The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-09-22
THE STRANGE vIsITANT.
A FEARFUL CASE OF .DELmIuM TREMENs

BY DR.. J. Il sNoDGRAss.
The inmates of one of the beautiful residen-
ces near Boomingdale village a new suburb.
were surprised, one morning, at rather un-
seasonable hour, by "call" of very extra
ordinary nature, which would unquestionably
have created deal of terror in the absence of
the gentleman of the house at the moment, but
for my accidental presence as guest of the
house. 1t was made in the person of man
who had evidently come forth from pretty
passable toilette, which, however, had seemed
to have proven of little present avail He was
tall and gaunt in figure; his whole counte-
nance wore the lineaments of excitement, in
tense and uncomfortable; his eyes glaring and
unsteady; his facial muscles twitching, as if
almost ready to start from their tendonous at
tachments; his coat was freshly torn his ell
bows thickly coated with mud and sand, not
yet dried; his pants, and even his vest, neck
cloth, and collar having partaken of the same
misfortune. On his nose was a bruise, which
appeared to have been produced by a recent
fall
With faltering, stammering tongue, and
fragmentary, incoherent speech, he called for
water.
"Water-a drink of water Pm furnishing
with thirst! Water if you please
There was no water near But, turning from
the hall to the breakfast table, | seized a
pitcher of milk, as good substitute. He gulph-
ed it down eagerly, yet with hand quivering
like an aspen leaf.
"What in the worlds the matter, man q
why SO muddy 2" ] asked, experiencing some
difficulty in commanding my own reason, (often
tried though it had been) because Of the dis
concerning effect upon terrified persons around
me-
Matchmaker! he answered, with wild
est, nervous accents. Terrible calamity, Sir !!
An earthquake IN the eity-one half the city de-
Sfroyed-gone-gone, Sir--deStroyed-s i0ailow-
ed up, Sr ~
How, how, good manln
ado tell us" interposed stander.by.
=" by comet-a comet, sir
"You're jesting, man, replied; " how could
comet do that?n
"No Jest, sir It's done, sir-the whole of
Long Island is in the sea-sea-deep sea, sir !;
people all drowned amid screams terrific I've
just run from the scene, in agony Of fright
run all the way--out Of BREATH
8" fell down. he continued "And see,
sec, docking mp vt the talegraphic wire along
Eighty -sixtb street they arc telegraphing the
news to the moon List-en-there, hear that |!
turning his ear towards the Harlem railroad
It's rumbling still Oh me; | feel the earth
quaking under me- The comet is here--here,
it's following me See it fixing his glarinp
eyes upon tattered kite which some urchin
had left upon the wire, by accident, or on pur.
pose,) there it is feel the earth culver
We're in the very centre of the shock, and
whirl Of the earthquake The sun is whirled
to the west-see it J"
And he trembled and quaked, poor fellow,
and stared wildly, almost Economically.
His hand rested accidentally upon q sheep
skin door rug, hanging ON the porch balus-
trade. A slight rattle struck my own ear. He
started back, enchanting
"Don't you hear the rumbling And see
these fgures-a head Of Queen Victoria-a
serpent-a demon See, see, see!" They
were some soil.spots on the flesh side Of the
sheep-skin.)
"Come here, sir--look between those rolling
pillows, the breeze stirred shrubbery,) and see
that dog-fsh The sea has been turned up
side down, and the dog-fsh is being thrown
ashore. Well have all the water here in q
moment. Wen all be gone-gone-go.o-n
forever!"
listened to this, and much more Some one
Of the children suggested that perhaps it was
true that the papers had told of the excava
tions and extensions at the Battery, and that,
may be, the lower part of the city had sided
into the water, and the people received Sod
Om-like fate
Where did you sleep last night 2" in
CURED
I'm town, sir--town, sr--run all the way
here, sir -
whats your name ~
"Voorhies, sir.r
"Wbere do you live?n
al did live at Mr.. Steyenss, corner of South
street and Peck slip--a lodging house But it.,
too, is gone, SIR gone-swallowed up-aH the
dodgers drowned!D
Indeed But how could they have been
all drowned, and you here 90
Not disconnected in the least, he replied
81 run, sir-run for my life And there
there oh see--sce-it's after me again.
| And he started for the road, a. if deer pur-
sued by whole pack OF hounds, to re-cnact
the same scene, and tell the same wild inco-
herent tale elsewhere no doubt
| Do you catch the cause of the mans frenzy,
reader If not, ask those who have suffered,
before him, the horrors--the indescribable hor-
rors--of deiirtum tremsns, or mania a. potu---
commonly called "the man with the poker
That was the cause of bis strange and start
ling imaginngs-ohimera of tho brain de-
ranged, shattered, ruined for tho time-ay,
and ruined hopelessly and speedily termna-
ting in death--terrifc death--if relief does not
come through sleep which Dr. Dixon has aptIy
styled the repose of the mind" Let US hope
that he has procured sleep ere this; and in the
meantime let the Gothsmites congratulate
themselves that they have been swallowed up
by only an imaginary earthquake.
SEaUEL.-I communicated the startling facts
Of the foregoing sketch flor il il faithful to
every symptom Of the awful case il describes,
showing how true it is that facts are frequent.
" stranger than felton, to a friend con.
nected with the New York National Democrat
in which they were published on the day after
occurrence But, not feeling satisfied without
some inquiry as TO the reality and identity of
the persons designated by name, and anxious
10 learn the fate Of the Rum Maniac, IL posi-
bic, proceeded to the corner Of South street
and Peck slip, where found-contrsry, some
what, 10 my anticipation, in view of the mental
decisions common to delirium--that the refer
ence a. well as the names, Was correct and,
further, that had been advertising not only
"lodging house" but drinking house, also
inquired for Mr.. voorhics, and learned
that he had recovered, partially, from an at
tack to which he was not, alas \ stranger. II
seams he had walked, il not run ell the way
s he asserted, (about six milesD from an
imaginary earthquake.
One Of the bar keepers had read the account
in the morning paper but another had not
The latter proceeded to read it in my presence;
and, as he read he laughed uneonesrnsdiy Opsr
the tpid sasings of the peTv piefim of his opa