Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-08-28
SOMEWHAT STRANGE.
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS OF
EVERYDAY LIFE.
Queer Episodes and Thrilling Adven-
lures Which Show that Truth is
Stranger than Fiction.


lures Which Show that Truth is
Stranger than Fiction.
AN extraordinary exhibition of nerve
and endurance of pain has been given by
James Skinner, railroad brakeman, IN
st. Mary's Hospital, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Skinner formerly lived in Peekskill, and
last summer he fell from freight train
of the New York & Hudson River Rail
road, and the wheels of one of the cars
passed over his body. He was taken to
st. Francis Hospital, at Poughkeepsie
One of his arms was fractured, two ribs
were broken, his shoulder was dislocated
and his left foot cut off. Upon regaining
consciousness he told the surgeon he did
not believe in taking anesthetics, but
would submit to any operation they
thought necessary. His leg was ampu-
tated just below the knee. in the pres
ence of crowd of medical students, and
Skinner endured the pain without re-
mark. He left his bed four months after
ward and hobbled around on crutches, but
while attempting to go down stairs he
fell and injured the amputated limb. The
bone was splintered and another opera
ton was necessary. He was again subject
to the surgeons knives and endured the
operation with the same fortitude he had
shown before. Upon leaving the hospital
he went to Brooklyn. His leg troubled
Mary's Hospital and asked that the wound
be opened, as he thought the bone was
decaying. The operation took place;
while it was in progress he discussed the
case with the surgeon. The surgeon says
he has more nerve than any man he ever
met.
WHEN Henry G. Stephens Of Bridge
port, Conn, sits down to read his Bible
person watching him might think he
had pile of thin cedar boards in his
lap, and as he turns leaf after leaf, they
crackle and fall with thud. Another
remarkable thing about Mr.. Stephens
reading his Bible is that he needs no light
to search the Scriptures with, and it is
not necessary for him to look at the book.
He has the biggest, heaviest, and queer
est Bible in Connecticut. He is deaf
and blind soldier His wonderful Bible
was presented TO him by the American
Bible Society, and it cost $2S to produce
the book for him. 1t is in eight volumes,
with embossed print, and he reads it by
touch, feeling the letters; yet he is apt
and quick at that kind Of perusal. The
whole eight volumes are quite lift for a
man Of ordinary strength. Each volume
is 1871 inches long, 12 inches wide, aud
about 6 inches thick. Pile the volumes
one on another, and the aggregate thick
ness of the stack is 3 feet and s inches
Altogether there are 1, $40 leaves in the
Bible, on each one of which is full page
of raised letters. Mr.. Stevens is 81 years
old, and began TO study raised-letter- |
reading less than three years ago. He is |
now ready reader. Many curious per-
sons call to see him read with his finger
tips.
"ABoUT two years ago boy came to
me for treatment for disease of the
head with a long name that / don't I
suppose you care for, said a specialist to
a Boston Herald reporter. "All the /
openings in his head were Of unusual 4
size His mouth and eyes were large; he 4
had big nose with wide nostrils, and 4
his ears were in proportion | performed /
the necessary operation and cleared out /
the air cavity. With a strong blast from 4
my air pump over there blew a powder 4
into his left ear. He interrupted me in 1
this by saying that the medicine seemed [
to be coming out on the other side. l /
smiled Indignantly at what | told him
was his Imagination, and at first paid no
further attention to the matter He per
sisted in his assertion, however, and TO
satisfy him that he was wrong l examin-
ed his right ear. He was right. There
was no doubt of it ; the powder was 90
ing in one ear and out the other. What
is the explanation 1t is simple enough.
The large openings in the boys head per
mitted the powder, driven by the power
full blast, to traverse the channel from his
left ear to the upper part of his nose, and
thence by the corresponding channel on
the right side of his ear. All the powder
did not get through, but considerable
portion Of it did"
A PECULIAR case of brute attachment
came under the notice of Miss Freddie
Lehman, of Albany, Ga, not long since
A little stray pig, about as big as bar
Of soap, that had become lost from its
mother, took up with one of Miss Leh-
mans milk cows, and the COW and pig
became wonderfully attached to each
other The pig sucked the COW as if she
were its own mother, and the COW fond
led the pig as if it were her own calf.
Neither could be separated from the
other, and they seemed perfectly misera-
BILE when apart for only few moments.
The little pig foraged for the COW, and
would often slip in the stable where the
horses were feeding, and, stealing their
carry it out to its adopted
mother; and the COW would swing to
my morsel it knew the pig would like,
and carry it to her foster child. The two
formed themselves into a society for mu-
tual protection and ACKNOWLEDGMENT, and
hey prospered and grew fat in their hap {
Diness. But dark day came. Mr.. Pig !
gle grew up and got fat and Miss Lehman /
'old it to the butcher. The COW immedi- 1
ltely began to pine and lose her appetite.
And the COW still continues to mourn her +:
oss, and her eyes wear peculiar and pa ,
.hetic expression; she mourns just like |