Democratic messenger., 1893-09-09
SOMEWHAT STRANGE.
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS OF
EVERYDAY LIFE.
Queer Facts aud Thrilling Adven-
lures which Show That Truth Is
Stranger Than Fiction.


Stranger Than Fiction.
THg only golden eagle ever seen in this
part Of the country, says dispatch from
Toledo. Ohio. is captive at the residence
OF Joseph Mayncs, in this city. Mr.
Maynes and Peter Barquin went fishing
in the marshes along Ottawa River.
Maynes got after monster frog in the
edge of the marsh, along blulT which is
densely wooded. He was about to get
his fIog when m0nstIous eagle swooped
down upon him. IL seized him between
the shoulder blades, its talons piercing
through his overcoat, an undcrcoat, anil
cutting into the flesh. The bird beat its
wings and lifted Maynes from his feet.
Maynes weighs ISL pounds, and is %
years old. lie says he was terribly fright
ened, and more so when the bird lifted
him from his feet a second time. While
attempting the third time to get Maynes
into the air he struck the eagle on the
head with his frog spear. lie then got
one arm around the birds neck aud
pounded it on the he1d with his club.
He got the bird 20 the bank and lay
across it while Barquin kicked it into in
sensibility. A rope was then procured
and the bird was tied to tree. The eagle
has been brought TO this city. and was
seen this afternoon by newspaper men.
It measures seven feet six inches across
the wings, weighs thirty five pounds, and
stands three feet two inches high Ii is
evidently young. there being rlany pin
feathers around the neck aud on the
breast Old citizens who have lived in the
west say that the bird is young noun
tain eagle of the golden variety. The
plumage is of dark russet color, almost
seal brown. The eagle has Il lnonstrous
head, with bcak four aud half inches
long. Its mouth, when stretched wide
open, is five inches across. 1t swallowed
fifteen sparrows for supper, taking each
one down whole.
THERE is four year-old boy at C:.diz.
Ohio, who has somewhat staggered his
elders and the wise men of that section.
The lad has never attended school, nor
has he ever learned to read. Still. he
can name and point ont on the map all
the countries and states, giving their
capitols, their situation, the principal
cities in each section. railroads, rivers.
straits, lakes, mountains and other geo.
graphical points. In fact, he has the
worlds atlas firmly impressed ON his
wonderful mind. His knowledge is
thorough, as he gives the population of
the cities, the source ard course of each
river, the termini of the railroads, and
the cities through which they pass.
There is absolutely nothing in the geo
graphical way that he does not know or
understand in the fullest degree. The
boy wonder is the son Of w. III. Boyles,
q well known citizen of CadiZ. 1t is
probable that the lad has one of those pre-
s cociously retcntive memories which are
often met with in mental freaks. The
parents of the little fellow do not en-
courage the talent he displays, fearing
for the bsneful physical defect it may
have upon him.
]. ii. FRANK, of Ligonier, Penn, has
in his possession queer horseshoe which
he found ON the banks of ilie Loyal
hanna Creek. There are three holes
for nails on each side of the shoe, the
metal having been extended outward TO
receive the holes. The bottom of the
shoe is followed out from end TO end,
the hollow being three-quarters of an
inch wide and half an inch deep In
the hollow lies three-quartcr inch rope,
which was put in place before the metal
was cold, and held there by few taps
with the hammer on the soft iron. The
rope is now rs hard as bone. and was
apparently dipped in wax to harden it.
The object seems to have been 10 afford
q sure footing for the horse on the stony
mountain roads, or to make his footstep
noiseless. desirable quality in the days
when Indians were numerous. I'm
pressed in the iron is the inscription,
Patented May "a, l.S3." AS this date
is prior TO the first American patent
law, il must have been patented in Eng
land.
FEW days ago young farmer
named Edwards. while plowing near
Southeriand Springs, Cal, struck an
iron not whose top projected half-inch
above the surface. 1t was apparently
filed with earth, but the great weight
led TO an investigation. Under an inch
of dirt were many doubloons of gold.
The leather in which they were wrapped
was rotten. but aave for greenish
mould the coins were uninjured. Ed
wards loaded his treasure in wagon,
drove to San Antonio and deposited it in
q bank, saying nothing Of the find until
his return. The amount is $1,000.
There has long been a tradition in
Switzerland Springs neighborhood that
Santa Anna buried treasure there on his
retreat after his defeat at the battle of
San Jacinio in the war of independence,
ard various searchers have hunted for it.
The pot was originally sunk deep, but
the rains Of more than half a century
had dcnuded il Of its covering.
A MOST extraordinary incident recent
" occurred in the house of q well known
member of Parliament in London. His
son went into the dining room in the
middle of the afternoon, aud saw on the
floor something dark. which he took in
the hall light--the blinds being drawn
to be footstool. He kicked it, where
upon, TO his intense amazcment and
horror, q large snake uncoiled itself,
reared up, and hissed at him. lie sprang
upon a table TO escape from it, and
called loudly for help. The servants
heard, came to his assistance. and killed
the reptile, which showed tie most active
fgit. The snake was eventually ex-
amined by an authority, who pronounced
il to be Of a very deadly species. How
it got into the house AMI where it came
from remain mystery.
APPLIcATIox has been made to the
Secretary OF the Treasury fora life.sav
medal for J. Luke Hunter, an editor Of
Fannin County. Texas. 4 short time
ago, as Mr. Hunter was walking along
the street Of the village where he dweIls,
his attention was attracted TO a woman.
who was weeping and gazing down
deep well. He stopped 10 ask her what
was the matter, and she said that her two
year old child had fallen down the well.
He Immediately got into the well, slipped
down the rope. and though the water was
deep and very cold, he managed TO get
hold OF the child in one arm, and sup
porting himself with the other, and told
the woman to go for assistance. which