The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1890-12-06
SOMEWHAT STRANGE
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS OF
EVERYDAY LIFE

Queer Episodes and Thrilling Adven.
lures Which Show that Truth is
Stranger than Fiction.
BERT LEE, an educated Chinaman, who
is in charge of the electric light plant OF
Sewicklcy, Pittsburg, Penn, is the hap
picst celestial this side of the Rocky
Mountains. The cause of his joy is a
pair of boys that arrived there a few
weeks ago. One of them has all the fea-
lures OF a Monaghan, while the other
looks like full blooded Caucasian. The
mother, Mrs. Lee, who was Ida Newman,
of Providence, r. l., is, of course, proud
Of her offspring. When seen at her home
on Duquesne Heights, she said she felt a
slight disappointment because both did
not possess the Mongolian features. Bert,
the one that looks like its father, will 90
to China as medical missionary if he lives
to reach an age sufficient for his des-
tiny as at present mapped out. Alexan-
der. the other one, will probably be kept
at home, unless he develops a desire 10
accompany Bert. Alex is lively little
fellow, and has light hair, blue eyes and
fair complexion, while Bert has coal
black hair, almond eyes and genuine
Chinese features. Mrs. Lee first met her
husband at Providence, r. l., where she
was teaching a Chinese mission school.
Tic was one Of her pupils and she fell in
love with him and marriage was the re-
suit. The mother is kept busy showing
the babies to the curious people who
visit the house daily.
AN amusing incident, illustrating the
character traits of Russian peasants. is
reported by the Viestnik of Wilma. A
party OF peasants who had been cutting
wood in forest near Disna, and had
spent all their earnings on drink. were
vending their way hOmeward. "Well.
brethren, we are a lot of bad fellows.
While every honest man works to Law bv
something for the cold winter we have
wasted all our earnings Of the summer in
brandy. We are lot OF bad fellows.
indeed" rejoined the whole party in
assent. LET us punish ourselves for our
waywardness, suggested an elderly
peasant; ''let us each iniiict upon the
other twenty-five blows with green
reeds" The whole party.assented again.
lhey repaired to bush, cut fresh reeds.
and began executing the sef-imposed
punishment. They each stripped them
selves in turn and received the stripes
stoically. The last one of the party.
however, denurred and attempted to run
away before his turn came. He was
caught, and in punishment for his at
tempt to escape he received fifty lashes. |
double the number of the designated
chastiscment. Hardly alive the poor fell |
low was laid up in the hospital for some !
time.
THE latest Munchausen story was re-
lated by boy who was begging in the.
streets of Plymouth, England. the ether
day, says the Binghamton On. " Mer-
curry. lie said he was cabin boy on
board an American liner, and for some of
his mischlevous FRANKS was headed up
In an empty water cask, with only the
bunShoic to breathe through. On the
following night squall came up: the
ship went down with all on board ex-
cept himself, the cask containing him
having rolled over into the sea on IA sud
len iurch of the vessel Fortunately it
lept "bung up" and after thirty hours
ioating about it was cast on the COST,
where, after he had made desperate ef-
orts to release himself, he gave himself
up to die. Some cows strolling along
he beach were attracted to the cask. and
II switching around it one of them acct
iently dipped her tail in the bunghole,
which the boy grasped Immediately and
Kept hold of with admirable resolution.
The COW started off, and after running
bout 800 yards the cask struck against
rock and was knocked to pieces. After
wandering about for several DAYS he
JAILED vessel, was taken on board and
arried to Falmouth.
The most remarkable death ever re-
orded in Alabama occurred one dav
ecentiy In Coosa county. Ayoung man ,
amed Thomas Waits killed himself by
ating stones. The facts in the case are
ouched for by DR.. Williamson, "A we'll
,nown physician of Verbena. In his
outh Thomas Waits contracted the habit
# eating dirt and red gravel stones.
Along with his years the ABNORMAL appe-
lite grew. For some months before his
leath he had been at work on the South
nd North Alabama Railroad, EMPLOYED
N a gravel train. While working on
nc gravel train he could not get such (
tones as he had been eating. and finally !
re would eat nard flint gravel or any sort i
he could get. He would swallow whole I
tones, and if some pebbles were too
arge to be swallowed whole he would (
freak them up into smaller pieces. He {
till continued to work until short time
'cfore his death, when he got sick and
vent home. DR.. Williamson was not
allied until day or two before he died.
he physicians examination showed that =
was hopeless case. Young Watts had .