Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-10-23
LIZZIE RI;
Or, The Wild Freaks OF q Maniac.

ercer 70 pay long promised visit to one of my
ear1y friends and schoolmates [ found nv
.fiend waiting for me upon the wharf at which
'he steamboat landed, and after many warm
congratulations on both sides, we repaired to
MS house, an Old-fashiOned building about four
miles from the city. The mother Of nv friend
marry warren received me with great cordial
Ity' ana placed chair for me before a cheerful
hre, winch 6lazed upon The hearth. Harry and
myself were soon engaged in animated cOnver-
satoD; the happy days We had passed together
at college, and the incidents attending them,
were recalled, one after another, and afforded
theme to while away the hours of an autumn
evening. In the course of conversation my
friend informed me that he should be married
an few months TO girl, whom, judging from
MS description, must have been q paragon of
beauty and virtue.
Who is this divinity of yours7', inonired
She is the only daughter of a worthy min
lster, who lives but a few steps from here"
lou must give me an introduction -
shall be happy to do so. Tomorrow I
Will Introduce you, and doubt not that you
VII Congratulate me upon my choice"
was about to answer this speech and had
lifted my head for the purpose, when nv ewes
oecame rlyeted upon strengthening figure
which at that instant had glided stealthiIy into
the room, and stood as motionless as a statue
about two feet behind my friend
This figure was tall, skeleton-like in propor-
1T we're the very picture Of death-all but the
eyes, which were keen and wild looking, like
Two merry points In a deep cavern; a half-speer-
ing, haf-desdly grin played about the color
less lips, which trembled and twitched convul-
slvely AS looked at this intruder, he sud
denly raised his skinny hands to his forehead
and uttered one of the most dismal and awful
cries that ever heard, and which fairly made
my blood run cold. My friend turned around
at the cry, and instantly perceived who had
uttered it.
He hastily arose from his seat, and walking
up to him said, in kind tone:
fellow eN
''NO won't. 1 Iwant to howl, and to make
other people howl
Come, come, Oliver said Harry, coaxing-
ly, go up to your room and be a good boy
Il want a wife, and / will have n wife -
cried the maniac wildly, and clenching his teeth
and bis hands, he turned away and left the
room.
"For Heavens sake, my friend, who is that?'
Inquired when the maniac had departed.
Harry heayed deep sigh, and then said
mat man s an unfortunate cousin of mine
and has been an idiot from the hour of his
birth. His father died not more than a year
after his birth, and his poor mother was thus
forced to take the whole charge of her uniortu-
nate SON The infrmty under which he la
bored made him dOubley dear to the poor wo-
her that his mind was destroyed with a disease
which she could never Obliterate She had
done all IN her power to that effect, but all her
efforts were unsuccessful, and she at last gave
up the attempt in despair A few years ago
she died, and with her latest breath earnestly
begged my mother 20 take Oliver into her fam
lily and treat him kindly My mother prom
lsed, and the poor woman died contented Since
ms mother death my cousin has become worse
than be ever was before-nay, he has even at
tempted violence upon me- If he continues in
this way, L am afraid we shall have to shut him
up In the insane hospital
After some further conversation upon this
and other subjects, my friend and myself re-
tired to rest, he to dream Of Lizzie R and
to lay awake and think Of his cousin. the
strange maniac.
While was still restlessly tossing in my
bed, thought that | could hear something
ike stited shrek coming from the outside of
the bouse hastily sprang from my bed and
opening the window Of the room, looked out.
full moon was shining, and the leafess branches
OF the trees were tossing about in the autumn
wind. But save the rushing sound of the
breeze, could hear nothing The grounds
about the house app s-ed to be entirely desert
ed shut the window, and returned to my
bed, in the belief that what had heard resulted
merely from the noise Of the wind. then fell
into feyerish sleep, from which was aroused
oy q lusty shake OF the shoulder, accompanied
by these words:
What, going to sleep all day? come wake
up. breakfast has been ready this half hour"
loPened my eyes, and perceived the laugh
Ing eountenaDce Of my friend bending over me
arose and dressed myself, and, in q short
time after, was seated at the breakfast table.
The maniac was at the table with US, and, ex-
cepung that he ate very fast and voraciously,
behaved himself pretty well.
During breakfast, / alluded to the noise
which had heard in the night While was
speaking the maniac suddenly lifted his eyes
from his plate, and glared wildly upon me for
a moment, and then abruptly rose from his
chair, and rushed out of the room.
L do not think that any body, but myself,
particularly noticed this sSange movement on
the part Of Oliver; but Hgan to feel little
suspicious, and TO believe that il was something
besides the wind had heard on the night pre-
whatever they might be.
As soon as breakfast was finished. Harry in
formed me that he was going over to the house
Of the minister, and that if l chose might nc
company him. As much as would have liked
to have seen his future bride, / declined the
offer, Judging that my absence would be more
acceptable to two lovers than my presence
Harry shook hands with me, and said he would
not be gone long, and then took his departure.
His mother showed me up to the library, en-
tered into conversation with me for while, and
then excused herself, and .sft me to solitude
and books. 1 sat myself in a comfortable po-
sitlOn, and taking up a volume Of - Byron's
Poems, was soon Interested in its contents.
Fifteen minutes had hardly elapsed in this
manner, ere heard hasty step approaching
the room, and the next moment my friend
rushed into it, his whole countenance betray-
ing the most violent emotion. His eyes seemed
fairly ready to burst from their sockets.
shes gone! she's disappeared - he ex-
claimed IN tones Of the most piercing anguish.
Come with me, pray yOa, and help me fiud
her. Oh, God what can have become of her
She has been missing since last night!
/ tried to persuade my friend to be calm, but
il was useless. His feelings were worked up
10 pitch Of frenzy, and be could do nothing
but talk of Lizzie.
know not why, but il appeared to me that
the Shrek had heard, was In some way con-
nected with her disappearance, and this, added
to the strange behavior of Oliver at the break
fast table, led me to believe that he knew
x,.nsthi.,sx nE the I,ndar ihis