Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 March 1881 — How a Texas Farmer Arranged for His Death from Hydrophobia. [ARTICLE]

How a Texas Farmer Arranged for His Death from Hydrophobia.

A Dallas, Texas, letter says: “A I tragic death has just occurred in our neighboring county of Hill worth relating, and Worthy of Virgin! us or any other Roman father. One year ago George Arnold came to Dallas on private business, and while walking the streets was bitten by a worthless :cur which was frothing at the mouth, .and showing other symptoms of hydrophobia. Mr. Arnold became alarmed and very much excited when convinced in hisiown mind the dog Was mad. He went to a physician, and had the wound severely cauterized. Then, going home, he was still very uneasy, and dreaded hydrphobia so much that he hunted up amadBtone and had it applied for several weeks, off and on. He took every other precaution which was suggested, resting all the time under a mortal dread that the virus had gone info his system, and would sooner or later kill him. He had a wife and several small children living on a rather isolated farm, and the thought that he might suddenly lose his reason and harm his little babes, horrified him. The other day he began to experience strange feelings,and at once concluded his time had come. He then procured a twelve-foot trace chain aud strong lock and went to the woous. After writing his wife a calm letter, in which he told her what was about to happen, giving directions as to his wishes alter death, and pouring out a volume of love for her and her children.' he ran the chain round a tree, drefr it through the large ring at the endj and then wound the other end arpund his ankle so tight that it would npt slip the foot, locked it with the lock, and threw the key far beyond his reach. The body was found two days after, still chained to the tree. There was all the evidence necessary to show the horrible death from hydrophobia. The ground was torn up to the full length of the chain, the nails of the fingers wrenched ou and all his front teeth out in scratching and biting the tree, and every thread 1 of clothing off his body. “The body was dreadful[y larcerated with these, the only weapons the madman could use. He had judged rightly what would have been tne consequence had he remained at home, ana.knowing that there was no human skill, that could have cured him, preferred death alone and in that way to doing harm to those so near and dear to him as a wife .''nd children. “Arnold was onginally from Talladega, Ala., where he married, and where his widow has many friends and re'stives.”

In 1860, Queen Victoria being then expected to visit the French capital, the prefect of the Seine commissionec a certain eminent architect to superintend the decorative preparations for her reception in the Hotel de Ville. His arrangements having met with the prefect’s unqualified approval, he requested that official on the eve of the reception to present him to the municipality’s august guest next morning. “With that goat’s beard of yours, impossible!” replied the prefect; “get yourself dean shaved, and I shall oe delighted to present you to her majesty.” Accordingly the architect arose early, swept off his beard, and betook himself to the Hotel de Ville, where, having soured a position in the immediate vicinity of the prefect, he anxiously awaited the recompense of his sacrifice. Presentation after presentation took place, and still his turn came not. In vain he tried to catch the prefect’s eye by gestures of animf>lonng character, to which his excellency paid no attention. When the ceremony was concluded the architect vehemently reproached the prefect with having failed to keep his Sromise. “What promise?” asked le latter, with a blank stare of wonder. “Why, to present me to the queen.” “In what character, may I ask ?” “As organizer of the reception to be sure. I shaved oft my beard on ,purpose!” “So it is you, is it?” exclaimed the prefect, bursting into laughter. “Why did you not tell me so?” My dear friend, 1 did not recognize you with that clean shaven chin.”

; The official account of the publishing trade in Germany shows that during the year 188QAhe number of new works or new editions published within the empire was 14,941. The increase onqQio previous year was 762. Educational literature of all kinds in 1880 included 1,960 works; politics, law, and statistics, 1,557; theolegy, 1,800; belles letters, 1,200; “works for the people,” 657 i philosophical, 125; map, 301; medical and veterinary, 790; the natural sciences, 788: literature for the young. 496; antiquitities, ancient classics, and Oriental philology, 583; modern language and old German literature, 506; history and biography, 762; geography, 856; mathematics and astronomy. r2Ol 1 military science and the management of horses (they are included in the same category), 858; trade and manufactures, 588; architecture, mechanical, engineering, railways, mining, and shipbuilding, 403; forest Culture, hunting, Ac., 112; domestic economy and farming, 488; the fine arts and stenography, 627; Free Masonry, 20; miscellaneous, 428.

Lysander Tiffany, a letter-carrier who has been in the employ of the Chicago post-office for thirteen years, is under arrest for robbing the mails