The banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1844-1847, 1846-07-22
Fiom Ns,1fs Suiu-,t1y Glzplte
The LIVING SKE..t. TON


Of Time, finds thousands of weak, but
eager minds, willing to be led as,ray by
its tickle, but shining course: even as
the schoolboy is led by the bright but
terfy, as it sports its brief hour, amid
the golden sun-beams of summers
day. Almost every turn of this old
Earth in its diurnal course, brings up
something new and exciting, to lead the
mind of man away from the beaten
track of the wonders that were but yes
terday. 1t is truly qooasdeytul, 10 think of
the manifold wonders which have been
cast forth from the deep and furrowed
bosome of the present age There has
been the iron age, and the silver age,
and the golden age-but this age may
truly be called eecentricus, for never has
the world seen age so prolific in produ-
cling those things which are marvellous
Almost every mail brings US the
sconderfI news, that the eighth wonder
of the world has just been brought to
light, IN some remote corner of the
globe, and thus the inquisitive mind is
kept in continual fermentation. How
ever, it is not within my province, at
the present time, to write labored dis
sertation upon the proneness of the pre-
sent age to marvels; but merely to write
a short sketch cf one, whom the press
nave seen fit to notice, and who is
destined to become celebrated IN his
own sphere. Alexander Edison, the
living skeleton" was born in the
town of Randolph, Vermont, Feb. 2,
1904. His parents were rather above
the ordinary size, and so were some of
the family, which consisted of nine sons
and two daughters. The oldest daugh-
ter weighs at the present time upwards
of too hundred pounds, and the oldest
son weighed before his death less than
5orty-sir pounds! The subject of this
sketch weighed. at the age Of eighteen,
one hundred and thirty five pounds, and
had strong active frame, with coun-
tenance pleasant and agreeable-since,
however, he has gradually decreased in
flesh, until he has become skeleton:
mere mass of human bones, almost as
feshless as those which have been po-
lished and wired together by the hand of
man. AT the age Of twenty, young
Edison commenced the study of physic
in his native town, where he studied
two years, after which he went to North.
field, (Vt.) and completed his course of
studies. He continued the practice of
medicine several years. He has also
taught school fourteen winters, both in
Vermont and New York His educa-
ton is very good especially in Malhema
tics-but OF late his chiel employment
has been III making rhymes, some os
which are quite paSsable. have in
my possession several articles of h.>
composition, winch are written with
some artistical skill, md great 4, ii Of
force. His mind is active, rather witty
withal, and his intellectual powers are
as good, rs when his frame was glrl
with the firm muscles and strong
sinews OF lus,y Lille 1t is Tar beyond
the ken OF man, to tell the true cause Of
his gradual wearing away OF the flesh:
it appears to be freak of nature, and
has no remedy. His breath is good,
and he eats and sleeps we'll, though
his appetite is large in compari-
son with what it might be expected
from his small capacity for the good
things of this life. l was present du-
ring an examintion of him, by the fa-
Guilty of the Medical College in Wood
stock, IVY but they could discover
nothing that indicated internal disease.
twas supposed by some that his lungs
were affected, but they were at that
time sounded by professor Child, and
pronounced in healthy state. His
height is five feet six inches, and weight
.jy1y pounds! but has strength is vast in
proportion to his size. (He has frequent
ly raised me from off the floor, my
weigh. being about two hundred
Where is there . person who has ever
looked upon the feshless bones of a
dead, human being, without strange
feelings of awe and dread, such as, chill
the warn blood, and1seem almost to
make the heert stand still2 l., too.
hava tremhjed rs looked uno,, ~ =