The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-09-09
STRANGE.
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS OF
EVERYDAY LIFE.
Queer Facts and Thrilling Adven-
lures Which show That Truth Is
stranger Than Fiction.

Queer Facts and Thrilling Adven-
lures Which show That Truth is
stranger Than Fiction.
Nor long ago an advertisement ap-
peared in New York paper offering
S5, 900 for "A man who was willing 10 un-
dergo surgical operation that might he
fatal. 1t appears that the subject Is de-
sired by two surgeons of Guayaquil,
Eucsdor, who are studying the subject
of the operation of the gastric juices.
They propose To cut hole into the sub
ject's stomach, through which they can
observe what goes on there, and then eX-
pertinent on him with different sorts of
food and drink. The advertisement
brought l42 replies, some of them writ
ten on the theory that the affair was
hoax, but the large ma ajority were in good
faith from people who were willing to risk
their lives to get $4,000. 1t is said that
the subject that has been chosen is a
man who has figured as pugilist for a
number of years. He is man of fine
physique and vigorous health, and wants
the money to start gymnasium and
saloon. He has no near relatives, and II
he does not recover, of which the chances
are about even, will not be missed much.
He will 90 tosGuayaquil at once, aud af
ter being acclimated, will be operated
upon.
THE Chinese dragon is still practical
obstruction in railway building. The
Tartar General in command at Monkden,
the capital of Manchuria, when the sur
vey was made for a railroad by the town,
had the local sages investigate the mat
ter. They reported that the vertebrp
of the dragon which encircles the holy
city of Monkdcn would be broken if the
long nails of the railway sleepers were
driven into the ground. Upon the
strength of that the General ordered the
engineers to carry the line away from the
city and over very marshy route.
When the matter was brought TO Ii
Hong Chang he commended the General
for his interest in the dragon, but still
expressed an opinion that the Monkden
route was the best for both dragon and
country. The affair would have to be
reported to the Emperor. Whcreupon
the General had line laid down few
hundred feet from the former one, and
the sages pronounced it all right.
Nor so long ago a stowaway was
found dead under the main hatch of one
of the National Line of steamers. He
had concealed himself before the steamer
left Liverpool, and died of suifocation.
Curiously enough in his pocket was
found novel entitled Doomed on the
Deep" Another singular coincidence
happened in America. A pleasure party
was overturned and drowned in the Hud-
son River. Just before the accident they
had been singing Lost in the Wreck. "
More recently person was charged with
abstracting a book from one OF Mescrs.
Smiths bookstalls, and when arrested
two volumes were found in his posses.
sion, one Of which was entitled "Found
Out"
PETER PuILIPs, colored man, lost the
power of speech in McDade, Texas, some
fifteen years ago. He says he knows no
reason for it. The most curious part of
all is that he talks away from town rs
plainly as any man. He runs his farm in
an intelligent way, always making as
good crops as his neighbors, and even
when unable to talk his trades with the
merchants or others are as economically
and sensibly made as the average man of
his race. For years some people have
doubted his statement and thought he
could talk if he would, but for more than
twelve years no man has ever heard him
speak word in any town or at any pub
lie gathering.
II you wish to talk about absent
mindedness you may instance the man in
Lewiston, Me-, who, the other day,
entered an office, transacted some busi-
ness, and went out leaving package
done up in piece of newspaper on
desk. The tenant of the office saw it,
thought the man would return for it, and
let it lie. But the man came not back,
and examination showing that the pack
age contained greenbacks, it was placed
up the owner Then the man came back,
hastily for the package, and said there
was nearly $4,000 in it. Four thousand
dollars in bills most men would not be
apt to forget in these days.
ONE of the most curious plants in the
White House conservatories is called by
the superintendent vegetable whisky
rHOps, DcCdusc lhSi plNOHSiS "Ao1'' ~
toxicating fluid that attracts all sorts
of insects. Half pint is contained in
each of these receptacles, and 1t is said
that the contents of three or four will in
toxicate man. The bugs fall into the
fluid and their substance is devoured by
the plant. One variety attracts cock
reaches, while another actually captures
frogs that, once caught, are unable TO
escape because of the thorns extending
downward which pierce them when they