TOM THUMB. A CHAT WITH THE AUSTRALIAN DWARF. AN EVENTFUL HISTORY.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 361, 20 April 1889, Page 6

TOM THUMB . A CHAT WITH THE AUSTRALIAN DWARF. AN EVENTFUL HISTORY.

The little fellow who rejoices in the title of the " Australian Tom Thumb " called to gee us yesterday, and being, as usual, in a chatty and obliging humour, he readily consented to talk about his antecedents. " Well, put down that my name is "W. A. Robinson," said the little man with as much importance as his 3ft nothing could assume. " I was born in Kempsey, on the Macleay River, New South Wales." " Were your parents dwarfs?' "No, they were tall. My mother was sft 6in and my father sft l|in." " And what is your own height ?" " I'm a very little over 3ft." "How old?" "Twenty-five next July." " Married ?" "No; but," wiuh face suffused with blushes, *• I could have" been if I had liked. I had the chance." "I suppose you would have some, cUffi*. culty in getting a wife your own size,, eh ?" •' And I don't want one so small. ' Twelve stun is about my weight.*' " But you might get the worst of that match." 4 , " Don't you believe it; I'm pretty tough." " What is your weight ?" "1 scale 7st 21b." " And what sort of a youngster wei*e you ?' "I was only the length of my mother's, hand when I was born, and she used to say that she could have put me in a quart pot" " Aie you healthy ?" "Rather. 1 have only had the measles and typhoid fever, with seventeen years between, and I expect to outlive a great many much bigger people." - *• " Well, how long is it since you stopped growing?' il I grew till I was 17 or 18 years of age." ■" And how do you account for this freak of nature?' .j "My theory is this : You see my knuckles on each hand are double-jointed, and so are my wrists and knees. I think that had something to do with the stopping of my growth. ' The joints coming one against the other probably prevented me from growing. You see lam very largeboned." " Yes, you have the appearance of being very strong." " Well. I can run a hundred yards in 18 seconds, and 1 11 guarantee to knock out anybody within six inches of my own height in the world, and give him a stone in weight. I was to have fought Joe Pain in Sydney." *« Who is Joe Pain?" " Oh, he's a little man^ about a head taller than myself." " Did you get the best of the contest ?" " I never got the chance. We were to have fought at Foleys, but Pain never turned up." " Do you play outdoor sports ?" "I should just believe 1 do. I play cricket. I played in a match between a team chosen from Matthew's circus against an Australian team called the ' Bohemians,' and I scored top score (15) for the profes-. sionalss. Why, I saw seven men out before' I was put out myself. I had a little spring bat, you know, made to order, and got on splendidly." " Where did you learn your cricket?" "At school. I had seven years schooling. I was at seven different schools, and I would have been a pretty good scholar if 1 had cared for learning ; but I was too fond of playing truant. Phrenologists say I have a very good head." " What sized hat do you take ?" " A 6§ does for me." " Have you travelled much ?" " Yes ; I have been nearly all through Australia, barring South and Western Australia, and all_thi'ough New Zealand." " What' is your speciality in, the, show, business?" ' " I walk the slack wire, do the nigger business, Irish business, recite, siqg, and so on. I have travelled with a circus as elown,\ and, do you knpw,l'm a good swimmer ?" " Well, you have not a great reach, have, you?" " No ; ' but I can get along vecy well, and can float for any length of time. I onco, attempted to swim over the Murray River, and had a very narrow escape from drowning, and it would have been/ all up 'with me had my dog not come to my rescue," as the strong current ,was carrying me down stream. I caught hold'of-fche dog's hair. just about twenty yards off the bank and he dragged me ashore. ' " The dwarf' related several other narrow' escapes which he had experienced in , con- * sequence of being rather during, and the interview having concluded fie jumped from his seat to the floor, picked up his litde walking stick, put his . belltopper on the back of his head, a cigarette between his lips, and took his leave with a hearty . handshake.—" Auckland Star," March' 17.'''

1 -'' QARUICX & CR AN WELL are -fflt£ J * Furniture and Carpets-very cheap. >' Iron Bedsteads and Spring Mattreaaes at greatly ? reduced prices. Bedding of all kinds ready - for delivery. Oil Cloths" from Is. square yard. Linoleum' from 2s 3d. Blankets, sheets, quilts, curtain's,, 'and all furnishing roods splendid value. !. { Wire Wove^Mafctresses much che!Tper,than they used.to b*. * A strong Iron Bedstead and Wiw Wov»V [ Mattress for 55s cash. 1 Simple Iroiti BeH- T * stead and. Wire Wove Mattress for 38s cash price. Our goods are carefully . packed. eve y attention paid to prevent damage by "jaasib. Bviy all your household goods f roa* 4*4 * MRLICK and CRANWELL, CM^o ttkerm, Qu*on vtreet. Auoklawl 1