Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1913 — MEAL FOUND IN OLD CABIN [ARTICLE]

MEAL FOUND IN OLD CABIN

Edibles Found on Table Just as Man Put Them Inhere Before He Died Suddenly 12 Years Ago.

Olivet, Mich. —The discovery that a meal has stood on a table for twelve years without being touched was made by Royce Thorpe of Olivet, while hunting in Brookfield township, about four miles from Olivet.

Thorpe passed by a deserted old shack which used to shelter Charles Derby and which has been unoccupied since the sudden death of. the latter about 1900. Peering into the old hut, Thorpe was surprised to see a table set with two plates, knives, forks, cups and other table ware. Thinking some one had taken possession of the building, and knowing it had been uninhabited for half a score of years, Thorpe pushed open the door and entered. He found the table set for two. Examining a loaf of bread he discovered it to be hard as a rock and somewhat musty, but entirely undisturbed by mice or animals. The sugar in the great bowl in the center of the table had hardened and It, too, was unbreakable. Some cheese had shriveled and hardened' and a jar of mustard had dried and blackened In the twelve years. / Derby, who was the last person to live In the shack, according to neighbors, always set the table for two.