St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-07-07
The Living Skeleton.
Correspondence of the st. Charles City ntelIgcnccr

winged butterfly, as it sports its brie
hour amid the golden sunbcams of ;
summers day Almost every turn 0
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 tina
were but yesterday. 1t is indecC
wonderful to think of the manifold
mysteries that have been cast fortl
from the deep and furrowed bosom Of
the present age. There have been tho
iron age, and the silver age, and the
golden age, but this age may be cal
led one of ccccntricitics, for never has
the world seen an age so prolific in
the production of those things which
arc marvellous.
Almost every mail brings us the
| wonderful news that the eighM wonder
of the world has just been brought to
light in one quarter of the globe or
another, and thus the inquisitivc mind
is kept in continued fermentation
But, gentlemen, it is not my pur-
pose at this time to write a disserta-
ton upon the pronencss of the present
age to marvels but merely to write
short sketch of one who who in his
lifetime became celebrated in his pc
culiar sphere.
Alexander Edison, known as "thc
living skeleton" was born in the town
of Randolph, Vermont, February Cd,
1904. His parents were above the
ordinary size, and so were some of the
children, of whom there were nine
sons and two daughters. The Oldest
daughter now weighs over two humid
red pounds, but the Oldest son, before
his death, weighed less than forty-sir
pounds.
The subject of this sketch, Alexan-
der, weighed at the age of eighteen
years, one hundred and thirty-five lbs.
He had strong, active frame and a
countenance pleasant and agreeable.
But after that period he gradually lost
his flesh, until he became a skeleton ;
mere mass of human bones, almost
as feshless as those which have been
polished and wired together by the
hand of man.
At the age of twenty years, young
Edison commenced the study of physic
in his native town, and continued it
for two years, when he removed to
Mortified and there completed his
course of studies. He continued the
practice of medicine for several years.
He also taught school fourteen win
ters. His education was good, cspe-
cially in mathematics-but in later
years he employed much of his time
in making rhymes, some of which
were very good. His mind was ac-
tive, rather witty withal, and his intel.
lectual powers were as great while a
skeleton as when his frame was girt
with the firm muscles and strong sin.
ews of lusty life. 1t was beyond hui
man ken to explain the gradual vast
ing away of his flesh. 1t appeared to
be freak of nature, for which there
was no remedy. His breath was good
and he ate and slept well. | was pre-
sent during an examination Of him by
the faculty Of the Medical College in
Woodstock, and nothing could be dis
covered by them indicative Of disease,
1t was supposed by some that his
lungs were affected, but skillful sur
geons pronounced them in a healthy
state. His height was five feet six
inches, and his weight fifty pounds
His strength was vast in proportion to
his size. Often has he lifted me from
the floor, although weighing two hun
dred pounds.
Where is the person who has cvei
looked upon the fcshiess bones of {
dead human being without strange
feelings of awe and dread, such as
chill the blood and seem almost tc
make the heart stand still? have
trembled as looked upon the ghastly
bones of human form--but never
have | felt that dread, that something
terrible which gripes the heart like
an iron vice, as when | have stood il
the presence of him whose frail cask
ct of clay contained the elements o
life and death SO strangely blended al
to cheat the fancy into the faith that i
was death alone, while within calml,
beat the warm blood of life. Whel
standing before him almost fancie,
that | looked upon the shadowy ghos
of one who had long since passed thu
bourne of life, that could hear tin
creaking bones and the horrid nestl,
of the red creeping worm that play
in the heart Of the silent dead, and al
there was to admonish Inc that dealt
was not there was the moist skin an,
the strong and steady beat Of the lif
pulse.
This may seem an idle sketch, bu
those who have seen its subject, a
you, friend Hildreth, have done, vii
bear witness that write what is true
am sure that those who have one
looked upon the living skeleton
will never forget him. The pictur
of that emaciated form must eve
haunt the brain, casting a sickIy glar