The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1859-09-07
Extraordinary Exhibition---A Man OF
Leather

An exhibition of a very remarkable and
unnatural character attracted small but
highly res pectable audience at the Melodeon
on Thursday evening last. A young man by
the name of James Stevens had advertised
that he would do many wonderful things in
the way of cutting himself up with knives
mailing his feet, arms and legs to chairs, to the
wall, &C.. which astounding exploits he p.ocee-
ded to exhibit at the appointed hour, in the
presence of number OF physicians of cele.
brity, including members of the medical facul-
ty of Pennsylvania University, and other
learned professors, who were invited to the
stand that they might detect any fraud or de-
ception, if practiced He began by sticking
handful of pins up to the head, in his legs
then drove an awl through the middle of his
wrist into chair /; drove knife though
the muscle of his leg nailed his foot to a
wooden shoe, the nail or awl passing through
the middle of the foot and so walked about
the stage; cut his dexter finger through the
flesh, exhibiting the naked bone, and conclu-
ded by passing knife through his cheek, the
blade protruding from his mouth In all this
but little blood was drawn.
He also offered to drive knife through each
leg and hang himself from the WALL which the
audience mercifllly excused him from doing,
feeling satisfied that he could accomplish what
ever he proposed About the whole procee-
dure there was no sort of humbug, as the eyes
of divers gentlemen, who were upon the stand
were steadily fixed upon him, and any ''uRbe-
lieving Thomas had an opportunity to touch
the knife blade on the opposite side to that
into which it had been thrust, of the Leg wrist
h. Ha11ro olEo
his person, which was probably more for show
than anything else, as they could affect moth
ing. Mr.. Stephens looks to be not more than
twenty or twenty-one years of age. Before
closing he proposed to operate in similar man
ner upon any one Of the audience, agreeing to
forfeit one thousand dollars if he inflicted pain.
We saw this man of leather early yesterday
looking as fresh and whole, as though
knife or nail had never penetrated his elastic
body.-Leringto1 (ky.) Observer
PRUss1AN MARRIAGEs.-You are probably
aware that in Prussia marriages between Pro-
testants are not for life, but can be annulled
if reasonable grounds can be alleged for the
wish to separate. The most usual pretext is
0 desire to marry somebody else's wife or hus-
band if that somebody else can be suited
with another wife or husband, the necessary
adyices are granted almost as a matter of
course. was paying visit at Breslau once
when lady and gentlemen entered the room,
so exceedingly loving and polite, that OH their
leaving | remarked that it was evident they
had just been married, or else were Just about
to be so. | was informed, however, that on
the contrary they were going to be divorced
as soon as the other two or three couples in
terested had signed the necessary paper.
The DYING NEVER WEEP-It is a striking
fact, the dying never weep. The circle of
sobbing, agonized hearts around, produces not
one tear. Is it that he is insensible and stiff
already in the chill Of dissolution ? That
can not be-for he asks for his fathers hand
as if to gain strength in the mortal struggle,
and leans on the breasts of mother, brother or
sister, with still conscious affection and be-
fore expiring at eve, after long days CONVEX
sation with the Angel of Summons, he says
to his oldest brother-the last audible good
night of earth-"Kiss me, kiss me p 1t must
be because the dying have reached point too
deep for earthly crying and weeping. They
are face to face with higher and holier beings,
with the Father in Heaven, and the angel
throng, led on by Son himself; and what
are the griefs of a mourning, tears of dying
farewell-be it that they are shed by the dear
est on earth-in that vision bright of immor-
tai life and everlasting re- union ?
A RAILROAD TRAIN ATTRACTED BY BULL.
An accident of very singular aud serious
nature occurred on the Allegheny Valley
Railroad on Wednesday evening. 1t appears
that, as the Express Train was passing point
near White Rock Station, about nine miles
this side Of Kittanning, it was charged upon
by bull belonging to gentleman named
Klingensmith, residing in the neighborhood
and said to be an animal of unusual strength
ferocity. In the collision which followed,
his bovine majesty was crushed almost to a
jelly, and his defunct remains carried some
distance along the track. The affair, howev-
er, did not stop here. The carcass proved an
obstruction to the train, and the
locomotive tender, and four freight cars were
thrown OF the track. The latter went over
an embankment some thirty feet in height,
and were reduced almost to complete wreck
The passenger car, the last in the train, re-
manned on the track, else the consequence
would have been far more serious. The loco
motive was a good deal used up, and the track
damaged for some forty feet, but beyond this
nothing serious resulted from the strange oc-
currence.-Pittsbayg Cbo1acLe.
MORE ABOUT THE VALUE OF KIss-An
Indiana lawyer writes to the Savannah Ga
zette
''In your issue of June 18th, noticed
giving portion of the history
of ajudicial proceeding as far back as 1S43 !;
fixing the value Of kiss in Eastern Indiana
at forty dollars. In this part of Hoosierland
the worth of this commodity has never been
ascertained, either by custom, juridically, or
otherwise. Some twelve months since | de-
Tended gentleman charged with having COM
mitted an assault and battery on the body of
one Mrs. -, of this place. The testimony,
as given by the prosecuting witness, was that
the defendant placed his hand gently on her
shoulder and attempted to kiss her, but failed
in his undertaking. The fine and costs amoun-
ted to fifty dollars. Had the defendant been
successful in his enterprise, think that kiss
would have proven of more value than forty
dollars in old Ripley and we would not at
this time be without q precedent in Southern
Indiana.
ADVANTAGES OF WOMAN OVER MEN.-Some
one sums up the advantage of women over men
rs follows:
A woman may sap what she pleases to you
without being knocked down for it. She can
take snooze after dinner, while her husband
is at work. She can go forth into the streets
without being invited to treat at every coffee
house. She can paint her face if it is too pale
and flour it if too red. She can stay at home
in time of war, and wed if her husband is
killed. She can wear corsets if too thick
other fixings, if too thin. She can eat, drink,
and be merry, without it's costing cent
She can get divorced from her husband whenss
ever she see any one she likes better. She
can get in debt all over, until he warns the
public by advertisements not to trust her on
his account any longer.
DRBLERIE OF AN ARAB MAGIcIAN-Caleb
Lyon, of Lyonsdale, in his lecture on Egypt,
relates some remarkable tricks that were per
formed by an Arab magician
A cane was handed to party for inspection
81 tel H. L., - ~.