The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1884-07-11
A BLAZING BOY.
-1Ernest w ShurtIeff in Youths Compan

"A EIA-A WIN
Blows Himself out at WILL
As a reporter of the New Orleans Times
| Democrat was sauntering out in the vicinity of
the fair grounds he heard a street urchin who
was all doubled up in his efforts to get a better
| view through a crack in the fence, say "Little
| Jerry is a6re again." Finding a knot hole, the
| reporter closed it up with his inquisitive optic,
| and saw a surprising sight. Sitting there on
| the back gallery of the little house, with his legs
| crossed and in q perfect state Of nudity, was a
| big, fat, chubby boy enveloped in a flame OF
blush light. He was literally on fire from the
| soles of his feet to the crown of his head.
His feet were burning up freely as sticks of
| kindling wood; his fingers were lighted like SO
many tapers; his hair was blazing like a pile
| of fat pine s~havings, and the liquid flames were
| running up and down his entire body. He sat
! there kicking his legs out, clutching at the
| flame, and laughing at the sensation it seemed
to produce. When he would snap his eyes
sparks like those produced b striking flint with
steel weuId fly OUT and scatter in all directions.
Then he would rrS his tongue out, licking up
the fire around hin / then puff it out of his
mouth in Jets and irls as If it were smoke
from a pips., Th9silht was truly a wonderful
n s. 60 I've a~rlcs, strong blow,
and all was extinsuished as if by magic. The
/ reporter was. now dumfounded, but shortly re-
covered andssougAt the front door bell. 1t was
evidently a case requiring investigation. Quite
a handsome middle aged lady answered the
ring, and, on being told the nature of the call,
she invited the scribe in and told him all about
little Jerry.
She said she was his mother, and that her
husband, John L HILBERT, was still alive and
doing contract work on the railroad. jerry, she
said, was the youngest of three children, and
was now 6 years of age.
When he was born, his very deep carnation
color was the cause of much uneasness to both
parents, but the doctor said that at the worst 1t
could only be eczema SO as soon as his const1-
tuition would permit they commenced to rub
him with all sorts of salves, ointmenJs and llnl-
ments, but Jerry only became the relder after
each application of the prescribed preventiyes.
Then the physicians said it was some sort OF
hereditary complaint, but as no disease could
be traced back as far as the great grandparents,
it left to be supposed that the family tree must
have been sick at some period of antiquity, then
recovered only to break out again in little jerry.
Jerry, however, grew apace, notwithstanding
the fact that he was laboring under the disad-
vantages of weighty medical opinions.
Every month found him fatter and of bright
er yermillion hue, and by the time he was three
years of age he was aglow with a red heat.
Just about this time the nurse girl came in
one morning screaming that Jerry was on fire,
and she couldn't put him out. The mother ran
to her boy, only to find him in a circle of flame.
Jerry was in full blaze, but was not being con-
sumed. Water was thrown over him, but to no
purpose. Then they wrapped him liz a blanket,
but it was useless. Jerry continued to burn
tight along. The incident created quite a COM
motion in the house, and batfied the ingenuity
of the inmates. Just then, however, the door
swung open, and a gust of wind came IN, and
Jerry went out.
This was quite a relief, and gave time to send
for a doctor. The doctor came, and on hea ing
what had happened Immediately sent for more
doctors. Consultation on the subject discovered
a variety of medical theories and opinions, none
of which, however, seemed to reach Jerry's case
at least so far as curing it was concerned. The
girl explained that jerry at the time of the out
burst was sitting on the floor, along which he
drew his finger, calling her to look at the bright
spot on the end. She looked and saw the digit
burning like a candle. Suddenly it took a run
ming start and Jerry was completely in flames.
Ever since that day Jerry has been subject to
catching on fire, and seems to enjoy the act i'm
mensely. A draught Of air or a sudden puff of
wind always puts him out, which he can do by
blowing on himself. 1t is impossible to dress
him up or for him 10 sleep In bed like ordinary
children. His father has procured a small iron
bedstead for his use. lie plays in the rain and
stands cold weather without either having the
least effect on him His mother laughed at the
suggestion of exhibiting him in public, but will
allow any one who desires to call and see him
at any time.
The reporter called on several of the eminent
physicians of the city, and although some OF
them have already examined the case, they
were not prepared to pass any definite opinion
on it. 1t might be the mixture of some kind of
gases, that in some u~naccountable way got con-
lined under the skin, and that contact with the
air caused to ignite. 1t might be a termination
of fluid electricity, but nevertheless it is an ex-
traordinary case, and one that the faculty will
endeavor to solve and cure If possible.