Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1856-06-07
A Man in Bed Forty-Nine Years.

TIE last London illustrated News LA:
the following:
On Friday, the 7th inst, were consign
ed to their final resting place, in the
church yard Of KeiglIey. Yorkshire, the
mortal remains Of one Of the most eccen
trio individuals that ever lived in fac,
a parallel seems scarcely possible, of a
man voluntarily going to bed in good
health, and remaining there for a period
of forty nine years He went by the
cognomen of "OlL TLreelaps" in the
neighborhood. but his real name was
William Sharpe. He lived in an isolat
ed home called wv orIds,' probably an
abbrevia,ion Of "WorId's End'') not far
from Brai,hwaite, in the parish Of Keigh-
ley. He was the son of small farmer,
born A. d. 1877, and from an early age
showed little pre- disposition to steady
work. When thirty years Of age he
took to Ills bed and the room, which be
never left till carried thence on the day
of his funeral. The cause Of this extra,
ordinary conduct is believed 10 have
been matrimonial disappointment his
we 3ding day was fixed accompanied by
n friend he wended his way down to the
parish church, and there patiently await,
ed the arrival of his bride elect but sI!e
never came her father having sternly
and steadily refused his consent. Hence
forth the young man consi gned himself
to a small rooon, nine feet square, with
the deter,ninated of spending the re>
mainder Of his existence between the
biankets-wlich resolution he kept most
unfloching'y.
At the time of Sharpe's death, the
window of lis room had never been
opened for thirty y>e;ght years! In this
dreary abode did this strange being i'm
mure himself He constantly refused to
speak to any one, and, if spoken to never
ans vered even those who were his con-
slant attendants. His father, by his
will, made provision for the temporal
wants Of bis eccentric son, and SO secur
ed him a constant attendant.
During the whole period Of this self
imposed confinement, he never had any
serious illness, the only case Of 'ndisposi
ton those about him can remember be-
ing slight loss of appetite for two or
three days, caused apparently by indiges
ton, and this Notwithstanding, lie ate
on the average as much as any farm
|aborer. Though arrived at the age Of
seventy nine years, his flesh was t1rm
Eair, and unwrinkled, save with fat, and
his weight was estimated at about 24o
pounds. Theeurious used to come from
lar and wide to see him, but whenever
stranger was u<hered into his den, he
buried his head beneath
he bed clothes. About week before
his death his appetite began to fail, and
his limbs became partially benumbed so
hat he could not take his food in his ac
manner. From this attack he
seemed to rally, and not until the even
ng before his death were any apprehen.
'ions entertained that the attack would
prove intimately fatal. Hewever, dur
pg the night Of Sunday, the I'd inst.' he
became rapidly worse, and died at tour
he following morning. Shortly before
expired, he was hear to exc|a'm-"Poor
Bi|I-Poor Bill Sharpe -
he most connected sentence he had been
known to utter for manv year.
The EARTH GROWING CoLDER.-lt Is
stated by German astronomers that the