St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-09-09
SOMEWHAT STRANGE,
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS OF
EVERYDAY LIFE.
Queer Facts ana Thrilling Adven-
lures Which Show That Truth Is
Stranger Than Fiction.

ADvIcEs just received from Umtali
Africa, say that the two Umtali Hospita
sisters belonging to the Bishop of Ma
shonaland's mission, Miss r. A. Blenner.
hassett and Miss Lucy Sleeman, have
recently had a narrow escape. Both
sisters were seriously ill with malarial
fever, lying helpless in hut, waited Oh
by native boys, there being no native
women available. One night they were
so bad that Doctor Wilson decided on
sitting up with them. In the middle of
the night strange sound as Of an animal
bounding on the roof of the hut was
heard. Shortly afterward the door of
the hut, the upper half of which was
partly open, ratified, and Miss Blenner-
hassett called out that there was "a great
Black thing" on the top of the door.
The doctor went hastily to the door and
slammed the top rather violently. He
easily persuaded the sisters that nothing
was there, as Miss Sleeman was nearly
G!sensible, and Miss Blennerhassett de-
lirious. A large leopard had tried to get
through the roof and not succeeding,
had sprung upon the open upper half of
the door The creatures head and claws
were on the top of the door, and he was
drawing himself up to drop into the hut
when the doctors presence of mind pre-
vented him. The women are recover
ing.
ONE year ago Charles Boyer, of Morri-
sons, Penn, was married. Nine months
later he was widowcr. He became
crazed with grief eventually, and as re
suit his afliiction produced dementia
pronounced incurabIe. He raved con-
tinually about his wife and entertained
the idea that she had been foully dealt
with. So strongly did he believe in this
that his friends decided to disinter the
body. They did so, and the body was
found face downwards and all the evil
dence which goes to show that the
woman had been balied alive was plainly
apparent. The glass in the lid of the
coffin was broken to atoms. The shroud
enveloping the form was torn to shreds.
The limbs were twisted and distorted,
the hair matted, and in her hands she
clinched bunch of it. Those who were
engaged in disinterring the body fell
back. entirely overcome. The most COM
posed man in the party was the demented
husband. He assumed an air of COM
placency and assisted in the work of re-
arranging the body. He has shown no
signs OF mental alteration since, and from
all appearance his mental powers have
been restored.
LIEUTENANT Fl. r. SAYcE, of Bristol,
has succeeded in crossing the English
channel in miniature boat, which he
has patented as the Nudge pneumatic
collapsible lifeboat, and is designed for
fishing, shooting, or sailing. The weight
is under thirty-tive pounds, and the
length is 81 feet, with thirty-two-inch
BEAM The boat is decked with canvas,
with an opening for the owners body,
and she is fitted with inflated air tubing.
The boat is fitted with topsail about
the size of woman's apron, and still
smaller mizzcn. Mr.. Sayce was accom-
panied by small sailing lugger. There
was light wind and course was steered
straight for Cape Grisnez. Mr. Sayce
was provided with double paddle,
which he kept in constant use. The
little craft entered Boulogne harbor at 5
D. M, having started at o'clock a. m.
Mr.. Savce was somewhat benumbed by
sitting so long in one position. The
luggcr returned to Dover with the little
boat folded up on board. The boatmen
remarked that she had skinned over the
waves ''like duck"
ALL over the Hawaiian Islands the
ladies ride horseback astride, man
fashion. And dashing and charming
appearance do the fine ladies and stately |
danes of Honolulu make as they come at
gaits astride of spirited horses
riding through the streets of the gay
capital city of the isles. They are bold |
and rapid riders, too, and astride on
their sprightly steeds they are the very
of the grace and poetry of
motion. They wear bifurcated or di-
vided flowing skirts, and once seen in
full motion one wonders and is amazed
at how that awkward and inconvenient
seat, the sides saddle, ever came to be
invented or adopted. The riding habit
of the lady in Hawaii is skirt four
yards wide, divided like the Jenness-
Miller skirt. now in vogue and sold at
all the leading woman's dress stores in
the large cities. The feet are slipped
through small piece of tape attached
to the skirt. which keeps the dress in
place when the feet are in the stirrups.
A MOST remarkable story of castaways
is told by the captain of the mission YES
sci Morning Star which picked up three
persons who had been forty days in
boat at sea- They were father, son
and daughter, and were natives of Tapi
tuea Island, one of the Gilbert group.
there were four-viz., the
father, two sons and the daughter, and
hey went fishing off the island. Not
their strenuous efforts,
hey were carried further and further
,ut to sea. They had neither food nor
water, and for forty days they drifted
bout at the will and mercy of the cur
'ent. One-of the sons could not endure
he hardships, and died. The sufferings
If the three were dreadful. On the
ortieth day their canoe was beached at
Ocean Island. The survivors stayed ON
he island for several days, and were
hen taken by vessel to the island of
Annontion, where the Morning Star
ound them, and took them to their
homes.
A WEALTHY landed proprietor of 500
Chow, China curious to know how many
owing Buddhist monks-monks who are
Tot attached to any monastery-there
we're in that city. posted placard the