Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-12-03
THE FOODLESS FOOL.
Latest Thing in the Line of "Daffy"
Tenants Exhibited al the
bug House"

AS the party of visitors passed through
The cell lined corridor of the state asy-
lum for the insane they heard a strange
sound issuing from one of the barred
windows. 1t %manifestly was uttered by
a human voice, but there was blended in
it the neigh of a horse, the moo of a COW,
the bleat of the lamb and the cackle of
the hen. Noting the looks of wonder
ment on the faces of those he escorted,
he attendant FASTENED to explain the
strange medley of barn sounds, relates
The New York Tribune.
That" he said, lis the most interest
ing ase we have ever had here, and
though it's the first of its kind we ex-
pect several more within a short time.
RE Is the foodless food case. Come
nearer and we will view him to more ad-
vantage, for he is very docile and not
annoyed by visitors"
Approaching the cell and gazing in,
the visitors saw that it was built in the
form Of a horse stall, the floor being COW
cred with straw. Crouched on this, on
all fours, and alternately chewing the
straw and grains of corn, which he
found in 1t by paving with one hand,
was a mar who uttered a clucking sound
similar to that of a hen looking for food.
Occasionally he would try to scratch his
eft ear with his left foot. 81 will call
him so that you may examine more mi
nutely into the peculiar aspects of his
sad case" said the attendant, and on his
making an uncouth sound the mar
Ioped to the barred door and raised him
self to a semi-erect posture with diff
Guilty.
"You will observe" said the attend
ant, as the man began gnawing at an
ear of uncooked corn which the attend
ant had passed through the grating,
that his teeth are no longer long and
pointed like ours but fiat and broad liz
those of cattle and herbivorous animals.
His mind is completely gone. He dis
plays animation only at the sight OF
God, when he frisks, jumps and cavorts
md gives vent to those sounds which
you have just heard. Occasionally we
urn him out to Craze on the lawn, and
or the most part his food consists of
bran mixed with water into a mush, and
he dried husks of oats or corn. He is
particularly fond of the chaff left after
he thrashing of wheat, and, of course,
likes greatly raw turnips, Nbeets, cab
pages and other vegetables. He eats
most of his food from the manger you
see in yonder corner. We sprinkle the
,or in the stall so that he, in hunting
Tor 1t, will get the exercise necessary for
his health.
ITO what Is this pitiable spectacle
iue?" asked a man who was taking
votes.
Taking the visitor to the clerks of
ice the attendant from a large volume
'ead the following extract:
"Foodless food, No. 1. First ate in
vegetarian restaurant, just for the fun
If it. Continued dallying with tempter
Until he became a confirmed vegetarian
restaurant habitue. From that drifted to
foodless foods. Ate all he saw adver-
Used; tried to induce his wife, relatives
Ind friends to do likewise. Sold out his
business, and, devoting the proceeds to
buying foodless food, left his family to
starve while he began a crusade against
the use of meat by the poor. Disap-
peared for several months. One morn
Ing was found on hands and knees eat
lng grass in Central Park. Has spoken
once since coming here. Heard visitor
ask: What is it?' Replied: 'Foodless
'ooI.'"