Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1878 — Strange and Unusual Mishap. [ARTICLE]

Strange and Unusual Mishap.

One night this week Capt. J. G. Smith, whose line residence is located on Elm street, was awakened from his slumbers about 4 o’clock a. m., by a negro tramp knocking at his front door. The Captain got up to respond to the tramp’s importunity, and he met him at the uoor with—well, not pleasantfeelings —who’d blame him ? “What do you want?” said Mr Smith. “ A place to sleep,” responded the bold tramp, seemingly unconscious of tbe aggravation he had caused to the Captain’s household. Mr. Smith’s reply to such presumption we will not report. Let the reader place himself in the same position and imagine what it would be in his own case, and then multiply that by two and you will get the Captain’s reply. However, while the parleying was going on Mrs. Smith also dressed herself ana while both were absent from the bedroom a-piece of ceiling and cornice, a foot anil a half wide by several feet long, fell edgeways on their pillow—and would undoubtedly have seriously injured, if not taken the life of both the Captain and Ills wife, had it fallen ten minutes sooner. Perhaps, after the poor negro tramp was one of Deacon Ferris’ " angels unawares.” —Stamford (Conn.) Aaibcwtr.