Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1883-07-27
LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE.

LITTLE THINGS in LIFE.
Some Of the slight Causes that Have Pro-
duced Important Results-Accldents and
Incidents bringing Death 10 some and
Fortunes TO Others-What Fate Had Ia
Store.
How slight thing causes death. and
yet through what beatings and failings,
explosions and shootings, wars and bat
ties, shipwrecks and perils on land and
sea, some persons pass and still survive
TO good old age, A short time ago n
child in this city choked to death on a
grain Of coffee. Mrs. Marks, a lady
of sixty-two, undertook TO remove a
wart on her forehnger by an application
Of concentrated I've exhibiting degree
of wisdom similar TO that Of the man
who fired his barn in order TO burn out
n wasp-nest in the eaves), and her sys-
TEN was thus poisoned. A Mr.. Me
Cabe, of st. Louis, had slight
pimplc on his cheek. "Cut 1t of, -
he said to the barber He did,
and in ten days time u cancer devel-
oped, and Mr.. McCabe paid the forfeit
with his life.
Fear causes many accidents, showing
how powerful some peoples imagination
is to hatch out the eggs of disaster into
full-hedged chickens Of death and sick
ness. General w. S. Harney, the IN
dian-fghter, used to tell story of n
young Lieutenant who went with him to
an Indian banquet Among other deli
cacies they had some rattlesnake,
stewed, fried and boiled. The meat
was white, tenderand juicy. The Lieu
tenant ate heartily OF it, and pronounced
il finer than any spring chicken he had
ever eaten. AT last the General said to
him; "Do you know that was rattle
snake you liked so muchPn The Lieuten-
ant turned deadly pale, was seized with
violent retchings, and died before morn
ing with spasms ofthe stomach, brought
on entirely by imaginary fear
Surgeon-General Francis, of the In
dian Medical Service, tells Of drum
mer who was suddenly aroused from
his sleep by something crawling over
his naked legs. He imagined it was a
cobra, and his friends collected by the
Outcry thought so, too, and he was
treated accordingly. Incantations, such
as are customary with the natives on
these occasions, were resorted to, and
the poor fellow was hagellated with
twisted cloths on the arms and LEGS in
view partly to arouse him, but princi-
pally to drive out the evil influence
(spifiD that for the time being had taken
possession of him, With the first dawn
of light the cause of the fright was dis
covered in the shape of harmless
lizard, which was lying crushed and
half killed by the side of the poor drum
mer, but it was too late. From the
when he believed that poison
GUS snake bad bitten him he passed into
an increasing collapse until he died.
The drummer was not a strong lad, and
the shock was too much for him.
The most remarkable death from the
accident of fright was that Of the Dutch
painter, Penteman, in the seventeenth
century. He was at work on a picture
in which were represented several death
heads, grinning skeletons, and other
objects calculated to inspire the beholder
with contempt for the vanities and
follies of the day. In order to do his
work the better he went to an anatom-
ical room and used it for studio. One
sultiy day, as he was drawing these
relics Of mortality by which
he was surrounded, he fell off into a
luiet sleep, from which he was suddenly !
aroused. Imagine his horror at behold |
ng the skulls and bones dancing around |
him like mad, and the skeletons which |
hung from the ceiling dashing them
selves together Panic-stricken, he
rushed from the room and threw him.
'elf headlong from window onto the
pavement below. He sufficiently recov-
sred to learn that the cause of his fear
vas slight earthquake, but his nervous
iystem had received so severe a shock
hat he died in a few days.
Frederick I.,of Prussia, was killed by
IN accident of fear. He was one day
ileeping in an armchair, when his wife,
louisa, of Mecklenberg, who had for
iome time been hopelessly insane, es-
'aped from her keepers and made her
way to the Kings private apartments.
Breaking through a glass door, she
lhbbled herself in blood, and in rag
ng fit of delirium cast herself upon the
King. The latter, who was not aware
# the hopclessness of her lunacy, was
o Mortified at the appearance Of a
woman clad only in linen and covered
With blood that he imagined. with a
uperstition characteristic Of the age,
hat it was the White Lady, whose
host, according to-time-honored tradi-
ion, invariably appeared when death
gas around the house Of Brandenburr.
le was seized with q fever and died in
tx weeks.
More ridiculous was the death of the
'rench Marshal, DE Montrevel. whose
rhole soul, " says St. Simon. "was but
mbiiion and lucre. without ever hav-
ng been able 10 distinguish his right
and from his left but concealing his
ignorance with an audacity
Fhich favor. fashion and birth protect
d. He was a very superstitious man,
nd one day a salt-cellar was upset At
ubllc dinner In his lap. and 50 fright
ned was he that be arose and announced
BAT he was a dead man. He reached
ONE and died in q few DAYS. in 1916,
ierAlly scared 20 death by the absurd
asualty of a salt-ccllar's turning over.
Slight accidents. trivial in themselves.
fien produce most ill-timed and fatal
ssu'fs Anacreon. the Greek poet of
re. choked 70 defth with a erape-
one Eschyirs vas killed br Al earie
pppinE tortoise % his hssi. sup
osing i wasa rock William he Con-
uer0r vas killed b. being thrown On 20
be- pummel of his saddle. and Chrvsop-
us. the philosopher. laughed himself 10
cath ct seeing 81 ass eating frs.
Ioiiera. TIE great French comedian and
rnnafisi. eceideniaiiy killed himself
bile playinx one II lie pieces Tie
I1n Who Ffaends 10 b Dead
ul rrrlr Death. rranFef ai hIs STAR.
HrrIt rc if trfff HIft Ir ~ FREE wnrt
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