A Human Salamander.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 September 1910, Page 4

A Human Salamander.

WHAT AN AMERICAN PAPER ALLEGES. As an extra prime, circumstantial lie, the following American allega*tion would be difficult to "worsen" : "Captain" Spalding, of Galesbu.rg, Illinois, is a genial gentleman who would make Mount Vesuvius envious. He is a human volcano. Any insurance office, would bo clad to take out a premium on him, ifor he is absolutely fireproof. The inner man of Captain Spalding must lie made of natural asbestos. He can take boiling lead into His mouth and has a partiality for red hot sealing wax. Ho is no more trick fire, ealor, but a human phenomenon .who has baffled medical science for years. To an Express interviewer he said: "Sav, T want some boiling lead, to eat." He was taken into the foundry, whore the lead is heated to GOO degrees in great boilers for tho making of stereo plates. There. Captain Spalding demonstrated his wonderful gift. Ho had been wandering about tho linotype room testing the boiling lead ' from the linotype machines, but it did not seem quite hot enough for him. "I want something out of a ladle."

he said. A ladle of lead was (handed to him, and muche as a man might drink soup, Captain Spalding took it on his tongue. The lead sizzled and turned to slug. Then, from his pocket, he (took a large piece of sealing wax, lit it, and let it drop on his tongue, chewing it into small morsels, as though it was an entree. "Tastes like hofrse .radish," he snid. smacking his lips. Between the dishes of his red hot meal he lit a cigar, chewed ur> the burning match c arelessly, and put out tho lighted end by pressing it on his tongue. By way of drink, Captain Spa Id.ing can swallow benzidine and ligiht the fumes. Mo-re trifles such as flaming wick and lighted candles are as hors d'oenvrcs to him, and when he wants to put out a fire iho simply takes up the coals .-Mid licks them. "I can't explain it," ho said, "doctors have chloroformed me and put red hot pokers on my tongue, then ice, then ■pokers again, and thev just shoo.v their hoary locks and gave it up. Thev said, 'If this man used chemicals they wonld >be so strong that they would destroy the nerve tissues. , When I was a bnbv niv parents found me plaving with red hot coals and putting them in my mouth, and all my clothes were alight. That's why T'vo cot no eyebrows. After that thev watched me, but T just loved to lick iiod hot pokers.

"And wire tin's fireproof business saved my life. T was with the Red Indians who massacred General

Cnstcr, and tliov would have scaln-

erl mo. But T oliewed tlie coals from tlio .burning firo and looked up to tho skies, and they just slumped tn their knees in surprise."