The Fatter The Funnier

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 13 February 1926, Page 11

The Fatter The Funnier

Wherefore Feed Baby — And Make Him A Film Star

HPHE old beauty proverb to the effect that “one’s face is one’s fortune’’ must now be revised to fit Meredith Stanley Taylor, of Carlisle, Kentucky.

frail. None of his known ancestors was abnormal. The boy lias remarkable intelligence for his age, speaking ordinary words distinctly. But there is an unusual timbre in his tones,, much like that of a child of 14 vea.rs.

Meredith’s fat- is his fortune. Though only three years old, this infantile Goliath weighs 1101 b, and jie is piling it on at a rate of a pound a week, so that, if he persists, by the time he is 10 years old' he will strain the scales at the 500 mark. Most parents would View with alarm this youthful tendency along elephantine lines, but not so Mr and Mrs Charley Taylor, who are modern and extremely quick to- see the advantage which nature has so abundantly bestowed on. their son in the form of flesh and fat. While other mothers are raising their sons to bo soldiers, farmers. butchers and so on, the Taylors are grooming young Meredith for tiie movies. The fatter the funnier —so the youngster is being stuffed with all the food he will. eat. John Bunny, who could wrinkle his ham-like countenance into a thousand rollicking crevices when he laughed—and make you imitate him—was, until his death,, the most popular of moving picture stars, Then followed Fatty 'Arbuclcle, who drew an income as enormous as his figure. Strangely, no one has appeared to take their place as the proverbial fat man of the screen, whom no one loves but every oue laughs at. And that is why Mr and Mrs Taylor smile knowingly as their child climbs pound by pound toward success.

Meredith gets around rapidly notwithstanding liis avoirdupois. The simple games of hide and seek, ring around the rosy and other childish pastimes are eagerly enjoyed by him, and his agility is surprising. Though the baby of tlie family, his bulk prevents him frofn receiving much of the loving care that is usually the lot of children. There is no rocking to sleep in his mother’s lap for him; there is no dangling or “ridiug to Banbury Cross’’ on his father’s font for this lad—it would, need something like a derrick to hoist, him up and down in the manner so dear to the childish heart. There is no galloping about on the paternal bac-k for Meredith, and it would take stronger arms than those, of his little mother to tuck the baby under the covers at night. But Meredith does not. lack for lo\c and all the attention that his size permits. His parents idolise him ana rather resent, to a certain extent, the “notoriety” their latest born lias achieved.

From the time he rolls from under the covers these chilly mornings, after 10 hours of sleep, until he heaves in again at night lie is seldom idle. He prattles around after his parents or plays with his older brothers and sisters. He gets enouglii exercise in his dailv activities to take 1 off some of his weight—only lie doesn’t. When he becomes tired he kneels on the floor until his wearied muscles are rejuvenated, when he immediate]} becomes just as active as before. Meredith’s diet consists of all the food of the rural folk, and he uses nleutv of it. lie eats plenty of meat, vegetables, butter, hot biscuits, sorghum and buckwheat cakes. The omy difference is that Meredith eats just a little more than the ordinary adult. However, when he essays to become

The boy is already an amazing figure, three feet seven inches tall. If he wore a collar its size would be. 14. His shoulders, wrists, arms and thighs are about equal to Jack Dempsey's, and his. feet are seven and one-lialf inches long. He was born on June 5, 1922, and weighed only 841 b. At three months he began to show signs of unusual development, and at a year lie weighed (521 b.

The parents are below the general average in weight. Two brothers and a sister of the infant giant, are rather

a moving picture star the falls may have to be eliminated from any role assigned to him. For Meredith’s only fear is that lie will tumble. Even when sitting on a chair lie is nervous, and he ordinarily reposes on a cushion. His strength has apparently developed along with his weight. He is as strong- as the average boy of 15 years. His elder brother, who is II and weighs about SOlb, is often carried across the floor by this infant prodigy. Meredith does not, apparently, believe in lotting a good thing go to waste —so he is gaining an average of one pound a week. His development is much more rapid during the winter months than during the summer, when his weight must perforce cause a considerable amount of perspiration, which, in turn, would likely hold him down a litjde—though it lias not held him down much. His parents believe he will reach 1351 b by the time he is four years old. but lie can do better than that if lie continues spreading out as he lias started. Meredith is as affectionate as any normal child of his ago. He loves his parents and his brothers and sisters, and likes most of the general public. It is possible, however, that sometimes his “nerves” may go back on him a little when lie lias to receive people who have uo other interest in him than to comment on his weight and appearance. He does not look upon himself as being different from other children, because lie can play with them and can run some and get around with more speed than one would believe. When being chatted with Meredith looks straight at his auditor, and he has a merry twinkle in both liis eyes. He seems to like to talk, and is what is generally called a ‘ ‘ friendly child. ” He is no more timid than the average youngster of three and takes a great interest in everything that goes on around him.

His mind is developing as rapidly as his . body, and Meredith bids fair •to be a giant intellectually as well as physically.