New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-05-17

1De sou'fi foot or two lfom The edge Of the trap
man and (which We had emerged. passed on 70
bill. The (in and took my stand In position "a.
These two, fyatien and with my back turned TO
. Nv their vi. The view ~ be had promised was
have nanilc<ngly 6ne. The landscape lay. ike
under ali crcAnla. unroed beneath US, stretching
sfatesnan III and plain. until it melted by soft
snthorzc delle blue haze Of the distant hoiizoE.
. throw no cefistia. were distinctly visible at
4 Judging the meiistanres 1t prospect full OF
= be obtained at tides. the tints aud touching beau
i full free and rs artist, Nature, spreads with such
. | principle 10 per her immortal canvas and
QuItlnsn and Boction beneath the creative pencil of
! record Is made-lnself.
that Of their Sorimmediatey beneath US, the view,
ion, that records the more distant surrounding
as Il does nowat least, far more bewdeting and
r trne patriots ne nerves- The summit Of the tower
v The obsere stood was square platform, of no
i'm onr h,nensions, surrounded by low balus-
49, futly much damaged by exposure TO the
oensnie srom this frail perimeter, there was per
stow upofa Of many feet to the roof, which, by its
for the I, insured certain and speedy descent 70
: ADMIT OF anybody falling upon it from above A
q glance downwards shot tremor through my
oee, which did not care to prolong or revive by
petition OF the view.
Directing my eyes steadily to the surrounding
landscape, was soon absorbed 10 the contemplation
Of It's beauty. All at once my companion broke out
into loud, prolonged peal OF laughter, capplng his
hands together, at the same time, repeatedly and
With violent concussion. turned suddenly around
and was startled at the change which had come over
him during the few moments we had been standing
upon the tower His person was drawn up to Its ut
most height his face was flushed, his eye glistened
with a strange iustre, his bosom heaved and be
seemed sul~ct to. or struggling 10 master, some
mighty emotion. He was apparently gazing at some
object ia the landscape before him. The motion OF
my body. in turning attracted his attention, and his
look fell upon me We stood moment at gaze-I
mute with SURPRISE and he seemingly for struggling
utterance
eHal ha!r he at length broke forth, 1isn't fine ?
THE landscape you mean Of course, said /. ''its,
indeed, glorious"
mol nor he replied, in a tone Of irnpatience !;
you misunderstood, / don't mean the anscape, but
the leap-the leap, shats tine--the leap that's glo.
rions, foon
"0f what leap do you speak hastily inquired.
"Nhy. man. he abruptly interposed, ''Ehe leap,
the glorious leap down there" pointing at the same
time, with bis finger, to the roof Of the house be-
low u.s.
"That would. indeed be leap said /, '.aud
fearful one TOO. Flesh and bones coald never sur
rive it.r
suppose we try it. he retored, with fierce au-
dacity OF tone which bespoke resolution to attempt
what bis tongue proposed airy it-yesi will and
you shall yea. you shall make it with me-
There was no installing my position any longer. /
STOOD FACE TO FACE WITH A RAvING MADNAN! (!
To grapple with and overpower him, II | could, and
thus etIeet my escape. the first thought that
flashed into my mind. In moment, saw the utter
utility and danger Of the attempt. The maniac was
greatly my superior in size, and doubtless also ia
strength. He was under the fierce stimulus Of mad
ness. The delrium OF fearful intent intensified bis
physical powers, and added tenfold vigor to bis
nerves. shonld be babe in his herculean grasp.
To close with him, therefore, aud attempt TO over
power him, would be 10 make sure Of instantaneous
destruction He would seize me. and make the fear
fal leap which be meditated with me in his arms.
