Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-06-01
4 STORY ABOUT EARS.

The Lafayette lind Courier has this
curious story: 4 strange and wonder
full phenomenon has been brought to
our Office in the person of little Willie
Lester. whose father is we'll to- do
farmer on the Wea Plains. Willie is
only about ten years old, unusually
bright and intelligent for his age, aud
has always been remarkable in his
neighborhood for his wonderful ears.
His right one is perfectly immense,
being, We should judge as large as a
palm leaf fan, while the other Is no
bigger than the ear OF an ordinary. sized
wax doll. Until quite recently nothing
unusual bad ever been noticed in his
hearing, but lately he has developed
wonderful powers in that direction.
With his small ear he can hear the faint,
est buzZiug OF the smallest bugs and in.
sects, aud can even detect sounds ut
tered by the mInutest animalCule-so
small that they are not even visible 10
the naked eye. / ily running along a
window pane, a caterpillar crawling
across n sheet OF paper, makes sufficient
noise TO attract HE attention even when
his back is turned. The sense Of hear
ing is so acute ia this ear that ii is nb
solutely painful to him and he is coin.
PEELED to wear a cork in il at all times.
The right and large ear is quite the
reverse of its little companion in both
its powers and properties To it those
minute and near sounds 80 plainly dis
CernIhla to the other are lost, but dis
tant noises are readily heard. Although
residing fifteen and a Quarter miles
from any railroad lafayette being the
nearest point--yet Willie can distinctly
hear the trains and mills blowing their
whistles. aud can easily distinguish be.
tween the engine bells aud the city
bells. When the Wabash roundhouse
blew up some weeks since. Willie felt
the shock as severely as though he had
been in the building itself lie bad
been uuwcll for some days and was
sleeping later than usual that morning.
and when the explosion occurred he
sprang from the bed with frightened
scream, aud holding his ear with both
hands. stood for sometime trembling IN
the middle Of the room. On clear DAYS
he has often heard Sheriff Taylor sum.
moning witnesses from the court house
window. He distinctly heard the noise
of the mob ai kokomo on Monday
night, which was q very clear night.
Although unable 10 make out what
they were doing. vet he heard tho
shouts Ropes down Z Times up and
heard poor Long sing sec That My
Grave is Kept Green the tune Of which
Willie at once recognized, and in a low,
sweet song sang tho accompaniment II
being quite familiar to him. lie can
hear the coming Of a storm long before
there are any signs of it in the air. and
even long before the weather bureau
gives notice Of i,s approach. At the
suggestion Of a neiRhbor. Mr. Lester
bad a wire Rauzc lid with tin rim made
to I'll over Willie's ear. II consists Of
two thicknesses Of gauze the outer one
being OF larger mesh than the inner
one between the two there is an in.
tervening thickness of loose flannel to
soften sounds Willie wears it contin.
ually and this has the effect Of reduc.
ing his hearing to q normal condition.
Willie is a handsome. fair faced, golden
haired little man, exceedingly shy and
timed, and any notice taken Of him
seems to be quite painful to the little
fellow