Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-04-27
OLD SERIES,


Il was ten o'clock In the morning. but, I
am ashamed to say, We were still at break
fast, for wo were away from home on pleas
urs, and had fallen into all sorts Of idle
habits. Our conversation happened to DO
upon an ineivIliiy my vile had me, with
in town on the preceding day. Some coal
beavers were uncartins coal upon tho pave
msnt, and the roadway being very wet. she
had asked ,hOm TO desis, for q moment, 50
tha, she nigh, pass. They did 80, but not
withou, ono Of them observing. And how
do you think we should &c. our work dono
nissis, u We was to wait for every fool a.
zoe. by ?" We were expressing our hope
that this gen,lsman's remark was not an
sIemI Ilidea,ion Of Chester manners. when
the third window Of our room--,hat farth-
60, from the breakfast tAbls-wss violently
thrown open. and the head and uncovered
shoulders OF a man thrust themselves in.
ward. Ny son and were 80 overcome
with a,.onishmsn,, and the ladies with ter.
ror. that it mus, have been full momen,
bsfors stopped down to got the poker, and
during the whole OF which interval he
made tie most hideous grimanees i, 10 pcs.
.ibls to conceive. Independently OF these,
hi, natural uglins,s was excessive, he being
perfectly bald and Of bright 'carle, color
such complexion a' ! had never before
seen on any man. AZ ! ran at him poker
in hand. no slammed down the window.
and before could op'n IL. was on, OF
sight. Wonderful rs bad been his appsar-
anc,. hi. dinppearancs W. far more 50.
and. indeed. ineIplcabls. The window
which had been thrown up was a halI'win-
dov-,hs, /. To say, IL was common TO our
room and the mex, to IL, which also belongs
10 the sime house but was at that time un.
inhabited and locked up. Having satisfied
our..lye, that the apparation WAS no, in
thi. apartment. ther, WI. nothing LEI; but
the conclusion that he had made his way
along narrow ledge Of no, more than four
inches broad. TO some other house TO the
rgh, Of ours. and that with the most eI.
es..ive qulcLns.. The ledge was =, lch',
forty foe, perpendicular above . crowded
street. with no other resting. placs between
1, and the ground. and in full view OF all
pas,ers.by, some OF whom would have been
surely attracted by the spectacle Of a naked
.carlc, man balancing himself upon not, to
nothing over their heads. The matter in
iced seemed ineIplieable; but stall | fol, IL
to b. nv duty to pcr,.verc in my lnvs'tisa-
tion.. since the minds Of both my wife and
daughter he'd been greatly shaken hy the
oecursncc. and II I could only find 'ome
reasonable explanation. knew that halt
that mischief would be done away with.
spared therefore neither pain. nor monsy TO
this end. Tn, polics were set To work
rcsarl va, offered for the discovery OF the
p.r.on who had committed the outrage
and all passengers through the street IN
question upon that morning between ten
and quarter pa't ten. were eIhorted TO
come forward and witness TO any peculiar
appearance visible =, that tims and place.
All however. was in vain. until about
fortnight aftrward. The subject was by
that time avoided by u' IS much as po''i.
bio while the ladie. were present; bu, one
forenoon, while my son and | were speak.
| inc OF liz as the maid was laying the lun-
cheon. cloth. hs observed
Z" Do you know, father. have been
thinking good deal about the odd appear.
ane. Of that horrible mans head. and |
have come to the conclusion tha. i, Was not
bald at all, bu, shaved"
Good" ,aid |. "I'm pretty sure, my
lad you're right; and in that casa he must
have been an escaped luna,ic. This gives
us clue"
Please sir," interrupted the maid with
a courtesy. =" Mr.. John Strokes q, No. y.
nv al 10 cad shaved lately for scarlet fever"
For scarlet fever" said I; Eursta.
Eureka ~ and clapped my hat on, and
rushed of to No. % like lunatic myself.
Mr.. John Strokes was still previously Ill
and no, to be seen by anybody but his law.
yer. said the servant.
"And am lot his lawyer, my good
man2 Can't you zee -
So ( went up. as I had con- pictured would
be the case. to the third story. the sane IN
which wa. our own sitting room in No. 10.
Poor Mr.. John Stokes was lying in bed
and luckily, fas, asleep-with the identical
shaved head and scarlet face that had been
80 impressed upon all our memories.
.'lls has been delirious for days, poor
fellow :" ,aid the nurss "and l. would
be a pity to wake him for any business mat.
tsr-would il 20, -
aid that l, would be a great pity. and
,ha, il wa. no, to be thought Of and then
s.ked whether the sick man was ever left
alone.
Never. sir"
Are you quite sure OF ,hat'" said !.
severely.
"well, sur, I may say never; ! that i''
except jus, for my going down stairs Tor bis
breakfast"
And what time does ha breakfast"
"well, cir. about ten o'clock"
Between ten and quarter past, i sup
po.o'"
"ys,. sir" replied the sstonishsd nurse;
- jus, so."
The window nearest to our house was. ]
T. n