News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-01-31
SOMEWHAT STRANGE.
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS OF
EVERYDAY LIFE.
Newsy Stories Novel Facts and Queer
Happenings Here and There.

FARMER JOSIAH A. FINCH, of Winnl-
pauk, Conn, had an aventure the other
morning that he will not soon forget.
AS was his usual practice, he went to his
barn an hour OF more before daylight to
milk the COWS, preparatory to starting
on his route to Norwalk, when he heard
q great commotion among his Pigs, that
were confined in pen at the rear of his
carriage house. He fastened to see
what was the trouble, and as he was
cropping along in the dark he was sud
denly attacked by a large black object,
that fastened its long, sharp claws deep
into his flesh. Finch caught the animal
by the foreleg and throat, when the lat
ter, in return, fastened his teeth deep
into the farmers arm and held on with
o grip of iron. A severe tussle ensued.
and it was a question for time which
would get the best of the fight. The
animal was finally forced to release its
grip, and was thrown to the ground.
Regaining its feet in an instant, it
jumped toward Mr.. Finch and fastened
its teeth into the f1eshy part of his
shoulder. Another struggle ensued,
but Mr.. Finch finally stumbled across
heavy barrel stave, which no picked up,
and beat the animal until it fell to the
l.
On returning with lantern, however,
this surmise proved to be incorrect, and
the farmer is still mystifed to know
what the savage animal could have been.
1t is supposed to be wild cat.
MARY SEMoNs, 10 years of age, has
delivered four sermons in Falmouth,
Ky, and is becoming quite popular as
preacher. She has a good voice and
splendid delivery for one SO young.
Mary is the daughter of fairly well-to-
do farmer who lives about four miles
from this place. From infancy she dis
played unusual brightness. About eight
months ago she joined the Baptist
Church at Falmouth, and said that the
Lord had called upon her to preach. She
first addressed small congregation at
her fathers house, and succeeded so
we'll that she spoke next in church
near by. The little girl soon had rop-
utation throughout the neighboring
counties After several months in the
country she preached at Falmouth, and
! her success was greater than it was in
| the rural districts. Under her ministry
several persons joined the church.
Many allege that her sermons cannot be
surpassed by any grown man or woman.
Mary is rather small for her years, has
sharp features, black eyes and hair, and
is very intelligent. She will continue
her services at Falmouth for several
weeks, and then she Will goto the larger
Kentucky towns
LEWISTON, Me-, has curious visitor in
the person of French Canadian girl by
the name of Josephine Bedard, who
comes from Tingwick in the Province of
Quebec. When the child was ten years
old her mother died, leaving her serious
ly i'll. Josephine, however, being of q
strong constitution. recovered, but
when she learned of her mothers
death she was Frustrated with grief.
She refused all food, and took only q
small quantity of warm water each day
in the way of nourishment. Seven
years have now passed since the girl
has tasted IA particle of food. She
seems to never feel desire for it, and
when the family is ut the table she
leaves the dining room, the sight of
food displeasing her. Despite her long
fast, the girl seems to be in good health
andcertainly is rosy checked and well
developed for one of her age. Her
father is something of a spiritualist, and
thinks he sees visitations of the hand of
God in her case. The case has baffied
the physicians and experts III Canada.
A WILD man has been captured in the
forests of Russell County, near Horse
Fall Creek, Ky. Tho capture was eff
fected after a long chase, rs tho man
fed like deer when approached, and
had to be run down by party of men
on horseback. He could utter some
words, but refused TO speak after few
moments, only saying that his name f!
was Jim. He is very tall, about fifty or
sixty years old, and with very gray hair
and beard. His clothing consisted of
few rags, his feet were bare and his !
body greatly emaciated and covered |
with sores. He had been living in II
rude bark hut, and had an AK, but no
fire. He subsisted, it is presumed, on
corn, few ears of which were found i'll
his hut. He had beeen seen by hunters
for the past three monts, but no one
was able to get near him before. No
body knows him, but it is supposed he
is lunatic from some remote point in
that or other states. He has been
placed in the Russell County Jail.
PARTIES living ut Anna Station, few
miles from Delphos, Ohio, on the Pitts
burg Railroad, are greatly excited over
the finding of q rare treasure-a remark
able collection of old coins. Charles
Manning, while chopping down hollow
beach tree, which was apparently one
hundred and fifty years old, had his at
tention drawn to q peculiar-loolSing
earthen jar which was well -sunken i'll
the centre of the hollow butt. A few
blows of the AK liberated it from its
confined position, and after securing it
it was opened and found filled to the
brim with silver coin. They were all of
Spanish mintage with n few exceptions,
and they were coins issued by the Por-
tugese and italian Governments. Some
of these coins we're over three hundred
years old, but all the Spanish silver
pieces were about two hundred years
old. The face value of the coin is about
$500, but as much of it is very rare it
will bring 81 900 readily.
A MOST curious accident happened on
the Cleveland, Lorraine and Wheeling
Railroad, just over the river from
Wheeling, w. Va. The yard engine
was left ON the track with steam I'D
while the crew went to dinner In somo
unknown way, it is supposed by the
tampering of small boys, the throttle
was opened just rs passenger train
passed and the switch was thrown open
The engine quickly acquired momentum
until it was dashing at a spec I of 60
miles au hour over the crooked tracks,
for the most part built on high trestIe.
Over the river it whizze past the aston
ished people along the line clear to Bel
laire, five miles from the starting point,
where it crashed into long train of !
freight cars heavily laden with coke.
The engine was demolished, and it rain
ed coke for rods in all directions No
body was hurt, but the money loss is
heavy.
A WONDERFUL phenomenon has been
dicovered in Knox County, Ind, near
the village of Decker. The county
there is very wild and sparsely settled.
Two hunters who were making their
way through it came across q burning
lake. The body of water is almost cir 1
culur in its outline, and it is about {
half-mile in circumference. A blaze .
nearly a foot in height extends over its
surface. The hunters, terrified at the [
startling sight, at once alarmed the peo- ]
pie of that vicinity, and large numbers
daily visit the strange lake of fire. The
odor from it is like that of burning sui
phur, but no smoke is perteptbie. It [
is generally believed that we'll of oil il
located under the lake has burst, and {
coming to the surface, WAS ignited in
some manner. The superstitious people
who inhabit that region are greatly al
armed over the phenomenon. !
T.ounoN ATCCop>rICr an oo4or ~