The Columbian fountain., 1846-02-20
full. Would you forgive joke innocently
practised upon you3'
"Most certainly Iwould," quickly re-
IL i

"Then you forgive me-" added he, Hfor
making youthe subject Of rather a serious
joke. The last night you were at my
ht use, if you recollect, | read Manu-
script to you, purporting to be an account
of DIR. Dalton by name, who went to see
a patient, and on his return found his house
burned, his wife destroyed, and his child,
nobody knew where. Also, that Miss In
ore died, and left niece with a little
daughter. Moreover, you will recollect
my taking you to see DR.. Dalton, the ma
MAC, and your abrupt departure from the
house, that spoiled the filling up Of my
pilot, which may as well give to you
now in the way in which / then intended
to give it to you, that my story may be
consistent in all its parts.
The man that escaped when Mrs. Dal-
toms house was fired, thought it as little
return as he could make for Mrs. d. g kind
ness, by saving, if possible, her child so
snatching it from the cradle, he escaped as
you already know. Mrs. Morton's daugh-
ter-the grand niece of Miss Inore--in
time grew lovely woman. The son of
DR.. Dalton, under the attention Of his pre-
server, grew handsome man. Falling into
each others society, they were mutually
inspired with affection; told their loves,
and as consequence-were married. A
stranger stopping with me one evening, re-
lated to me after tea, as did to you, the
manner in which he escaped with young
child when such house, at such place,
and on such time, was fired by the lndi-
ans.
| Here, then, the mystery that hung over
| the, disappearance of Dalton's child was
cleared up-and hopelessly lost son, re-
have father, maniac as he was, young
Dalton and his wife, on my persuasion, re-
moved to house near my own, where,
with filial solicitude, they attended their
father. Care, however, was not needed
Y long-for shortly after their removal, they
laid him in the cold ground; and often, yea,
almost daily while they lived, they went to
drop silent tear over the grave of The
Western Maniac.
"Thus ends my manuscript" added my
landlord, now word of explanation. The
evening you arrived at my house was
dull and stormy. My spirits partook some
what of the nature of the weather; and
with no great effort perceived that you
yourself were disposed to the blues. For
us both to be in this condition-and to sit
whole evening in each others company.
with cur mouths 6 lued together, was to me
a something not to be endured. So, you
will remember that | tried to excite in you
as well as myself, flow ofmirth by glass
Of Burgundy, when you informed me of
some strange words that you had heard and
asked for an explanation. was truly
startled myself by what you said-and no
doubt appeared SO to you-at that instant
the thought occurred to me, that your
words would be good foundation for "a
yarn;" and coming to the conclusion that
your fancy was engaged in making the noise
you thought you heard, determined to
work upon it and spin out story. Arriv-
ing at the point where ] promised to take
you to see the maniac cut my spinning
short, for had got myself into difficulty
by ''mucb speaking" | knew no maniac,
and yet had promised to give you sight
of one. Going to sleep on my perplexity,
| arose early in the morning and thought
of what should do. Fortune favored me
this time. Calling to see my brother, !
spoke to him of your being with me, ofthe
trouble had involved myself in, and soli-
cited his assistance.
He asked if thought you could bear
joke. told him yes, not caring whether
you would or not--so could divide the
responsibility. Bring him over here, then,
said he, I'l be maniac for the occasion
exhibit myself to his g astonished gaze,"
and leave the settling of the matter to the
suggestions of the moment 1t is needless
TO recount to you what occurred--you re-
collect well your visit and escape-believ-
ing that you had seen bona-fide smanfac.'
This was happy termination for us, for
really we had not determined how to pro-
ceed after you had seen the maniac The
old gentleman with peppered breeches,
&c. was indeed the pretending maniac, and
the young gentleman and lady, his son and
daughter, who, in case of necessity, would
have done very well for young Dalton and
his wife. Pardon, dear sir, the liberty |
took with you--but | forget, have your
pardon already Take this assurance from
me as a friend, that naught but my extre-
nifty in commencing rehearsal that knew
nothing about, would have allowed me to