St. Landry democrat., 1893-12-02
SOMEWHAT STRANGE.
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS OF
EVERYDAY LIFE.
Queer Facts and Thrilling Adven.
lures Which Show That Truth is
Stranger Than Fiction.

way. he hat IS an Old slOucb, Its Tlll
filled with tags and its crown covered
with Slips, and it has already Travelled
over ten thousand miles in an intended
trip all over the South, which an agcn
at Coyington, Ky, started it on for
within several weeks ago. 1t isn't col
lecting anything but tags and slips.
a four-tined silver fork bearing the
name Of the old steamboat s. B. Bayard
which went out of service twenty year:
ago, was found in the stomach of /
forty.pound catfish hauled out of the
Missouri at Louisiana, Mo, a few days
ago. Where the fork had been fol-
twenty years, and how long it has beer
serving as ballast in the catfish, are mat.
ters which have been submitted to the
river folk for discussion.
A RIO present has been sent tc
Queen Victoria, who, while properly
grateful, is considerably puzzled how to
dispose of the donation. 1t consists Of q
happy family of a lion, ~lioncss, and two
cubs, sent by the Sultan of Zanzibar.
They are said to be still on the steamer,
"awaiting her Majesty's pleasure" Por-
haps after the Queen gets used to the
shock Of having this sudden introduce
ton of new mcmbers of her family she
will feel the pleasure which the lions are
''awaiting."
The entire product of the diamond
mines at New Jagersfontein, South
Africa, vas taken during the first half
Of this year by a syndicate whose con
tract expired at midnight June 80. Just
before shutdown on the last day of the
contract the largest white diamond of
the world was found. 1t is 3 inches
long, from II to .! inches thick, and
weighs 97l4 carats, or 7! ounces avoir-
dupois. 1t is perfect in color, except
for a black spot in the middle. which
will probably make it advisable to cut it
in two.
SILAs HoLBKooK, Of East Harswell,
Maine, has Il dog. Whi!eo at sailing with
his master recently the dog notiyel that
the plug was out Of the bottom of the
boat and the water was coming in. After
barking to attract attention the dog
placed his paw over the hole and kept
the water out until his master found the
plug and replaced it. Mr.. Iiolbrook does
say that the dog then hoisted the
jiD, took the helm, made a long tack
and stood about for home, but there is
no doubt that the sayacious animal was
qnitc capable Of doing these things if
necessary.
TIE recent funeral Of Charles Talley
at Cladd's Ford, Penn, was the final
chapter in the history Of a remarkable
man. lie was IS years and 6 months
old, yet never either fed Or dressed him
self q single time in all his life. Every
part Of his body was perfectly formed,
yet lie could perform only the most sim
pie acts with either hands or feet. He
was one year old before he raised his
hand from the pillow, and ~ years old
ne made any progress whateveri in
.locomotion. His mind was clear, his
Judgment keen, and his memory reten-
Edmond, the big elephant Of Wallace
< Co.'S Circus, which has Just gone into
quarters near Peru, Ind, got tired
confinement the other day, broke the
that bound him, butted down the
door of the building where he was kept,
the gates and wadcd across the
liver, where he proceeded to amuse
with Knocking dcwn the farmers
and trampling their crops, to
heir 10 small CONSERVATION. His keeper
md twenty assistants finally succeeded
n suiniuing him and carrying him back
o his bondage, but not before he had
lone an immense amount of mischief.
BALTIMORE has 4 blind boatman. His
)oat was stolen by some worthless fell
the other day, and subsequently,
abandoned and picked up. lie claimed
t, and when told that he must identify
t, did Sc, 10: By telling it's color and
model, as a man with good eyes might
10, but Jy giving the positions of all the
rails and the chinks in the boat, where
.p!intcrs had been knocked off, and so
III. Then, being admitted, he went all
it with his careful touch, finally
aid, Eyes, it is mine,' and
owed away, successfully avoiding
he dozens of other boats, tugs,
'tc., that were moving around.
A Choctaw woman living near Nc.
I. r., laid herbaby on a blanket
m the sunny side Of her cabin the other
and went about her work. Shortly
ftcrward Il great eagle swoopcd down,
nd, Selling the child in his claws, flew
way with it. An Indian man, who wit
icssed the scene, graspcd his rifle,
umpcd On his horse, and started in pur-
nit. For miles he galloped at a reck-
ess speed over streams, through woods,
nd acre IS hills and valleys, trusting to
is horse, and keeping his eye Oh the
agile. At last the bird alighted on a
NIB about 5 feet from the ground, still
the child in mis- talons. The
ursuer managed to get within 100 yards
f him, and just as the great bird was
bout TO resume his flight fred, and
rough: him to the ground. The child
as rescued, unhurt save for a few
and returned in safety to its
Iother.
'ONH of the most amusing and inter
sting things | saw in the capital" said
gentleman who returned home recently
ON a visit to Washington, was a
echanic trundIing himself and his kit
I'd outfit to work on a bicycle. Bicy-
ing. Iy the way. seemed to Inc to be
he chief means Of locomotion in Wash
Ioton. This man had his coat off and
as astridc a pneumatic-tired safety.
astencd in front of the machine, on q
,nvenient rest, were his bag Of tools, his
inch pail and his coat, while slung
ross his shoulders, in a manner that
ade it balance perfectly, was a ladder
least thirty feet long. As he turned
to PENNSYLVANIA avenue he created