The Cardiff Giant Outdone

Wo raako the following extract from a letter to the Philadelphia Prat, written by a coriytspondent crossing tho plains with a military expedition. It is tho story of a pioneer cmployed as a guide : One day some young fellows said they were going over to see the stone man. I liad oi'ten heard thein talk about the stone man, but never bolioved there was anything in it. 80 one of the young fullows said to rae: "Xow, Nelson, you just shut up ubout the stone man, or come along and see him." Next morning I borrowed a pouy, and eight of us rode across the country to the North Fork of the Republioiin. It vu about four o'cloek when we come to a little stream that empties into tlie North Fork, and the Indiahs told me that the stone man was just a little way up the stream. We went on about half a mile, when the Indians dismountcd, ti:d thcir horscs and jointed to the right. About a hundred rardfl trom tho strcain therc he was, sure cnough. Tho Indiana, who had been very noisy uil along, would only speak in whispors, and wouldn't go within ton feet f him. IIu liiy on liis back, with lus right liand resting on his breast and his eft arm gone. I stepped him and he vas tw enty-two fuut long. Uno .sido oí' lis under jaw had been brok on off with a ledge liiiniiiior, andtwoof the toeth were ;one. It wiis broken by a trader, who ook itinto Ncrth Platte, wlmre it is now. Ie had been telling somo of thcui fellowB about the stono man, and they wouldn't jelieve liim, so when liü camo out again ie slcdgod off a jaw and torlc it in to show hem. He tíád already sledgod off the right arm ncar the ghoulder, but two man oould not carry it, imd it was still lying jesido tho body. Thcro was a cavity in he stoinach, and also in tho eyes ; but ho noso, ears and chwiks were perfect. - The nails on tho tots had grown out half an inch boyond the flesh, and ono leg was lightly drawn up. The veins were visi)le under tho skin, and the tíesh liad dried on tho ribs so that yon eould count hem. I had never soun anything like it, and if I hadn't soen it I wouldn't havo )elievod it was thero." Wo had all listcned to this story with 'oelings of doubt, wonder and araazonont. ïhe General said : " Mr. Nelson, ïow far are wo from tho stono man now." " About one hundred and twenty-iivi' milos." "And how far -will we lie from liim whon we get to Tickwood Creek, where we aro going? " " About eighty miles." " If we scout ujj the South Fork of tho ilepublican, how far do we pass from the stoneman V" " Not over twenty miles." " Then," said the General, " wo shall ook up this wonrterful stone man ; and mind you, Nelson, if you havo told ns a jrairie yarn about him wo shall tako tho iberty of treating you to a cold batli in ;he river." Nelson solemnly averred that all he hftd ssiid was true, and exprossed himself pc:r'ectly willing to be duckedif he oould not wint out just sueh a " stono man " as he lad described.