Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 June 1877 — The Story of a Mummy. [ARTICLE]

The Story of a Mummy.

For seventeen years the most carious object in the Museum of the Tennessee Historical Society has been the Egyptian mummy. It has a very singular history. In 1860 Col. Jeremiah George Harris was a purser on a United States man ofwar in the Egyptian waters. He went on shore, and was at once ushered into the august presence of the Khedive and his numerous household. He was walking out one day with a member of the Khe~ dive’s staff, when the latter was set upon by ruffians. Col. Harris, who is a man of great strength, interposed, and the roughs were vanquished.

“ What can I do,” asked the Egyptian officer, ‘‘to show adequate approbation of the services you have rendered me?” *’ Give me a mummy,” laughingly sug geated Col. tfhrris. “A mummy?” repeated the officer, holding his breath and pondering. “ Did you not know. sir. that our laws prohibit the removal of mummies, under penalty of death! But, never mind; your request shall be fulfilled. Just before your vessel leaves the harbor a boat will come alongside. It will contain that for which you have asked.” Col. Harris had dismissed the subject from his mind, but jnst before the hour for the departure of the ship three na tives were seen pulling toward the vessel. The boat contained a bundle directed to Col. Harris. This bundle was not opened until the arrival of the ship at Boston, when it wus discovered that there were six mummies instead of one. They were unwrapped, and the best one forwarded to the Tennessee Historical Society, of which col. Harris was then and is still a member. When Prof. Huxley was here he examined the mummy with a great deal of interest, and said that he believed it to be the best preserved specimen either in America or in Europe. —Nashville American.