Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-09-26

CUTICLE FRANK.-The auburn Ad-
vertisef contains an interesting ac-
count of Frank Hanafin, who was
caught in the machinery of saw mill
and fayed alive. This was a most
unfortunate circumstance, for boy
without any skin is liable to be an
noyed by flies. Mosquitoes whose
bills have become blunted by age, or
by boring into candidates for office,
would be certain to select such a lad
as pasture ground-an insectivorous
hide park. These, and other weighty
reasons, induced the parents and phys
icians to attempt procuring new and
complete epidermis for the dennded
boy. Accordingly number of his
school mates were collected together
for the purpose of contributing por-
tons of their own cuticle to supply
the entire lack of that article on their
unfortunate cnmrade. The circum-
stance TRANSFERRED several years since,
but the Advertiser neglected to note
the matter until recently-giving on
ly the initial chapter, when it should
have printed the appendix.
The operation was entirely success
full. There was NO difficulty in pro-
curing vicarious boys; in fact, all the
lads in the county Except dozen or
30 that were detained at home by
way of punishment for truancy)
rushed up to the skinning match and
requested to be flayed. 1t was a con-
spicuous example ofready-made skin
ming.
The operation resulted most favor
ably to Frank, who speedily recovered
and resumed his accustomed place in
the saw mill. In due time Frank
achieved manhood, but the fatal eff
fects of the Joseph's coat of cuticle he
bore became more and more apparent
each day. OF course a man made up
by piecemeal could not have that ho-
m0geniety that is found in human
anatomy of ordinary construction.
Each item of foreign cuticle brought
with it some peculiar characteristic,
mental or physical, that had belong-
ed to its original proprietor. One
lobe of Franks brain was covered
with skin taken from very obstinate
youth, while the epidermis of the
other came from lad that never had
any opinion on any topic. One side
Of his mouth was contributed by a
boy that Swore, the other by chap
that was always at the head of his
class In Sunday School. All these
various sentiments made the young
man constantly unsettled. He was al
ways yielding when he should have
been firm and was human mule
when he should have been INDUCING
in graceful compliance. just at the
moment when he should have
been quoting Watts hymns he
was certain to be profane, and
vice versa. He was an entire fail
ure, simply On account of the pie
bald construction of his skin. A part
Of 1t had been supplied by o boy
whose family had suffered by an ag-
gravated form of cutaneous irrita-
ton that only realizes its normal
growth in seven years. This added
to his ruin. One arm was furnished
by q lad of Presbyterian stock, while
the other came from.a Hard Shell
Baptist. When he wanted to be i'm
mersed the Presbyterian hand
60 under water. Some of
the hide came from family of topers
and some from strictly temperance
stock. When he was tempted to
drink, no was accustomed to turn the
side to the bar and the temp
tation had no avail. One day, by ac-
cident, he turned the wrong side and |
got drunk umintentionally. In many
ways this multitudinously enclosed |
gentleman found life a burden and |
science . Granddaughter.