The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-20
WILLIE The LIGHT,
He IlluminateS the HOush Family
Residence in Indiana.

cability at Picnics and Other Enter
tainments-Is a Favorite in societv.
From the Chicago Times.
Cumback, Dayiess County, Ind, Nav
l0.-This township will be celebrated at
no distant date as the birthplace of w.
G. Hough. Already the young mans
name is known to scientists and others of
distant places, physicians from Terre
Haute and even Indianapolis, having been
here to investigate his wonderful proper
ties. He will become famous. and win.
no doubt, go to town Of larger size and
more pretensions in metropolitan wav.
but no one can snatch from Cumback her
just pride of having been the natal place
and the home of Wilbraham Chester
Hough. Young Hough is human gas
retort. 1t may be.truly said of him that
he is destined to be light among men.
Through some inexplicable internal
chemical process Hough unconsciously
manufactures gas, which passes of
through his hair The illuminant is pro
duced in such appreciable quantities as
to render the kerosene lamp needless
when the Houghs are gathered about the
the Sitting-room table. A match is simply
touched to Willie's burner and there is
light for all
COMES OF COOP FAMILY.
The Hough family is one of the most
prominent in this section, and was at first
inclined TO resent the inquiries made by
curious neighbors when the news of the
boys singular capabilities became known
three years ago. Time has accustomed
the members of the household to the
semi-public position to which they have
been elevated, The Hough household
consists of the father, John T. Hough,
who is a native of England; his wife
who was a Miss Margaret Chester, of the
well-known Chesters of Delectable Hill,
Pike county, in the southwestern part of
this state, and four children, of whom
Wilbraham Chester, the subject of this
sketch, is the second and is now in his
sixteenth year. Mr. Hough is a blur,
prosperous farmer of the White river
bottoms.
1T was first noticed by the family that
Willie was gas generator about three
years ago. said Mr.. Hough to the repre-
sentative of the Times He had been i'll
for some months with a low type OF ty-
phold fever and recovered very slowly
L am great believer in good ventilation
myself, and we generally sleep with our
windows open in summer That Willie
has this strange malady or gift
don't know how to term il, was discovered
from the fact that. during some chilly
weather IN the October of 1891 we closed
the window of his bedroom That night
about II o'clock awoke and perceived a
strong odor of gas. | was astounded and
arose to ascertain the source. passed
Wlllle's room on my way TO open an out
side door and there found the odor much
stronger. l opened the door and was al
most stupefied. Crushed to the window,
threw it open, and after the current Of
fresh air had cleared the atmosphere
struck light. l found my son lying in
his bed almost asphyxiated.
WILLIE HAD ksPHYxIATED HIMSELF.
81 carried him to the window and he
presently revived. / was at an utter loss
TO account for the presence Of gas in the
house. The nearest natural-gas well is
eight miles distant and that one doesn't
produce in paying quantities. While l
held. my son in my arms | was conscious of
smell of gas, and again, the next day,
while sitting by his couch in another
room, could again perceive it, DR..
Holton, who attended him in his illness,
fortunately called that dag and l men
TONED the circumstance to him. He had
an inspiration and after few experiments
satisfied himself that the gas was thrown
found in this an explanation of another
physical condition. He had broken the
typhoid fever in September, but had been
utterly unable to produce perspiration
on the patient. IL is fact that my son
has not perspired since three years ago
this coming June, when he was first at
tackled by the fever.
DIR. Holtou believes, and he is sup
ported by one or two other physicians
wi ln h ~
some chemical action the hydrogen in the
water or liquids the boy drinks is liber-
ated, and the pores of the skin being
closed it passes off through the hair
Hydrogen being the nearest form of gas
would naturally arise to the head, and
absorbs on its way certain percentage
of cabon which is produced by the burn
ing out and exhaustion of muscular
tissues which proceed continually in
OF a scientist, and have but lit
tie special knowledge of physiology or the
chemistry ofhuman life, but the theory
seems to me to be reasonable. However.
it may DE accounted for, it is fact that
my son furnishes illumination for the fam
lily living room nightly. We read by him,
sew by him, play checkers by his light,
and besides regarding him highly as a son
and member Of the family, find him al
AAAOob ludlS RGnSdu4p DO Il LOuSEuOlu llSBl-
tuition" this Mr.. Hough said half in jest
but partly in earnest.
"Since he discovered his wonderful
property" continued Mr.. Hough,
Willie has been obliged TO sleep near an
open window winter and summer TO
avoid asphyxiatfon. He is sturdy, ro-
bust boy, and thus far has experienced no
ill results. When the news first went out
it was annoying TO have to answer ques-
lions and have people come here to make
but that has worn away.
AT least don't care, and it doesn't
bother the boy, My wife doesn't enioy
it yet, Several show managers
have been here to get Willie
to exhibit himself, but l wouldn't
permit it even if he wanted to do so That
is the fear that hauuts his mother-that
he will become dime museum freak. I'd
far rather see him travel with thrash
ing machine than have him. 20 in
show. / have known some thrashers
who were lava biding citizens and honest.
od-fearing men. 1t is only last week ne
refused an offer of S400 month and
found to 90 10 Cincinnati. A blank con
tract for six months was sent for his sig
nature"
HAS GROWN VERY POPULAR,
Since he has developed his singular
chemical difficulty Wilbrahams has be-
come very popular in the neigh borhood.
and no gathering is complete without
him. One day his father said in lest: