HISTORY OF THE “LITTLE FAIRY,” MISS DOLLIE DUTTON.
Gen. Tom Thumb, the Marsh Children, Little Cordelia Howard (who played the part of Eva in Uncle Tom’s Cabin,) Little Alfred Stewart, the little comedian, now, in 1860, 15 years of age, “Little Ella,” Virginia Burns, six years of age, Dec. 11, 1860, the Wren Children, now in Europe, the Zavistowski Ballet Troupe, and the Bateman Children, now residing near Cincinnati, O., have been visited by hundreds of thousands of people, who have been delighted with them, but perhaps no child has received more universal praise than the “Little Fairy,” Miss Dollie Dutton. She is so perfect in form, and so very small, that all who see her pronounce her the most perfect child they have ever seen, and say she looks more like a wax doll than a living specimen of humanity. Miss Dollie and her parents are natives of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, and The Little Fairy (Dollie) was born in Framingham, in the same county. She has not grown any or increased in height since she was two years of age. She is now nine years of age, weights 15 pounds, and is only twenty-nine inches high. Her health is good; she arises at eight in the morning, and is hard at play all day, except when attending to her lessons and giving her levees afternoon and evening, of one hour each. Her parents and brothers are of the usual size. She is perfect in form and feature, bright, active and intelligent, talks, sings, dances and plays, and is so beautiful that the most fastidious can look upon her with pleasure. She is admitted, by all who have seen her, to be the prettiest and most cunning little being they have ever seen. She weights just one-third as much as Gen. Tom Thumb, and is the smallest child of her age in the world! In January, 1857, she was placed under charge of her aunt, Mrs. Sarah P. Davis, of Salem, Mass., who has motherly affection for her, and in whose charge she has been to the present time, with the exception of three weeks. She has also received instruction from Sylvanus Kneeland, Jr., teacher of dancing, at his rooms, 47 Hanover Street, Boston. Mrs. Davis is constantly with her, both at home and at the rooms where she gives levees. She weighed at the time of birth three pounds.
The “Little Fairy” has been visited by five hundred thousand persons. Forty thousand persons attended her levees in Boston alone, during her six weeks’ levees in that city. At every city she appears her levees are crowded, and a very large portion of her visitors are ladies. She is probably the most interesting specimen of humanity on the face of the globe.
The following card is from the Rev. Phineas Stowe, of Boston.
ALBERT NORTON, ESQ.—Dear Sir: Spending a few hours at Fairmount, I was invited by Mr. Dutton to see his LITTLE daughter, whom I can cordially recommend to the lovers of God’s wonderful works. An immortal spirit encased in a finely wrought casket cannot fail to interest and delight all who may be permitted to see her.
Burlington Free Press 9/28/1860. Print.