Ny next impulse was 10 call for help, and bring
The officers q the asylum 70 my rescne This plan.
upon moments reflection, abandoned as equally
imprActcable and equally hazardous with the former
strong wind blowing at the time, the height of
the tower and thick interposng walls and doors,
made it extremely doubtful whether my voice could
be made 70 reach the ears of the persons below
Besides. felt morally certain, that the mailman,
made apprehensve BY the outcry Of losing his vic
tim, would anticipate rescue, aud bring matters to
an immediate and fatal issue.
decided TO stand upon the defensive, and take
whatever chances OF rescue escape there might be
for In the lottery OF fate My feelings at the mo-
ment, were awful beyond expression stood beyond
the reach OF human help. upon the perilous edge Of
high tower. raging mailman in front of me. es-
cape In any direction from his mefciless grasp ply
steal impossiblty Uttering brief eiaculatory
prayer 70 heaven, looked steadily aud as impress
siyely could into the glazing eyes or the maniac.
He neither quaiied nor seemed affected in any way
by the steadness of my look but returned 1t with
gaze fixed, deadly inits malignant stare that
lost all hope, and felt that my 6nal moment had in
deed come, and that life with would soon be over.
The maniac, cycling me with the unwinking gaze
with which the snake views its victim began TO an.
preach me- shrieking as he advanced, the fearful
words. :" The Leap-rHB LEAP THE GLORIOUS
LRAF--we will take 1t now" His face waxed almost
livd bis eyes feaffully dilated and his express
sion diabolical than Il Il possible 10 describe
His hot breath reached me and luttered the hair Of
my head. Leaning bis person forward and stretching
out his arms TO their utmost length II TO prevent
my escape, he was already within few feet OF me-
when exclaimed, in loud voice. "The superintend-
anti fta
behind him. He hastily turned his head TO look but
without drawing in his arms changing the leaning
posture OF his body. With the rapidity almost OF
lightning, darted between bis legs which, like bis
arms he had stretched outwardly, but not so tensely
and managed, as passed, to give each one smart
| push with my arms. The stfaiagem was completely
successful. The maniac, upset by the unexpected
assault upon bis legs, fell forward upon his face and
at full length upon tho platform OF the tower. Be
fore he could recover himself, | sprang down the
ladder, flew from story to story OF the asylum aud
paused not In my rapid descent, until reached the
entrance door, stopping there only long enough TO
/ inform an attendant that had left lnnatic upon
the summit Of the tower hurried to my lodgings,
and, overcome with fatigue and mental exhaustion,
| retired early and supperess to my room.
| The next day returned 10 the asylum, for the pur
pose 81 unrayeing the mystery. Of my adventure.
! That was easily done. The gentleman whom had
taken for my cicerone the day BEFORE had been for
| many years an inmate OF the asylum He was intel.
ectnal, accomplished, and possessed OF most win
nnH Huurtsh. being mild ana lnOfenSye IN DISPOSE
ton and subject only, at long intervals, to an access
Of his mental disorder, be was permitted to 70 at
| large, and unattended through the buildings and
grounds OF the Institution. His great passion aud
chief employment was 10 accompany and explain to
visitors who came to the asylum the history and hal
ueinatons Of It's inmates. With all these he was
infinitely and thoroughly conyersant. He collected
his information from every available snurce-beng as
ndefateable In the pursuit, "a he was qucksghted
in the detection OF facts and statistics bearing upon
the subject matter OF his Inquiries. To him the ar
rival OF a inmate for the asylum was an event
his investigations at once, and ceased not from his
autecedents the mental malady and the present con-
self thoroughly "posted In the personal statistics
aud characteristics Of the inmates OF the institution
He was, In word, sort of Ider repe,toriiin, or
table OF reference for visitors and bore ia his mem.
DRY the unwritten biographies Of all his associates in
misfortune.
The peculiar characteristic OF his insanity was a
propensity to seek high attitudes, which, when at
tanned, always brought on violent paroxysm OF
alteration, 10 which be became c0mbative impatient
OF control and very dangerous Ia consequence of his
great agility and strength. Hence it WAS the fixed
rule OF his keepers to permit him ascend the
tower Of the asylam-the trapdoor Of which was
always kept securely locked down. aud only opened
BY an officer OF the institution 20 admit visitors 70
the summit, and closed Immediately after both their
ascent and descent from the tower On the day OF
| my adventure through some unexplained oversight
the door had been left open and the Of egrass
70 the top of the tower thus afforded accidentally
discovered hv m cODonion on onr visit 10 that ms