The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-06-11
EXTRAORDINARY JUvINILE FREAK

EA1 1hAOhDlNAhI " VANAh1 AsA<hAA.
The following, which we take from tho
St. Louis Reveille, Of the 18th ult., exceeds
anything we ever heard Of in the way OF
childish freaks Of imitation:
An occurrence of a very frightful char.
acter occurred on Thursday, in German
family. residing, as we understand on
Hamtrank street, no less in fact, than boy
cutting off the nose of his sister, a little
girl of five years old. The boy few
nights before had attended the entertain.
ment Of MIR. Macalliste, the magician now
playing at the st. Louis theatre, at which
time he Witnessed the act of cutting off the
nose OF one of the audience. The per-
formance made an astonishing impres.
sion upon his young mind, (he was
about seven years old) and since that he
has made the request Of many persons to
allow him to try the same trick on them.
This was looked upon as mere childish
fancy, and he was rather encouraged in
the idea than otherwise, nobody ever con.
ceiving it possible that it would be SO fear,
fully carried out. a R
On Thursday afternoon, in the absence
of his mother, the father being still at his
employment, the boy induced his sister to
let him play "Macallister," and 10 submit
her nose 10 the knife. She was at first
alarmed at the sight of the knife, but on
his urgent entreaty, and assurance not to
hurt her, but 10 put il on directly, '.just like
the Magician" she consented. Initiating
his original, he placed cloth round her
neck, and with large carving knife cut
off the nose close to the face. The poor
child Of course gave vent to her excrucia-
ting agony in loud screams, which soon
brought the neighbors to the house. The .
scene must have been curious and dread
full. The girl was rolling and writhing on
the floor with pain, while the little hands
strove in vain to stop the frightful flow Of
blood from the horrible designation Tho
boy stood aghast for a moment, with the
bloody knife still in his hand while the
nose lay on the floor at his feet, as il had
dropped from his hand on being cut of, a /,
few seconds before. n "a sii
: Although the extent Of the injury was
obvious, the people were paralyzed for the .
moment at such hideous spectacle, and
not until the boy burst into tears, then for
the first time understanding fully the results
of his folly, did they seek for assistance,
the nose was placed on, with the ignorant
hope Of its stopping the dreadful effusion
Of blood; but the dirt which had gathered
on it on the floor prevented this, If indeed,
their unskilllul hands could have effected
it. IN,
On the arrival of a medical man FORUM
ately in short time, the nose was washed
and placed in its proper position, and with
great difficulty the effusion of blood was in
great measure stopped, though not until
the child had tainted away several times
from consequent weakness. The boy was
taken away and interrogated, and gave the
statement substantially as We have related 5
it here. i. f haa orlM
1t was supposed at first that the unior.
tunate child could not live, from the fact !
that il was feared that adhesion would NOT
take place from the first intention, but we
have learned since from our original in,
formant that there are strong hopes Of her
recovering, with the disfuration only Of I.
fearful irremoyahle scar, ~
FoR Scorr.-The Belmont Chronicle
m mo n,,t Il - ,.,onI c. n a.. WA. < ~ O. ..