The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-03-21
elect 3Nis
AN ADvIN7URE WITH A MADMaN.

| Those who wer' unfortunate enough to bt
travelling in the sp,ing of 81, will remeuibe
the crowd, d condition of railroad cars anc
steamboats,, owing to the large emigration west
ward r. s5
One af ernoon in April of TIE spring men
| toned went aboard of the old ben. Frank
lin," at Cincinnati for the purpose of enga
ging passage to St. Louis, having observe.
| from the notice that the boat Was buund 10
/ ST. Louis at clock" ~
I was Ettle disappointed. however, when
| the gentlemanly clerk informed me tina: the
state o. ms were full" and tha; he would be
co PEELED to assign me berth jR 9 Iexas. =
/ Now, those who have travele,tnpon river steam
boats are well aware that Texas is not very
desirable ;IfartHr=nt fur one who wishes To en-
ioy a trit-: and those who have mt Travelled
lkus. will be of the same opinion, when in
formed that the Texas is merely an apart
Inent upon the hurricane deck, containing
herths for twenty thirty crsons in the same
room.
Fortunately for me, however was Informed
that but one person had assigned berth in
Texas and as the hour for departure had
nearly arriv, d, il was probable that there would
be no more applications. -:f
Ny baggage Was taken up to my new quar-
ters. and f.llowed, partly for the urpose OF
viewing the place, and partly to wha; kind
of companion might expect in the traveller
wi q had already become quartered there. He
was not in, hswever, anr aft ,r perceiving that
the apartment was as comfortable as could be
expected, returned to the cabin, aud lazly
ounged away the time until the departure Of
the boat. ~ sstah
After supper. having no better employment,
watched the card-playing until my usual bed
time, and ther assembled 10 my quarters. My
fellow Texan" was not yer in, and as [ felt
quite sleepy, ui;dressed, placed my wallet un-
der the sheet as was my custom, 81 rang into
bed, and was SOON Obooked in the dreamy arms
of Morpheus" --
L think it must have been after midnight,
wher was suddenly awakened by a kind OF
low laugh or chuck short distance: fiom me-
] was lying with my face to he wall, and as
hastily tuned my head a sIfectieal met my eye
which ,ntirely dIsTelled every thoughtof sleep
z he lamp Wi dimly fulnsng, as had left it,
and there, in the middle IF the room u
mau. upen Ills knees who had been apareutly
averhanling the contents of a valise which was
befure him As turnei to observe him his
eyes mt mine, AID L shall never forget the
wild, unearthly stare he fixed upur me at that
moment. ] I'm not generally col sidered coac
0rdiy. Eut ] must confess that the awful look
which WIS llcn fH,t III Ii ne just as awoke
cold chill 10 run Ihi,us h nay frame. s %
+ ] be tIan was apparently about middle aged,
W tn thin. sharp face, partly covered ly mix
cd black and grey Mhiskers, and possessed u
large, p.useular forH. BUT what m1st struck
me was the wild savage appearance of his eyes,
and the terrible louk he gave me seemed to
penetrate TO my very soul. - ...,a5. - ~ 20 z
Hesheld in one hand what appeared to be a
mihiture, and on the other, which. rested upon
the valise observed ii large knife, which he
had a Parently clutched whcnl turned to lonk
The same glance remained riycted upon me.
Just as panther would upon bis prey, and l
,5uld not help returning it, SO transfxed had
become by his hid.nus stare. Suddenly he
lrose to his feet, xclaiming n
"Ry Heaven. I've found you at last ! just
ELen L had given you ur. after hunting for
,ou all over the world ! Ha! ha 4! ha % and
lie man who was now convinced was mani
&c. broke out in the same kind of insane laugh |
shich awakened me- Z. - sd - - -