Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-09-25

with a query for information and ask
ed all Associated Press papers to make
search for relatives. French's story
created the sensation the poor fellow
had foreseen, but the relatives ] had
hoped for did not materialize. | began
to have a great respect for the dead
reporter.
l went to Slabb's after the body had
rested there just one week and told
him to send 1t to the city receiving
vault in a respectable coffin. to remain
there while made further search.
mo need of sending him away" said
Slabb. Let him lie here. He's the
finest bit of embalming I've seen in my
life"
Then he led me into back room, in
sisting that | look at his guest. I'm
covering a plain coffin, he looked in
Instantly the satisfied look of the ex-
pert undertaken changed TO one of hor-
ror, and | saw Slabb spring back with
a startled exclamation. Then | looked
and felt my own blood chill, for that
thing in the coffin had shrunk six
inches In a week, and Its graveclothes
collapsed all about II!
We called in a physician, and after
a long consultation the body was strip
ped, accurately measured and dressed
in new outfit of clothing. Then we
established watch over 1t, noting the
! daily appearance. At the end of
week there had developed a decided
shrinkage-something over five inches
in the length Of the body. a close ex-
animation disclosed the fact that II was
shrinking symmetrically. My 200 pound
friend would not know his own body
now. 1t had dwindled to l60 pounds.
The excitement really commenced
with my publication that night of this
second sensation In the peculiar ac-
tions of Clyde French's remains. The
Associated Press authorities questioned
my account and invited them to send
a special agent to verify it. He came,
and forthwith a daily account of our
lively dead went over the A. Z. wire.
French's remains from transient
guest at Slabbs became the center of
an excited nations attention. 1t would
have done the poor fellow good had he
foreknown that his story was now to
move up to first page, first column, No.
l head, and remain there indefinitely.
First the city physicians examined
him and noted the daily shrinkage.
Then began the pilgrimages from curl
GUS suburbs and skeptical county seats.
| rah TO lott
and only professional men were allow
ed view. The executive body of the
National Association of Undertakers
crossed the continent and passed an
opinion on the phenomenon, and the
governor of the state issued procla-
nation. an act which gave my prop
erty official recognition.
The undertakers said in their wis
dom that the Greek priest of the far
north had embalmed the body after
some old and to them unknown formu-
la; that he had evidently used poor
materials or had mixed his fluids care
lessly; that a well embalmed body
might dry out, dry up and turn to pow
der, but for a body to shrink systemat-
ically and preserve Its smooth exterior
was not according to rule. Wise men,
those!
At the end Of two months it had
shrunk to four feet In length and to
100 pounds in weight. Perfectly SYM
metical peplexlngly ruddy, plenti-
fully bearded and plumply smooth of
skin, it was a wonder. The tailor
asked me how soon he might put knee
pants on 1t.
Then the experts came from the
great medical colleges of the country
and decided to treat the body with sun
dry fluids to arrest its shrinking. But
their treatment failed Of results, and
on their report being published abroad
the rulers of many lands appointed
medical representatives to cross the
seas and view my property. At the
cabled request of the czar of all the
Russias we placed the body in glass
case, which was hermetically sealed
Thus protected from the air, the shrink.
age ceased, and we waited for the
royal experts to assemble.
1uc uOtcib Wehc IuHuluS ONeI WIN
scientists, who burrowed through
mazes Of books on chemical subjects
and ancient burial rites. All Seattle
caught the fever, and men talked ex-
citedly of the secrets of embalming on
street corners and even in cafes.
When the international scientific ag
grega ton was complete we moved the
glass case containing my property to
the stage of the state university as
sembly room, where it remained Q
month, guarded by committee al
night and lectured over by foreign
notables during the day. At the end
of the month they were ready fol
more shrinking, and the glass case was
opened.
The shrinking commenced promptly
and for another month the world read
daily bulletins on the progress of dim
, mutton. When it had shrunk to {
perfectly formed mans body three fee
{ in length, l asked for hearing, bu
the scientists had forgotten me. So
{. went to Slabb and did some plain talk
q ing, with the result that we went tC
: the university with an escort Of police
D sealed the thing into new glass case
and locked it in big box in the safety
b deposit vaults. Then, with the key ir
t my pocket, l retired to my private Of