The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-05-21
4 FlNe MuMMY.

An Account - How the Best-Preservoa
Esypsaa. Mummy Ca0e 20 Amsric..
There have been 80 many different
accounts touching the ancient Egyp-
tan whose mortal rename repose On
the shelves of the Tennessee Historical
Society that the Unios has endeavored
to inquire into their respective authen-
ITCHY.
When Prof. Huxley, the distinguished
scientist, visited Nashville few years
ago, he took great interest in exam
lining this relic Of antiquity, end de-
clared it to be the best specimen of the
kind he had ever seen; and well may it
be 20 considered, for it was selected
from millions of the kind in the cata-
combs on the banks of the Nile especial
" for our Historical Society, and was
stripped Of it, thick coverings and
bandages before il was taken away to
ascertain its perfect condition.
1t was obtained by cur fellOw-citizen.
Pay-Director J. George Harris, of the
navy, who has been lifelong member
of the society, as appears BY an in
scription on the casket that contains it.
While Mr.. Harris was attached to the
frigate Wabash as feet pay-mastcr of
our Mediterranean squadron in the
year 1889, and when the ship was
about to leave Alexandria, in Egypt, a
gentleman for whom as friend he had
done some service asked if there was
any favor he could render in return. to
which Mr.. H. jOcularly replied that he
could think of nothing unless it was to
send him to the headquarters of the
fleet on the shore of Italy a first-class
specimen of an Egyptian mummy for
the Tennessee Historical Society. The
! ship sailed on a cruise. and he thought
nothing more of it for months.
One bright morning in May. as the
flagship Wabash was lazily swinging at
her anchors in the beautiful bay of
Naples. the frigate Macedonian. one of
the squadron, came booming in under
full sail from Alexandria, and he was
soon informed that it had on board a
mummy in q box to his address, at
which intelligence he was not little
ANNOYED, for he had intended his re-
mark to his Alexandria friend merely as
a Joke, for he knew there was law in
Egypt forbidding the expectation of
such relics. When, on opening the box.
he beheld . nude figure where he ex-
pected for the moment to find a hand
sOmely ornamented sarcophagus COW
cred artistically with hieroglyphics. he
was somewhat disappointed until he re-
Elected that he had in q jolly way ex-
pressly requested that it should be
| nl SELL hofa
being sent that he might obtain per-
feet specimen for historical purposes.
So it came to pass that the mummy was
brought home in the Wabash and for
wardcd without delay to Mr.. Patterson.
then president of the Tennessee HistOr-
zeal Society at Nashville. who hand
somely acknowledged its receipt ''in
good order and well-conditioned.'
1t was placed in a glass case by the
secretary, which soon became some
what dilapidated. and the atmosphere
probably OccasiOned some little erumb-
ling of the extremities. but few years
ago Judge John NJ Lea. the president,
presented it with beautiful rosewood
case. which is not only useful but Orna-
mental.
The historical and scientific value of
this specimen consists in its entire nu-
dity. which shows the extent of its
preservation. Many museums in the
country have mummies on exhibition as
curiosities, with closely-wrapped and
brnamented coverings where the face
only is to be seen. but the object of this
specimen is to show how perfectly after
death was preserved 1.-The human form
divine thousands of years ago by the
lost art of embalming.-NashriileU Union.