Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1891-07-10
THAT ENGLISH MUMMY.
A RESPECTABLE RIVAL OF THE
EGYPTIAN ARTICLE,

dred Years Dead-A Famous Place Of
worship - The Mummy in His Case.
why They Jabbed It.
Il seems more than curious that his
history has not been written. It is sim
ply extraordinary that even his place
Of residence is known to so few among
the many thousands who pass and repass
It every day. 1t is true that for about
one hundred and fifty years he was Sc
cluded from the world, in fact, dead to
It; but for forty years he has been upon
exhibition. For forty years he has been
a subject of great interest to compara-
lively small circle. and during that pc
riod he has never shown signs Of temper
even under circumstances that might be
warranted to ruflle the composure of a
bearded lady" at a circus. In various
parts of. the United Kingdom. the mere
fact OF having been born a century ago
is considered sufficient to account for
any quantity Of notoriety. Yet in this
article the intention is to tell something
about person who was born, probably,
two centuries ago, and who, it can be
easily proved, has not in. forty years
moved muscle.
Some days ago a discussion took place
in the public prints on the subject of
mummies In DISCUSSION of the kind
it could hardly be expected that the
Egyptian brand would be overlooked,
but if reference had been ma le only to
the Egyptian article little would remain
to be said, for Rameses II, as a mummy,
has really received quite rs much promi-
nCnce as he deserves.
There is n mummy that can hold its
own against all corners on exhibition in
a very modest way in the church Of ST.
james. Garlickhithe, or Garlickhyvc, or
CaIhclhythe, for the name is spelt in
three ways. twas so named, according
to an old chronicle: "For that Of old time,
or the River Thames, near to the church,
garlick was usually sold" The thorough
fare that bounds the churcli building on
the west is still known as Garlicl1 Hi
Not long ago an old house that stood near
the church was demolished. In digging
a cellar fer a modern structure on the cld
3:tc several pii>s were found TEcso
piles were Of the peculiar groenish hcc
chat wood which las been a long time in
sait or brackish water always obtains
Tho ground in tho vicinity Of the churcl
q Of chalk formation.
SO many parishionc~s were buried il
the littlccEurch yard that it was decided,
about forty years ago, to cover The dim
I inutive cemetery with a heavy coating
Of concrete. Before this was done q
large number oe bodies were disturbed.
These engaged in the wotk were sur
prisol to find that, while The coGins had
been reduced almost TO dust, the bodies
iuCiose.l in lead lining were in a state Of
almost perfect preservation.
With one exception Tie bodies were
reinforced. Tho cxccl tion had suffered
somewhat from exposure to the atmos-
phere and perhaps from careless han
ding, hut 1t IS today Wonderfully well
preserved. The identity of this English
mummy could not be discovered. for the
coffin in which it had been lncased had
cgpnblel away, enl had not been fur
nished, apparently, with a plate, The
soil, it is supposed, had dried UP tie ami
mai tissue by absorbing every particle Of
water, and thus prevented putrefaction
At any rate, the mummy that can be
seen at st. James tGarlickhithe) church
elbows 80 signs cf decay today, though
It hasbeen out Of the ground forty years,
and lad been in mayhap 1J0 years or
more just within the entrance 10 the
church, on the south or Thames street
side, is a plain wooden case. It is about G
feet IA height, feet in breadth and 19
inches IN depth.
you want to sec the mummy, ! sup
Lose?' said the sexton, Robert Sharp,
when | presented myself at the church
yesterday. Without more ado he opened
the wooden case. Inside the wooden
door was a glass front that no key would
cpen.
Inside the glass, gazing pensiyely
through oyeless sockets at a flagstone
that was a little darker than its fellows
was the English mummy.
The skin would have been white but
for pale yellow tinge. The skin was
everywhere smooth and intact 'The
figure was that of a young man who
must have stood six feet in height and
been Of fine proportions. The shoulders
were broad, the arms long and powerful
looking. Every finger and toe was per-
feet. Both bands and feet must have
been small. That the figure was that Of
a young man seems certain from its gem
eral appearance, but more particularly
from the small size and eScellently pre-
served condition Of the teeth There had
been hair upon the head when the body
was eXhumed, but atmospheric influences
had destroyed every vestige Of it. IN
less the visitor looks closely at the head
an impression will be carried away that
there is still hair upon it. This impress
sion viii Be due to a network of cobwebs
which is yearly growing thicker, When
the body was taken from the ground the
teeth were perfectly white, They are
gradually turning black.
"The glass front was put in the case" I"
Sexton Sharp said, "to prevent visitors
from jabbing the mummy with fingers,
canes or umbrellas"
"Why did they jab the mummy
Sexton Sharp said be supposed "they
wanted to hear his insides rattle" He
then explained that while handling the
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