The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-07-12

we expect 70 ind her approaching the gene
raj vveight and appearance OF q human
skeleton-
To Biz rule there has, neverthele<s, been
one apparent exception which has greatly
puzzled our scientific men. This exception
was the Rev. Eliza Wilkinson. who lately
ministered to the Free-wil Universalist
congregation in a town in Illinois But Il
has now been discovered that even the ap-
parently well-rounded form of the Rev.
Eliza was no exception after all The
Times relates now the astonishing discovery
was made, as follows:
The Rev. Miss Wilkinson approached the
Town Hall ut precisely five minutes before
8 O'Clock, and at once perceived that she
could never force her way through the
people to the stage. In this emergency,
one of the town trnstees-Mr. Henry
Barnes. q man Of unimpeachable v~eracity
proposed that she should gain a rear WIN
dow by means of a ladder. and so reach
the stage without difficulty. To this pro-
posal she assented, and, the ladder being
procured, Mr.. Barnes held it while she cau-
tiously assembled to the window. He has
since testified that, in spite OF the utmost
discretion on his part, Miss W~ilkinson's os-
tensible plumpness could not escnpe his
notice, and he repudiates with scorn the
suggestion that the fact that the stripes
were horizontal produced upon him an i'm
preston OF q ~plumpness which did not
really exist There happened to be a sharp
nail projected from the side Of the ladder
near the upper end, and Mr.. Barnes asserts
that Miss Wilkinson. having gouged one Of
her-in short, having come in contact with
this nail, gave a little shrek which drew
his attention to-. AT any rate, he claims
that 1t WINS not his fault, and that he was
not the victim Of a mere ocular delusion.
The eloquent and plump reformer was
received by the audience with great ap.
plause, and began a superb oration upon
" Sincerity" She demanded men. and
women should be, above all things, sincere,
and should avoid shams and pretenses Of
all kinds. Warming with her argument,
abe walked to and fro upon the stage, and
occasionally stamped her foot with manly
emphasis. Soon the audience began to
notice q curious deposit, Of the color and
general appearance of bran, which formed
little ridges along the stage wherever the
speaker walked. 1t was also noticed that
whenever she stamped her foot, or remain
ed in one position for n few moments, q
small mound Of the mysterious substance
made its appearance. After q time another
phenomenon created fresh establishment.
Miss Wilkinson was obviously growing
thinner. Her dress hung loosely upon her,
and before long she presented the appear
ance Of q very hin schoolgirl wearing the
lothes OF q fat aunt. 1t was not until Miss
Wilkinson had wasted to an extent that
created unusual horror and dismay that she
herself noticed that anything was wrong.
As abe cnst her eyes downward she per-
ceived the deposit Of bran. Instinctively
putting both hands to her waist, she felt
that her plumpness had vanished, and as
the full extent of her calamity flashed upon
her, she sank in n fainting fit to the floor,
and was carried out by two deacons-a
mere bundle of clothing enclosing a scarcely
pcrceptible quantity Of female reformer.
The bran was swept up there WINS
nearly n bushel OF it-and q desperate at
tempt wns made to hush the matter up.
Mr.. Barnes, however, could not be bribed
to silence, and the scientific men who no.
cept his explanation bless the friendly mil
which accidentally demonstrated that Miss
Wilkinson is no exception to the great law
that all female reformers consist chiefly of
bones.-Nep York Times.