St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-18
AN IOWA MANS AFFLlCTION.

A Three-Legged Lamb, a One
cared Colt, a Three-HOrned Calf,
Etc.
Omaha World.
The old adage that "lightning never
strikes twice III the same place" is at
last disproved, providing the story of o
farm laborer named George Evans. who
for the past week has been staying at
the st. James hotel in Omaha, is true.
Evans bears the reputation of honesty,
and, while his tale is strange one,
there is no reason to doubt its posi-
bility.
Evans stated that for the past three
years he has been employed by James
q. Stevenson, Well-to-dO-farmer living
in Iowa, about seventeen miles south of
Council Bluffs. During that time nature
has dealt unkindly with his former en-
ployer, and the rules of generation have
been most culpably disObeyed, inasmuch
as no less than four freaks and possible
candidates for dime museum fame have
first drawn breath OH his farm.
During the spring of 1885 lamb was
born having only three legs. 1t was
healthy animal, and straightway became
great favOrite with Mr.. StevenSOn'S
children and was given the exalted pO-
sitiOn of the family pet by unanimous
consent. The animal, now full-grOwn
sheep, hobbies around on his two front
feet and one hind leg in state of per-
petual enjoyment. Even his wool, up
to the present time, has been considered
sacred, and he will not be sheared until
he is three years of age.
During the following summer gray
mare was delivered of a fOal, we'll
formed, with the exception that nature
had forgotten to supply her with more
than one ear. The hide on the right
side of the head was as smoothly drawn
as on the body, and there was no hole
to even mark the spot where the ear
should be. While this coincidence was
the subject of considerable remark in
the neighborhOOd, nothing in particular
evolved from it except the giving of a
nickname to Mr.. Stevenson, who to this
day is known by the Sobriquet of Zone
lined SteVe.''
But the superstitiously inclined in the
neighborhOod found renewed cause
during the following fall for annOunc-
ing their belief that curse rested upon
the house of Stevenson. This
new fire-brand, which caused
the idiOtic wisdom of believers
in things supernatural to loudly
explode and added many new converts
to their ranks, was the birth of a calf
during the spring of the present year,
which shortly after developed into
freak of the first magnitude by the dis
cOvery that it had three distinct horns.
The third horn was exactly in the mid
die of the forehead and grew just below
the eyes.
After time the gossip subsidized, but
new impetus was given to scandal
mOngerS eight weeks ago, to continue
them in their previous opinions and
Openly7expressed belief in the interfer-
ence of supernatural powers to cause
their neighbOrs humiliation and suffer-
ing. This event was nothing more nor
less than the birth of male
infant having but one leg. The child
lived but a few hours and was
buried on the farm. The tongues of the
gOssips wagged furiOusly, and it was
even intimated that Mr.. Stevenson was
receiving punishment at the hands of
God for crimes committed in the past.
Finally, one old tea-table gossip felt
herself called upon to inform "Sister
Stevenson that curse rested upon the
home of her husband, and so worked
upon the fears of the lady, who was in
most delicate state of health, as to
cause temporary insanity, during which
she made piteOus appeals to her hus-
band to confess his crimes and ap-
peal to his Heavenly Father for forgive
ness.
Two weeks ago Mrs. Stevenson again
became rational, and, on advice of her
physicians. change of scene for the
sick lady was resolved upon. and yester-
day the family started for their former
home in New York state.