on the little girl, who is GER
tain to make friend of every one
she meets. She dances prettily,
looks intelligent and talks fluently,
being able to string words together
into short sentences already.
The parents state that they have
already received many offers from
vaudeville and side-show managers,
some having already offered as much
as fifty dollars a week and trans
portation for. the mother under a
fve-year contract; but all of these
offers the parents have turned down,
hoping for the ultimate development
of their little one to her full stature,
although they have now become al
most sure that their hope is vain.
The father and mother now seem to
think that they will keep and educate
the child until it reaches the age of
sevn or eight years at least, before
thinking of any vaudeville depart
ure- News and Courier, June %.