The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-21
THE GREATEST FREAK OF ALL.
A Stranger in the Piney Woods Tells
Queer Things He Ran Up Against.
From the New York Sun.

u
From the New York Sun.
Southern Pines. N. C.-Among the pas
sengers who came to this place on the
south-bound Seaboard Air Line train last
night was man who didn't seem to be ex-
actly certain about himself. He came into
the Piney Woods inn, looked around, and
said to the proprietor:
Il rather like 1t here, and think maybe
I'll stay few days, provided you haven't
a hump-backed 'possum to tell me about"
The landlord said he didn't know of any
hump 'possum in this locality.
Nor Samese twin raccoons?"
81 think not" said the landlord.
Nor octogenarian hogs?"
mo"
Nor centenarlan citizen who can turn
a back somersault with all the agility of
a boy??"
The landlord said that such citizen
would not be surprising In the piney
woods, but he didn't believe there was one.
well. them" said the newcomer, II
guess I'll stay. | have been travelling
about somewhat in North Carolina, and
l think I've run against everything there
is in the way of living curiostties except
the ones ] mentioned, and / wanted to
make sure that you didn't have any of 'em
or hadn't heard of 'em being around here,
before l concluded to stop over. i don't
think 1 could have enjoyed any more
freaks.
For instance, take calves. When I
struck Shelby they had calf, then of re-
cent advent, which had no eyes or ears,
but was adorned with three tails, which
IL had the power to wag separately or al
together. The calf was alive and healthy
so they said. Then over near Durham
there was a calf with four perfect eyes
and ears, but as hairless as a Mexican
dog, and 1t hadn't even the suspicion of a
tail. This calf was a twin, It's brother be-
ing perfect in structure, but not much big
ger than setter dog. The mother Of this
queer pair was herself one OF triplets, and
she had given birth to five calves In one
year. The prospects were in that vicinity
that a good many more calves would be
born shortly, and not knowing what shape
some of them might take on, / left the
freak calf belt and moved on.
Then l seemed to run into an atmos-
phere that apparently influenced poultry
to unwonted things. Thus at Winston /
found groups intently discussing some
thing, and asked some one what had oc-
Cured.
Joe waymers hen is dead, was the
reply.
Il said couldn't see why there should
be so much feeling over the death Of a
hen.
"''Taint so much cause she's dead
l was informed. Fact is, it's more a
wonder that she was living But she
was born night wenty years ago, out of
the same egg that Matched brother of
hers, and them two chickens has been
inseparable companions from that time TO
this. Funny part about II was, too, that
the hen done the growing, and the rooster
the singing when she laid an egg. And
the hen didn't die, either. She was killed
by a weasel. They was the Oldest chik-
In 81 ntb
we're betting that the rooster won't live
a week. though he's healthier than he
ever was. But he can't get along with
out that hem
II didn't stay there. l went to Morgan
town. but there they had goose that
barked like a puppy dog. instead of cack-
ling, and they told about duck that had
two legs and two wings all right, except
that one wing was where one leg should
have been, and that leg occupied the place
OF the wing. l escaped from Morgan
town to Blayvllle, only to learn that there
was chicken In that vicinity that had
two heads and four legs, and another
that had two bodies. but only one leg
for each body, and one neck and one
head. There was a rooster there, too
that was then laying four good eggs
day
Il got away from nondescrlpt poultry
and at Ringwood they told me Bill Harri-
son was dead.
Eyes, Bits dead they told me. He'd
only Jest passed his 1921 birthday, too, |
and was as hearty as a buck and lively |
az a cricket, but he overhet himself chas-
In razor backs on o. his place tother day, |
and II wiped him out Aunt Hiry Mat
thews came TO his funeral. Aunt Hiry'H |
be hundred next spring. She walked |
In three mile to go 10 Bilrs funeral, and |
walked back home ag'in-
"Then in the course Of my travels got /
to Dockery. l found out that William |
Horyel lived there. william was "a, and /
the father Of nineteen children. He had |
recently retired from the public service. |
For twenty-five years he had carried the |
mail between Wilkesboro and Wilson, iOi
miles the round trip, making II on foot.
going one day and returning the next.
miles day. and never missed
a trip.
80 by and by struck Mexton. There |