M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-03-23
Not Such a Fool Amer All.

A very lsughable instatce Of Luna.
tea Cunning is given in late English
provincial paper. A parish officer, with
;he proper order, wss taking him to the
Asylum at Lancaster. but they passed
one night on the way at an inn. Very
early in the morning the lunetic got up
aud searched the pockets of the officer,
where be found the magistrates order for
his own detention, which, Of cOnrse,
let him completely into the secret.
with that cunning which madnen
not unirequently display, he made the
best Of his way to the asylum, saw one
Of the keepers. and told him that he had
got mad fellow down at Lancaster,
whom he would bring up in the course OF
the day, adding: "He is queer fellow,
and has got very odd ways. For instance,
shouldn't wonder If he was TO say
was the madman, and that he was bring
ing me! Butyou must taAe care of him.
and don't believe word he says"
"The keeper promised compliance,
and the lunatic walked bach to the inn,
where he found the officer still fast
asleep. He awoke him, and they sat
down TO breakfast together.
"You are a lazy fellow, 10 be sleeping
all day; have had a long walk this
morning." said the ldnalic.
"Indeed!" said the officer; i should
like to take walk myself, after break
fast; perhaps you will go with me9'
The,lunaiic sssented; and after break.
fast they set out, the.ofiicer leading the
way towards the asylum, intending to
deliver his charge; but it never occurred
TO him TO see whether his order was safe.
When they got within sight Of the
asylum, the iunatic exclaimed:
''Whut fine house that Isl"
EYES," said the officer; i shold like
OF see the inside of it,
$50 should Il" piled the lunatic..
"Well, | dare say they will let us 60
through it: | will ask" was the re.
SPONGE.
They went 10 the door, the ofcer
rang the bell, and the keeper whom the
lunatic had previously seen made his
appearance, with two or three assis.
tsnts. The officer then began TO fun
bic in his pockets foi the order, when
the lunatic produced it. and gave it to
the keeper saying:
"This is the man spoke 10 you sbout.
You will take care Of him; shave his
head, and put strait.wsistcost on
him"
The men Immediately laid hands on
the poor officer. who vociferaied loudly
that the other was the madman, and he
the officer; but as this only confirmed
the story peviously told BY the luna tic
it did not at oil tend to procure his
Liberation. He was taken away, and
became so indignantly furious that the
strait 'waistcoat was speedily put upon
him, end his head was shaved sscundsn
artsm.
Meanwhile the lunatic walked de.
liberately back TO the inn. paid the bill.
and set out on his journey homeward -
The good people in the country were Of
course surprised on seeing the wrong
nun iOhuiu' Aho! NeIc hlIdIu Ulc luDd-
tic. in fit Of frenzy, had murdered the
officer; and they asked him. with much
trepidation, what he had done with Nh
Stevenson. which was the off er's name J..
"Done with hin" said the lunatic,
why, left him at the asylum, as mad
bs March hare!
And this was not far from the truth;
for the wits of the officer were well
nigh upset, by the unexpected deten.
tion and subsequent treatment.
Further inquiry was forthwith made
by his neigbors. and it was ascertained
that the man was actually in the asyl.
um. A magistrates order was produc .
ed for his liberation, and he returned
home with handkerchief tied round
his head, instead Of the covering which
nature had bestowed upon it. The un
fortunate officer has been the standing
joke Of the neighborhood ever since.