The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-08-24

doors dUOfos NlHttccutu, OA iAC Soeeh
side, the subject being Richard Moore,
who for over thirty years has been a
piano-mover in this city.
The affiiction is very strange one,
and seems wholly confined to his mouth,
over which he has not the slightest con-
troll, and his teeth keep up constant
chattering and clashing together, and,
without any guiding on his part or with
out the slightest movement of his body,
will commence aud chatter together in
perfect tune, .aA'if playing a musical
composition. The sounds which they
produce vary continually, and bear the
exact resemblance Of performer play
inc a medley on pair of bones. A re-
porter heard of the strange case and
went to investigate the matter. Several
inquiries and directions finally landed
him in front of neat, two-story frame
house, surrounded by a fruit yard, in
which several flower beds were carefully
arranged; the place, however, bearing a
singularly stin and deserted appearance.
The window Shades were tightly closed,
the gatefaytened with a double bolt, and
the door, over which beautiful vine
crept and trailed, seemed secured against
all intrlsders, IN answer to a ring at the
door, an old negress, very cleanly
dressed, and with face marked by deep
burrows, as if from watching and work.
ing, opened the door, and, with a look
Of wonderment in. her. face, invited the
visitor to. enter An inquiry as to the
nature of the call, started her on the
subject, and she talked very freely, but
withsa certain air of restraint as if deal
ing With Something she could mot ex-
plafas Il { I'D III
ats goin' unto three years since he's
been that way she commenced, ssand
nobody krpwsswhat's come over him..
His mouth keeps goin' all the time, and
plays all sorts Of tunes, and his head
ways up and down as if he hadn't any
thing to do with it at all. We've had
four OF. five doctors, and all of them
sseem to think something different about
it, but don't know, and sometimes
think that Dicks belief Of it is about the
best. He always has been religious
man, and ever since he was boy he's
led class in Sunday-school, and since
this came on him he thinks that it's sent
by the devil, who, he says is always tor
menting him, and has got him. He
always talks about dyin' and being pos
sessed of the devil, and I don't know but
he's right. But wait minnit and III
bring him in,'' and she passed quickly
out into the hall, and called her husband
by name. In a few minutes shuffling
step was heard coming down the stairs,
and in another instant peculiar sound
couldsbe detected, as of some one clat-
tering a pair of bones together, as the
old man entered the room, slowly and
feebly, leaning on his cane, and, with
his head hanging down on his breast, he
presented a striking appearance. His
frame, naturally very large and power
full, was wasted away almost to a
skeleton, and his clothes hung loosely
from his shoulders. His cheeks were
thin and hollow, and unusually pale for
. negro. His eyes, which were very
large, and possessing the intense black
ness of his race, were deeply sunken in
their sockets and overshadowed by bushv
gray eyebrows. His hair was rather long
and of a peculiar silver color, streaked
here and there with a thread Of black,
and a thin beard of the same description
shaded the lower part of his face. He
,x,s., .zl....I. J....l :.
wa, Was pialnly dressed IN a SUIT OF jeans,
W. oa ahr see,nea smo sizes r. 100 large Ior
~. .ha s,m uaNen lo.in: ne came ln.o
i iau o anns ne ,sa ana ms
t.asa aaaeu uneashy OUT
f,, U.a anusl m,s pusly EYEBROWS Win
t ~ nndq d.ncAness, as \ OF one expecting
tS;nn 49, suhG ay'hs olueal. Inc
ance ,va nv .ha g ,aaa aoeas ms appear
.,l;o,, - .no ioSn ~ in,ense s..leting
So sega - ses'leu anu roo,eu INTO MS
an,,earan n J. pe ~ paF. 9. ms natural
say;nr 1vo,d ~ s su.,'eu niialsel Mi1hout
,. -, - = moiu, , anu piacing ms cane
in foora.har a,,d aI ~ ~ hanus nervous
;tsed no aaH ae' ~ ne1sI tlfop PACK
ssss = !, = l..,t q. ny ps',lst. I's
~ J g 9 ss.':l al,oalcnIsfy, however,
Of his face annonnced a,e ras = 1865
m attaelr Tha- ,,s,uo,,s 49, 49,. =
allva increased mil h;s s,s.,,, 49,
seemed e worE un,ier ID ;n6ranno 80
his teeth commancf,d +, chatter scst,s s.a -
first, as il be vj&s seized with i cola aim
md increasing it id loudness unti1 Fl
could Be heard some distance off. The
Regularity In fact, perfect HARMONY