The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-11-23

1889, after having spent most OF eIne
day in visiting my other traps Wh1ch
I had setting along the banks or the
Waccamaw river, which flows through
the southeastern section of North Car
DINA, [ came suddenly upon a s1naii
clearing, in the center Of which stoou
q cabin, the crude kind, which usually
constitutes the abode Of a swamp
trapper.
/ was agreeably surprised for l was
of the existence OF a SlnSie
habitation within q radius OF SIX miles,
I received a cordial invitation TO take
supper with the family and pass the
night, and l readily accepted tnelr
hospitality. -
I learned that the owner OF the
cabin was Tom Calvin. who had set
tied in the swa1nps years before with
his young wife, probably to avoid the
penalty of the law for some CRIME or
misdemeanor upon which he seemed
loath to converse.
Tom, like his wife, was extremely
ignorant. They We're the parents OF
three children, the eldest of whom at
tracted my attention by the exceeding
pallor of his face. L
took hold of his hand and was aston
ished to note that it had the appear
ance of one exposed to an A-ray. Inc
arteries and bones in 1t could be easily
traced. The child was we'll develop
ed and seemed to be healthy anu IN
telligent, but when he turned his large
eyes upon me they shown with such
an unnatural brilliancy n cunning
ness that / felt the "creeps' come
over me and / dropped his hand feel
ing as if I had touched a snake.
His father told me that the boy was
fifteen years of 6 and his name was
"Gallops," adding in his peculiar dla
lect: I'VE uns calls i'm that kase he
can cut SIGH curious capers.' When
he wus a leetle chile he Wus sickly all
the time till l went to see a doctor
what 81 me a bottle ur that ar truck
what yer see over the fire place. l
kept havin it refilled fur a long time
an it done i'm good. but he amt les
rite yit. He is fifteen years ole an
don't weigh but eighteen pounds but
he can jump a ten rail fence an can
beat any Of my dogs running"
Part of this information l listened
to with incredulity, especially that part
relative to the boys weight He
looked to weigh at least n hundred
pounds However, my doubts were
set aside when Tom took a pair Of
twenty-four pound draw Scales from
the wall and hooked them in the waist
band Of the boys pants and lifted
him clear Of the floor. The eed OF
the scales registered exactly eighteen
pounds. Then I found I could lift
the boy easily with my forefinger
and thumb by taking hold OF his coat
collar.
When Tom lifted his boy up to
weigh him his pant legs slipped up
above his knees. and I noted that his
legs had the same transparency OF his
face and Ton Informed me that the
boys entire body bore this same as
pect.
On the following morning Tom put
his son through a few stunts which
exemplifed his wonderful ability at
1eaping and running. In making a
leap Of thirty feet, Gallops' body
seemed to float rather than bound.
It was NJ trouble for him, while hold
ing his breath to leap clear of the
ground and describe something like
fore alighting, this stunt he perform
ed after the manne of a flying squir~
rel.
That day I started to Wilmington, a
distance Of fifty miles, where I went
to repleniSh my camp supplies. All
along my journey I thought only Of
Gallops who had impressed me as the
greatest freak I had ever beheld.
For the mex week following I do not
believe that there was a minute Of
my time, when awake. that [ did not
think Of the boy and my sleep was
disturbed by ghOstly dreams in which
Gallops always figured.
had pitched my camp on the upper
Waccamaw for the purpos Of 1shing
and trapping during the winter The
place was about six miles distant from
Tom GalVin'S, yet On my return from
Wilmington I set out through the
dense growth of cypress and gall
bushes to see Gallops.
The interview that I had with him
the next two days has left an i'm
preston on my mind that has com
pletely changed my course of life and
filled my soul with thoughts, fancies
and perhaps a delusion, all Of which ]
would willingly throw aside if I could