The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-02-20

wcundsd, Ana wrarpsd In snofesi Of fae.-.
And the lean hands, one OF winch heiu NY
sleeve. were armed with talons like an eagle :.
In An instant the horrid truth nasheu UPON
mel was in the grasp OF madman -, n", ~
wild beast that rends and tears the Qulverlhg
fiesh--the pitiless human brute that mas no
heart 10 be- softened, no reason NJ whose par
to plead, no compassion, nought OF man save
ths form and the cunning. gasped In ter
rar An the mystery of those eneanguined
fingers. those CORY, wolnsh Jaws thatface, all
besmeared with biackening blood, IL revealed
The slain sheep, so mangled and rent-the
fantastic nutchery--the print of a naked foot
ALI all were explained: and the chain, the
broken link of which was fonnd near the
slaughtered animals-it came from his broken
chain--the chain he had snapped, doubtless,
in his escape from the asylum where his rag
Ing frenzy had been fettered and bound In
vain. in vain All, me how had this grisly
Samson broken manacles and prison bars
how had he eluded guardian and keeper and a
hostile world. and come hither on his wild
way hunted like a beast OF prey, and snatch
ing his hhleous banquet like beast of prey,
too2 Yes, through the tatters of his mean
aud ragged garb / could see the marks OF the
seventies, cruel and foolish, with which men
in that time tried to tame the might of mad
ness. The scourge-its marks Were there ana
the sears of the hard iron letters, ana many a
cicatrice and welt, that told dismal tale OF
play the brute-the btited, tortured brute
that they had made him-now without the
cage, and ready 10 gloat over the victims his
strength should overpower Horror horror /!
| was the prey-the victin-alrea6y in the
tigers clutch and a deadly sickness came
over nue., and the iron entered into my soul,
and longed to scream, and was dumb
died a thousand deaths as that awful morning
wore on. {dared not faint. But words can
not paint what suffered as l waited-waited
till the moment when he should open his eyes
and be aware OF my presence; Tor L was as
snred he knew it not. He had entered the
chamber a lair, when weary and gorged
with his horrid orgie and he had Hung him
self down TO sleep without 4 suspicion that he
was not alone. Even his grasping my sleeve
was doubtless an act done betwixt sleeping
and waking, like his unconscious means and
laughter, in some frightful dream. Hours
went on; then / trembled as thought that
soon the house would be astir, that my maid
would come to call me usual, and awake
that CHASTITY sleeper. And might he not have
time 10 tear me, as he tore the sheep, before
any aid could arriye2 At last what dreaded
came to pass--a light footstep on the landing
there is a tap at the door, 4 pause succeeds,
and then the tapping Is renewed, and this
time more loudly. Then the mailman stretches
his limbs and uttered his moaning cry, and his
eyes slowly opened-very slowly opened, and
met mine The girl waited awhile ere she knock
ed for the third time. 1trembed lest she should
open the door unbidden-see that grim thing,
and by her idle screams and terror bring about
the worst. Long before strong men could ar
rive l knew that should be dead-dnd what
Il death The maid waited, no doubt sur
prised at my unusually sound slumberS, for
l was in general a light sleeper and an early
riser, but reluctant TO deviate from Ia bit by
entering without permission. was still alone
with the thing in mans shape, but lac was
awake now. ! saw the wondering surprise in
his hasgard bloodshot eyes l saw him stare
ut me half vacantly, then with 4 crafty yet
wonderi ing look: and then saw the devil of
murder begin TO peep forth from those hideons
eyes. and the lips TO part as in q sneer, and the
wolfish teeth TO bare themselves. But l was
not what had been. Fear gave me ne " and
Il desperate composnre-a courage foreign to
my nature. l had heard of the best method of
managing the insane; could but tfy; L did
try. Calmly, wondering at my own feigned
cam.I confron ted the glare of his terrible eyes.
Steady and undaunted was my gaze-motion-
less my attitude. Imaryelled at myself but in
that agony of sickening terror was oUtlcdF2ly
firm. They sink, they quail abashed those
dreadful eyes, before the gaze of "a helpless
girl and the shame that is never absent from
insanity bears down the pride of strength, the
bloody cravings of the wild beast. The luna
tic moaned and dropped his shaggy head be-
tween his gaunt, squalid hands. ! lost not an
instant. / rose, and with one spring reached
the door, tore 1t open, and with a Shrek
rushed through, caught the wondering girl by
the ARM and, crying to her 10 run for life,
rushed like the wind along the gallery, down
the corridor, down the stairs. Marys screams
filed the house as she fled beside me. l heard
Il long draw n, raging cry, the roar of a wild
animal Knocked OF its prey, and l knew what
was behind me. ] never turned my head-I
flew rather than ran l was in the hall al
ready; there was rush of many feet, an out
cry of many voices, q sound of Scutfiing feet,
and bru tai yells, and oaths, and heavy blows,
and fell to the ground, crying Save me-"
and lay in a swoon. awoke from a delirious
trance. Kind faces were around my bed, low
ing looks Were bent on me by all, by my dear
father and dear sisters, but l scarcely saw
them before ! swooned again.
When l recovered from that long illness,
through which had been nursed so tenderlv
the plying looks met made me tremble. l
asked for a looking glass 1t was long denied
me, but my importantly prevailed at ldst-a
mirror was brought. My youth was gone at
one fell swoop. The glass showed me liyid
and haggard face, blanched and bloodless as of
one who sees 4 spectre: and III the ashen lips,
and wrinkled brow, and dim eyes, l could
trace nothing of my old self. The hair, too
letty and rich before, was now as white as
snow, and in one night the ravages of half a
century had passed over my face. Nor have
my nerves ever recovered their tone after that
dire shock. Can you wonder that my life was
biighted, thatmy lover shrank from me, SO
sad q wreck was L? | am old now-old and
alone. My sisters would have ME to live
with them, but choose not to sadden their
genial homes with my phantom face and dead
eyes. Reginald married another. He has
been dead many years. l never ceased to pray
for him. though he left me when l was bereft
OF all. The sad weird is nearly over now. l
am cid, and near the end, and wishful for it.
/ have not been bitter or hard, but L cannot
bear to many people, and am best alone
l try to do what good can with the worth
less wealth Lady Speldhurst left me, for at
my wish my portion was shared between my
sisters What need had l of inheritances p
l, the shattered wreck made by that one night
4.