Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1889-12-27
PECULIAR SWAII0WERS:
rEArs OF PEOPLE WITH ABNoR-
NAL THRoATS AND MOUTHS.

Notwithstanding; the Sncers OF the Skep-
teal and Uninitiated.
..Of course, we all have heard OF peo-
pie who thrust swords down their
Threats, swallow pebble stones and eat
lass; but nobody believes that they
really do these things"
So writes one who evidently believes
himself TOO sharp to be imposed upon by
any of the ordinary or extraordinary
arts of trickery. But there never was
greater mistake There are many peo-
pie who actually perform the feats emu
merated. They are to be seen in dime
museums, side shows, and occasionally
in bar rooms or on street corners.
THE IRON THROAT"
The writer once had the pleasure Of
scraping the acquaintance Of sword
swallower. He and hairless horse con-
stituted the attractions in small tent
that had been pitched on the outskirts of
a county fair. He called himself "Fe-
retta, the Man with the Iron Throat"
AS soon as dozen people had paid their
dimes and entered the tent Teretta would
bring out his sword and pass it around
for examination. There was no decep-
ton about it. twas of steel, about four
teen inches long, an eighth of an inch
thick, half an inch wide at the hilt and
slightly tapering toward the tip. Feretta
was very deliberate in his movements
AsSuminga posture intended to be grace
full he would throw back his head. insert
the point of the sword in his mouth, and
gently push it downward until the cross
piece or guard prevented it going any
further Then he would throw both
arms behind him for space Of four or
FIVE seconds, after which the sword was
withdrawn as carefully rs it had been
swallowed Then would follow bow,
and smile which appeared rather
forced.
Feretta said the operation frequently
cost him considerable pain. but of this
he never gave public manifestation. He
also said the utmost care was necessary
m performing the feat to avoid injury to
the throat and stomach. Notwithstand-
ing his caution, he occasionally hurt
himself and was obliged to suspend
sword swallowing for few days. But
he had other ways OF entertaining his
patrons. He developed an appetite for
pebble stones, which he turned to &C
count By swallowing about three every
half hour during the day, to the wonder
and admiration Of those who assembled
in his little tent. This was not trick.
The act was done too slowly to admit of
deception. He placed the pebble on his
tongue, permitted it to remain in view
for moment and then closed his mouth.
The pebble reached some destination
within his internal economy, and must
have founG a'restins place in his stom-
ach. He did not pretend that the stones
were digested, but he said they never
gave him any trouble.
GLASS AS FOOD.
Glass eaters have become so numerous
that they find their profession crowded.
I have personally known two of this
class of attractions One of them was
a fellow about 20 years old, who was
ludicrously shy and effeminate (otf the
stage) in appearance and manners. His
only robust feature was magnificent
set of teeth. with which lie bit chunks
out of lamp chimneys and crunched
them almost into powder with apparent
ease. The other was youngster OF not
more than II, known as Little Glass
Sam" He was bright boy, and had
amassed quite a stock of knowledge
about people and places, on which he
could talk intelligently and entertain
ingly. His teeth, too, were white and
sound, and he masticated chunks OF
glass and swallowed the fragments with
neatness and dispatch. He performed
the feat in private before a committee
of physicians, who were forced to admit
the fact, but who were able to advance
no explanation Of how it could be done
without disastrous effects. But no in
;2sicious results followed. ! never knew
a glass eater to cut his gums, tongue, OF
any portion of his mouth. They all say
the swallowed glass has stimulating
effect on those organs by which the sys-
TEN rejects the substances that refuse to
contribute to it's nourishment.
The stories OF princely salaries which
these queer tlroated and tough stom-
ached people receive are for the most
part fictitious Little Glass SAM" be-
ing only boy and small for his age,
ought certainly to have been q drawing
''card" in his line Of work. But he was
frequently thrown on the world, and
ready to do odd jobs of any sort to keep
soul and body together. have known
him within a week to discard the tights
and spangles of the variety stage for the
soiled garb Of a stable boy and consider
himself lucky at that.
A peculiar case was that OF William
Dempster, an English juggler, who In
1898 accidentally swallowed o table
knife, handle and all, which he was
thrusting down his throat. The mishap
was occasioned by the spectators crowd.
Ing around him and causing the knife to
slip from his fingers.
Dsmpster died in great agony after
many Intellectual attempts to relieve
him. II Is related that a similar cass
occurred In Prussia In 1886. This pa
tent was cured BY the extraction OF the
knife through al incision made in his
side.
It cannot be regarded as u great mis-
fortune that the swallowing business Is
waning in popularity. However, there
turks in mankind taste for the hurri-
BILE. md there will probably always be