The Washington times., 1913-01-17
Dwarf and Boy Singer Are Two
Finds, Declares Julia Murdoch

lY CLIMBED up the winding stair
case to the stars dressing room
i to make visit TO the little chap
who had just entertained a mat
| NEE audience with his bright sayings
and clever wit, and was asked to enter
by a feminine voice. There discover
ed a tiny little boy who seemed no
more than a baby. He was sitting on
the edge Of a chair, and his legs were
so short that they failed to reach the
| first rung. so he sat there and swung
them while he talked about himself,
| and about many other things.
He Is twenty-five years old, weighs
twenty-five pounds, and is twenty-five
inches high, this little bit of mas
| culinity known as Lord Roberts, who
has been entertaining people at Poll s
Theater this week. He told me he
was born little. and then he laughed a
saucy little laugh. for Little Lord
Roberts is something Of a joker, keen
witted and quick. There is nothing he
enjoys better than fooling the people
with whom he comes in contact regard
ing his age.
One of his favorite stories is the one
he tells upon himself. For several
years after he entered vaudeville, Lord
Roberts had been in the habit of trav-
cling on half fares rates from !cIty to
city. His mother always accompanied
him. so 1t was an easy matter to out
wit the keen-eyed conductors, always
on the lookout for people who attempt
to dodge paying the full rate of fare.
Newspaper Story Obliged
Him To Pay Full Fare.
~But one day some boob of report
er wrote me up and said that I had
been beating my way on the railroads
and told my real age, and the next
Saturday night the conductor was lay
ing for me, and collected fare for
grown-up." laughs Lord Roberts. in
telling this joke upon himself.
Thoroughly groomed, and menicured
to the pinkest Of perfection, 1t Stems al
most impossible to believe that this
diminutive little chap in perfectly fitting
tailored clothes of the latest cut Is a
man of legal age. His voice is like a
baby's voice; his hands like tiny birds
claws. though soft, and perfectly
shaped. His tiny feet are encased in the
shiniest of patent feathers, and taking
dltOsctHcT, Liltic lIOFu fSOOeTtS Is
miniature fashion plate. a doll in
mems clothes.
1t has been several years since Lord
Roberts entered his vaudeville career.
Having been born a dwarf, he decided
that this was the easiest way of earn
ing money, so with his mother, who
appears with him upon the stage, he
entered the dramatic world via the vau-
deville stage.
When 1 save enough money, 1 shall
retire, says Lord Roberts, land get me
farm somewhere, and live on what I
have earned in my early days" He
laughs as he says to his svisitor and
himself, wait until l get to be an old
man, tottering about with a cane"
1T will have to be lead pencil in
stead of cane one of his visitors
suggested"
well. anyway" it will be gold
headed"
Lord Roberts is the son of parents
of ordinary size, and all of the other
members Of his family are of normal
size. II am only a sample, he laughs,
when speaking of his diminutive self.
But the good things come in small
packages" his interviewer suggests
Yes and so does poison, so l have
been told" he replies with knowing
wink.
The little fellow was born in Chicago.