Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-09-18
STRANGE.
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS OF
EVERYDAY LIFE.
Queer Episodes and Thrilling Adven-
lures Which Show that Truth is
Stranger than Fiction.

Queer Episodes and Thrilling Adven-
lures Which Show that Truth is
Stranger than Fiction.
A STORY of one of the most interesting
freaks of vegetable life is told by Ell
wood Cooper, of Santa Barbara, Cal.
Through Mr.. Cooper's garden there ran
some years ago sewer made of redwood
timber. This sewer was again cased by
an outside sewer. Across the sewer there
was built a brick wall many feet high,
and in such a way that it was pierced by
the inner sewer, which it inclosed tightly, |
while the outside sewer ended abruptly
against the wall The outside sewer
casing had in course of time dccayed,
and eucalyptus tree standing some sixty |
feet away had taken advantage OF this
and sent one of its roots to the coveted |
spot in as direct line as possible. Here
the root entered the outside sewer and
followed its course as far as it could. At
last it came to the wall which shut off
its course, and it could go no further, the
inside sewer being perfectly tight. But
on the other side of the wall the sewer
and its double casing continued, and this
eucalyptus tree evidently knew how to
get there. Some three feet high in the
brick wall there was little whole an
inch or two in diameter, and this the
eucalyptus tree was aware of, as its big
root began to climb the dry wall and face
the sun and wind until it found the hole,
through which it descended on the other
| side and entered the sewer again and fol-
| lowed it along as formerly. How did the
| tree know of the hole in the WALTZ How
| did it know that the sewer was on the
other side? Did it smell, and If 1t did
how could it direct the root to go and
find the place with such precisioni The
roots of any plant grow always and unerr-
ingly in the direction of its food just as
the eucalyptus tree did
A SWARM of bees created block in
curious manner on the Perkiomen Rail
road, in Pennsylvania, the other day. A
freight train running between Perklomen
Junction and Allentown stopped TO take
water at Palm station. A swarm of bees
from neighboring farmhouse had taken
refuge in some woods near by, and when
the train stopped at the station they came
buzzing out and alighted with one accord
on the tender behind the engine. The
engineer and his assistant in the engine,
and the brakemen standing around the
train. were astonished at the visitation,
and promptly sought safety in the wait
ING room of the station. The fireman
was on the engine cab at the time, busily
shifting coal from one side of the tender
to the other, and in an instant hundred
bees set upon him. Half mad with pam,
he jumped off the tender and rolled
wildly in the grass at the roadside. 1h'
schedule time for starting the train came
and went but the crew saw no way II
which to start. They held consultation
over the problem, and finally brigh
idea struck the engineer. Putting II int
execution, he crept softly and unconcern
edly up to the tender, after the name
of an experienced bee farmer, and pro
cured possession of the adjustable hos
with which engineers are accustomed I
clean up their cabs. He got the drop o.
the bees and turned on them stead
stream of cold water. The effect wa
. magical. The entire swarm took to thei
wings and described a straight line, be
line. toward the woods. The train the
resumed its journey fifteen minutes o'
hind time.
IT was queer life which ended II
Gently at South Addison, Me-, that
. Walter L. Tabbut, the hermit, who VIZ
found dead in his hut. When he was
bow Walter Joined the Adventists, an
cave himself up to Bible reading an
PRAYER so zealously that he did not hesltal
To nray at all times and on all occasion
and during school hours he would brea
out in boisterous prayer. A few yea
Later he took to reading the koran, an
: when little more than twenty years Of
came out a full-fedged Mohammeual
Forsaking his fathers house he repalrt
To n neiphboring wood, where he built
small stone house that for five yea
served as his dwelling. In the center
this abode. resting upon four stakes,
the wooden box in which he has slep
This together with an open fire and
few cooking utensils made up his nous
hold effects. He was exact IN the Pc
Torrance of his religious rites, ana M
certain rules which no caller was above
to violate. No person who would adn
mat he had been handling the flesh
swine could enter his habitation until
had first washed his hands. He general
~ ate Int two meals a day, and they usual
u consisted of buttcrmilk and nnlcaven'
bread His Sabbath day began at su
= down Friday, and shutdown Saturd
IS, marked its closing, and during that til
or he tasted.
m THERE is a tree at Athens, Ga, viii
:. ;s a property-hoIder. In the early part
= the century the land on which 1t stan
- was owned by Colonel w. H. Jackso
- who took great delight in watching
I growth and enjoying its shade. IN IN i
4 I'D ace the tree had reached magnlilce
Il proportions, and the thought OF Its pel
Il DESTROYED by these who would come al
II him was SO repugnant that he recorded
Il deed of which the following is part; ,
III w II Jackson, of the county Of clarl
Il, Of the one part, and the oak tree lg
II ing locationl of the county Of 81, clar /,
II of the Other part; Witnessetn' tnAs
for aud IN cOuSlu