A YOUNG GIANT

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 31 August 1917, Page 1

A YOUNG GIANT

A giant who holds the British height record for the last- 120 years is at present a, patient in one of the London hospitals, where he Ims been, accommodated, in a bed improvised from two ordinary bedsteads. His name is Frederick Kempster, he is Bft 2in in height, and 25 yearn old, and he is suiferiug from Giants' Disease, or inaction of nerve-centre wihich controls growth. His size in boots is about 20. Ivempster is a Canadian, who was taken to the eoiouies as a baby. He was quite a normal child, for the nerve responsible for the trouble did not cease work until Ivempster was 12 years old, when lie began to shot rapidly beyond his brothers, and then beyond his father and mother, who are all of normal size. Speaking to an interviewer iccently, lie stated that three of his brothers are serving with the Canadian contingent. In a voice -which is described as being *' like a sweet-toned 'cello played into a megaphone," Kempstei- told how" he had tried to join the ariiiy in England, where ho had come from Canada- for "treatment of one of his legs, which was damaged during his work in a lumber camp. But, with a large sigh, he said there was " nothing doing," and finally he became the star exhibit of a show in Tottenham Court road. In the next bed to liempster is a small boy who has never ceased to be astonished since the giant arrived. His admiration for the feat with which Kempster celebrated his entry is especially great. Seeing a pile of bread and butter, which he took to be his own share, the giant ate the lot. It was not till later 'that he learned he had eaten the whole ward's war-time breakfast allowance.