Real Romance in Humble Life an old Scotchman, named, we believe, Allison, arrived in the township of Underskiddaw, near Keswick, and located himself to Milbeck, at the foot of the majestic Skiddaw. He obtained work as a labourer from a farmer, and after some time contrived to leave some little money from his earnings in the hands of his employer. One day the old man asked for his cash, saying, ‘I have a son in Scotland who could assist me in my work, and I want to bring him here.’ The amount was paid and Allison departed, and in a short time returned with his son ‘Tom.’

Real Romance father and son in Humble Life an old Scotchman

Tom apparently, was an awkward sort of a lad; still he worked with his father in draining and all other kinds of labourers’ employment. Some two years ago he worked with a great number of labourers, in deepening Bassenthwaite beck. Tom, now and then, was apt to show the white feather, and his father would call out, ‘Tom, Tom, what ev’r ye aboot? Git on wi’ yer work.’ The youth’s general reply was, ‘Mind yer oon.’

The father and son lived together in a cabin quite cosily. Tom was also a frolicsome sort of a fellow; he went in company with the ‘lads of the village,’ and played off all kinds of nocturnal pranks, sweethearting the girls, drinking his glass, singing his song, and smoking his pipe; nothing came amiss to Tom. He courted, it is said, a young woman for 18 months. Our hero was quite a character.

Tom’s career as a young man was not, however, doomed to last for ever, for in the early part of last week ‘Tom’ unexpectedly gave birth to a fine child, to the astonishment of the whole neighbourhood. Tom’s sex having never once been suspected, his female neighbours would scarcely believe their organs of vision after being called in, even when they found this extraordinary mother suckling the child, from the shortness of the crop of hair and appearing in unmentionables.

The old man, we are informed, owns to the paternity of the offspring which has thus brought to light the sex of this rural celebrity. It has been said that since this auspicious event some of those who have occasionally employed Tom are overwhelmed with vexation at the notion of their having paid him from 2s to 3s per day, in place of 1s 6d, a woman’s ordinary wage.

A rich manufacturer, named Oppelt died years ago at Reichenberg, in Austria, and a vault was built by his widow and children in the cemetery for the reception of the body.

The widow died about a month ago, and was taken to the same tomb; but when it was opened for that purpose, the coffin of her husband was found open and empty, and the skeleton of the deceased discovered in a corner of the vault in a sitting posture. It is supposed that M. Oppelt was only in a trance when buried, and that on coming to life he had forced open the coffin

Laughed Himself to Death

Wesley Parsons, an aged and well-known farmer, died at Laurel, Ind. under peculiar circumstances. While joking with friends he was seized with a spell of laughing, being unable to stop. He laughed for nearly an hour, when he began hiccoughing, and two hours later he died from exhaustion.