Part 2 (1/2)
By this time a group had gathered round the giant. Paul and Jimmy joined it.
”Was you always so large?” asked a boy at Paul's side.
”I was rather smaller when I was a baby,” said the giant, laughing.
”How much do you weigh?”
”Two hundred and seventy-five pounds.”
”That beats you, Jimmy,” said Paul.
”Were you big when you were a boy?”
”I was over seven feet high on my fifteenth birthday,” said the giant.
”Did the teacher lick you often?” asked one of the boys shyly.
”Not very often. He couldn't take me over his knee very well.”
”What an awful lot of cloth you must take for your clothes!” said the last boy.
”That's so, my lad. I keep a manufactory running all the time to keep me supplied.”
”Do you think that's true, Paul?” asked Jimmy, doubtfully.
”Not quite,” answered Paul, smiling.
”Don't you need to eat a good deal?” was the next question.
”Oh, no, not much. Half a dozen chickens and a couple of turkeys are about all I generally eat for dinner. Perhaps I could eat more if I tried. If any of you boys will invite me to dinner I'll do my best.”
”I'm glad you ain't my son,” said one of the boys. ”I shouldn't like to keep you in food and clothes.”
”Well, now, I shouldn't mind having you for a father,” said the giant, humorously looking down upon his questioner, a boy of twelve, and rather small of his age, with a humorous twinkle in his eye. ”You wouldn't whip me very often, would you?”
Here there was a laugh at the expense of the small boy, and the group dispersed.
”Now, you've seen a large man, Jimmy,” said Paul. ”I'm going next to show you a small one.”
They moved on to a different part of the building, and joined another crowd, this time surrounding the ill.u.s.trious Tom Thumb, at that time one of the attractions of the museum.
”There's a little man, smaller than you are, Jimmy,” said Paul.
”So he is,” said Jimmy. ”Is that Tom Thumb?”
”Yes.”
”I didn't think he was so small. I'm glad I'm not so little.”
”No, it might not be very comfortable, though you could make a good deal of money by it. Tom is said to be worth over a hundred thousand dollars.”