The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-12-27
TOO MUCH FOR THE CLERK.
Terrified by The Indin UuDhcr 10.
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Terrified by The iadln uubhor &c:
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4 person who has had many years,
experience III hospitals WAS .pca..ing
the other day To Il number OF men III
tercsicd III medical affairs about hu.
man freaks.
DO You KNOW that the greatest hU-
man freaks in the country-in fact. il
the world" cNclai:ncd the speaker.
have mover been exhibited in a mu-
scum or numbered among Il circus at-
fractions? Have YOU ever heard Of the
india rubber hoy or the negro whose
heart was on his right side or the man
with voice like Il locomotive whistle?
Perhaps you have heard of ut least the
last great parsonage. They were real
ly great pcrSonagcs' III their own csii-
nation and seemed to be glad that
they were freaks"
None of the listeners had ever seen
or heard Of the freaks.
Don't think for Il moment that the
india rubber boy was made Of rubbcr."
continued the speaker, "or that he
could twist himself into knot He
from some form OF epilepsy, and when
lie had fit lie would bounce up and
down. That's why they called him The
india rubber boy
"lIow high did lie bounce?" was ask
ed
Il think about six feet. Some people
said that he sometimes bounced high
err. but | doubt it,
did he have any control over him
self when he had iit?"
mo. He never knew when or where
he would be stricken, and every time
he simply bounced until he became OK
haustcu or unconscious.
"Thc india rubber boy and the man
with the voice like Il locomotive Wills
tie one time nearly frightened to death
night clerk Of local hospital y
young physician made tour Of the
country some years ago cNhibitin. TO
medical associations the india rubber
boy ln.i the man with the peculiar
voice. This physician took delight III
having fun 1T the expense or his
friends. He was we'll acquainted with
the night clerk. and lie selected him rs
q victim for one of his pranlis. One
night. after he had exhibited his freaks
before Il medical society III this city,
the physician called ut the hospital to
see the night clerk. After talking with
the clerk q few minutes he left the
freaks seated near desk at which the
clerk was ct work and went into an adj
joining room to await developments.
The physician had some doubt about
his plan being successful, as the man
with the extraordinary voice would
only make Il noise like Il locomotive
whistle when under great excitement.
The man. however. did what was ex-
pected Of him.
Several times the clerk stopped
work to glance ut his visitors. but their
action did not arouse his suspicious.
Soon the india rubber boys teeth be-
gan to chatter, and the lad assumed n
crouching attitude. He was preparing
to spring. The clerk saw the crouch
Ing form in front Of his desk and
reached for stick on nail at one end
Of his desk. AS the clerk grasped the
stick the boy bounded upward and
came down on his feet, only to shoot
upward again. The clerk raised the
stick rs though he intended to hit the
boy with it, and then the man who
could make sounds resembling a loco
motive whistle became excited and
sounded Shrill blast. His voice would
have terrified any one. The noise made
by the man and the boy bounding up
and down in front Of the desk wns too
much Tor the clerk. He rushed from
the room and sounded call for help.
All the male orderlics responded to the
call. and for n time there was great cx-
citement in the place. The physician
restored order by making an explana-
ton, but the clerk never spoke to him
again."-New York Tribune.