The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-11-29
A Rough Rat Story.

w. M. Read, of Bolivar. Tenn, con-,
tributes the following grim story to the
Memphis Ledger:
A few days ago quite singular oc-,,
currence happened on farm owned by)
Mr.. Wood, a medical practitioner here
in this vicinity. The occurrence was
not SO very singular either; no more
than you see or hear of most every day
of our lives, but the peculiar way in.
which it happened is something novel.
We very often hear of person dying
when lying down, or FRUSTRATED in
some way, but we scarce, if ever heard
of one breathing his last when standing'
erect, without single support except
one hand resting slightly upon a frail
object by his side. Nevertheless, he
passed off with similar grace and ease
to join the silent band, as one who is
reclining upon the downiest couch. But
such is the case that happened on
the place above mentioned. A colored
man by the name of Andrew jackson
came to town, and on returning home
again, when passing Mr.. Woods farm
he demanded of tho driver to let him
get out of the wagon. After getting
out he walked on toward the dwelling.
On arriving tffero-ffe- -ttfqrtred- -fof-tife-
doctor. He was told that he was away
but would be back in q short time. He
then said that he would go on to the
barn where he could lie down, for he
felt little sick, and would come back
when the doctor returned. Nothing
more was thought about it until that
night, when the lad who was employed
in feeding the stock went into the sta
BILE as usual, to go through with the
routine of his duties, but upon entering
he became aware that he was not the
only occupant. A man stood directly
in front of him. The boy spoke to him
but receiving no reply, he turned and
fled to the house to acquaint his master
of the facts. They both returned
with light, SO they could easily dis
cover the motives OF the intruder. Lit
tie did they think that the man was q
corpse, standing there like a statue,
until they had approached quite close
to him with the glaring light falling
full upon his distorted features, one
hand resting on the fodder racks and
hat poised on one side of his head. He
never stood more erect in his life. Of
course it was not pleasant picture to
look upon, so the doctor and youth
quietly retraced their steps to the house
and dispatched for the coroner, who
did not arrive till about midnight A
post mortem examination took place in
which the jurymen were puzzled to
know whether the deceased had met
his death by rats, or otherwise, for dur
ing the interim the rats had clambered
up the dead mans legs and thence to
his shoulders, where the rapacious YER
min began to mitigate their carnal de-
sires by first taking off his ears, then
his nose and lastly his lips. Of course
this left the face destitute of three of
the most prominent features. You can
imagine that he did not look much like
a human being. No wonder the jury
men felt little uneasy when they en-
tered the stable door and saw man
before them without either ears, nose
or lips, and teeth showing like that of
a grinning cur. The decision of the
jury was soon rendered, and read as
follows: ''Uncertain whether the man
met his death by some unknown mala-
dy, or by rats being little too rough
on him.