The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-10-02
MAKES FOLKS DANCE.
Strange Effects Of Water Found IN
Texas-A Remarkable Natural Fluid.

Strange Effects Of Water Found in
Texas-A Remarkable Natural Fluid.
4 discovery of immense scientific IN
terest has recently been discovered near
this place, Saysa Wharton (TexaS) letter
to the Philadelphia I3mes-a discovery
which it is thought will add hitherto
unknown element to the SlNtv-tlve
already familiar 10 the chemist. Chud-
leigh Mason, a prominent cotton planter
living about five miles from town, while
| boring an artesian we'll on his place
struck water few days ago at a depth
of 215 feet. A powerful stream was
thrown up with loud report and a
! trembling of the surrounding earth.
Mr.. Mason, in order to test the quality
of the wafer, drank glass of 1t, and
the negro workmen also crowded about
and drank freely of the water, which
was found to be very cold and good,
though possessed of a slight unfamiliar
flavor, which was, however, not dlsa-
greeable.
Within quarter of an hour, or even
less, after drinking the water MIR. Ma
son began to feel strange twltchlngS IN
the muscles of the face, and his work
men also commenced 10 complain of the
same sensation. This twitching soon
extended 10 the arms and legs, increas-
ing all the while in violence, until at
last the negroes cast themselves down,
crying that they had been conjured,
and rolled about on the ground shrek
ing aloud and writhing with hldcous
contortions of the face and body. AS
the jerking and jumping OF the muscles
of the limbs grew more and more vlo-
lent all hands sprang up and joined IN
a wild, uncomfortable dance, or rather
hopping up and down like so many
disturbed frogs. Mr. Mason, describing
his sensations, says that he was con-
sclous of feeling of great eXhllaratlon
and an increased NaeateneSs of every
sense. The sight of the leaping negroes,
who were too frightened to realize that
they were suffering only from fear, and
their cries and shrieEs provoked MIN to
bursts of laughter that sounded almost
maniacal. Mrs Mason, seeing her hus-
bands extraordinary behavior, became
alarmed and, running out, attempted to
hold him down, but, though he endeay-
ored to assist her by clinging with all his
strength to a post, it was founo lmpoS-
sible to restrain him.
This dance was kept mp until sheer
exhaustion caused the involuntary par
ticpants to fall PROSTATE to the earth,
where they lay and kicked for some
minutes, after which they fell into a
deep sleep. This sleep was the heavy,
dreamless slumber that follows in;oxlca-
ton and lasted for several hours, bu7
left them with clear heads and no evil
consequences beyond soreness of the
back aud limbs and a pain in the face
resembling neuralgia, which, however,
soon passed away.
Mr.. Mason sent jug of the water to
Houston, to have it analyzed, but the
chemists of that city profess themselves
at complete loss to account for one OF
the elements entering into the compost
ton of the water, and give as their
unanimous opinion that it may be added
to the number of known elemeLtS as a
siXty-SiIth. This element impartS to
the water beautiful bright blue tinge
of a metallic lustre and gives taste
more like that Of fresh cider than any
| thing else. When the water is heated
the element passes off in a colorless gas
of most agreeable odor, resembling
the perfume of tube-roSeS, only more
penetrating and pungenr, and so power
full that a gallon of water simmeriug
over slow fire will render whole
house fragrant for hours. Taken from
the well and left to stand, however, the
water loses lis beautiful blue color and
/ thicEeus 70 the consistency Of turpep-
Tine, with a faint greeniSh tinge, and
will when drunk or inhaled produce vio-
lent nausea and vomiting. accompanied
by swimming in the head and fail
ure of the sight and hearing which lasts
for hours
The negroes about have christened the
we'll Devils Water" and regard it with
superstitious awe. and, with one excep-
ton, cannot be prevailed upon to even
approach it. This exception is an old
darkey familarly known as Uncle Dence,
who is actually becoming a confirmed
drunkard on the water, on which he
indulges in daily spree ir spite of all
attempts to keep him from drinking it.
He claims that he feels younger and
spryer after each dance. Many Of the
crowds that come daily from all parts of
the County, and even from adjacent
ones, to visit this we'll have the curiosity
10 taste the water to judge of its singu-
lar qualities for themselves, and it Is
curious to observe the different ways in
which it affects individuals, for, while
the twitching of the nerves and muscles
and the uncomfortable propensity to
dance are common to all, the effect on
the minds of different persons IS of
endless variety.
One man will shout for Joy, betrayins
all the abandonment of child; another
will weep with gentle melancholy; a
third will sing hymns, and perhaps a
fourth at the same time will be praying
aloud. Your correspondent found
himself reciting whole pages of blank
verse from the different poets that he
had been unconscious of having re-
tanned in his memory. The effect on
the spirits is delightful in the extreme,
a feeling of exhilaration and lightne>S
pervading the whole system and the
senses take on an acuteness and refine
ment that is most remarkable.
Bv the advice of one OF the ab!est
chemists OF Houston a Dramatically
scaled jar of this wonderful liquor has
been forwarded to the Society OF Chem
lists and Pharmacists in New York for
their careful analysis, which process
when completed he is confident Will
confirm his opinion of the value and
uninnaness of the discovery