The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-08-11
Self Inundated.

Since the discovery of the genus
crank, which is of comparatively recent
date, people have almost ceased to be
surprised at any of their whims or
freaks.
For some time past, however, there
have been rumors of a family residing
on one of the hills of South Omaha I'M
der remarkable circumstances, it be-
ing stated that they never left the house
under any circumstances, and that
they were cranky in many other re-
| spects. A Bee reporter Investigated the
matter and found that not only were the
reports true. but that the case was even
worse than it had been related.
| For reasons that can not be ignored
by the reporter the name of the family
is suppressed for the present, although
1t may be given at an early day with
the purpose of having the matter looked
into by the authorities. The family
consists of the father and mother and
seven children. They reside in neat
and ordinary-looking cottage, which is
somewhat isolated from its neighbors,
being on cross street as yet but
sparsely built up. In this house the
man and wife have lived alone for near
! W Icn JtdISs duu all LHclI C0llCTcu
have been born here. More than that
they have never been permitted to see
the outside world at all, and neither
parents nor children have ever stirred
outside of the house except at night,
when they occasionally walk out in the
dark of the moon. They have dealt
steadily for ten years with one grocer,
who furnishes their supply of meat and
fuel as well as of provisions, and it was
from him that pointer was obtained
under promise of secrecy. He sends
the supplies up in the evening, and they
are taken in through window in the
rear of the house, SO that he has never
seen any of the family. The bill is
paid regularly once month and
there seems to be no lack of money to
support the family, who never kick
about any bills.
Another curious freak of this curious
outfit is that they keep coffin in the
house for each member of the family,
and order a new one as often as it Is
increased in number. These collins are
procured from some point in the East,
and are all of the size for adults, so
that they will be large enough whether
the owner dies at an early age or at
maturity. They are stored in the attic
of the cottage, and are kept ready for
use at all times.
The physician who has attended the
family at necessary periods has done
so regularly ever since they began this
curious life In Omaha. He has never
seen one of them, though he has
ushered all the children into the world.
He is as much mystitied as any one, but
as he always receives fee of twenty
five dollars in gold for each visit, how
ever trifiing the ailment, he is well sat
isied to keep mum. The doors and
windows of the residence are kept
closed in the warmest weather, and to
the neighbors and passers-by it seems
to be vacant house.
Who the parties are. or what is
meant by this living entombment, is
something known to no one in this city,
and what secret cause exists for so un-
usual way of living is question TO be
answered by speculation only, but it
certainly is heathenish fact which
ought not to be allowed to exist in this
enlightened era Omaha Bee.