The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1863-06-19
THE MANIAC DOCTOR.
An Adventure In a Railway Car
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An AdventureI In a Railway Car
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1t must be confessed that it is q very
provoking thing to receive a letter on
Christmas morning, calling you two hun.
dred miles away on Immediate and i'm
portant business" Yes, it is o very
provoking thing, indeed-at least, so /
found it, both ia anticipation and in
very deed; but there was no help for it.
SnookS, my lawyer, wrote and told me
that if, on the 25th, I was not at c.,
l should probably lose-never mind
what, but something which induced me
to pack my portmanteau in all haste,
send for a hanson, and drive to the X.
7. q. station. When 7 arrived there,
found that was just too late for the
train l had come to catch, and that the
next one did not start for three quarters
of an hour. Inwardly cursing my ILL.,
fortune, l went to the waiting room, and
endeavored to make myself as comforta.
BILE as could /; but, despite all my at.
tempt, think 1 never knew time to pass
SO slowly in all my life, except certain
twenty minutes about which am going
to tell.
Although, as l said, the time went
very slowly, nevertheless, it did 60; and, -,
in process of time, I found myself snugly
ensconced in 6rst.olass carriage, which
had but one occupant besides myself, a
cheerful-looking little old man, with
gray hair and strange, restless look
about the eyes. Directly after entering
the carriage, he addressed me in famil.
lar way:
"a merry Christmas to youp
The same to you," said I, rather
gruffiy, as was not in the best of hu-
NOR, and did not feel inclined to be cheer
ful or neighborly.
"Why, bless me SIR" said the little
old man, renewing the attack, "you have
not anything wherewith to keep yourself
warm on this cold winters day; allow me
to offer you one of my travelling wrap
pers. l always take care to be well
provided with such things when I go on
a journey" And my companion took
from his side rolled-up rug, unrolled
it, and taking a small mahogony box
from the folds, threw the rug to me.
"Thank you, sir" said l, feeling, in
spite of myself, shade more cheerful.
"Oh, no thanks, no thanks 1 did it
for ny benefit, not for yours, assure
you"
"How so?"
why, like to have a comfortable
face opposite me; and, besides, the grand
experiment, you know"
"What grand experiment." said,
somewhat startled by the mans excited
manner.
"Oh, nothing, nothing" said he, col.
oring violently; "only that's to say-ex-
actly, are you a Freemason?"
"No, sir"
"Not q Freemason ? Why, bless
me you ought most certainly to become
one."
"Wby SO ?"
because you would then know that
they've got sort of-that is to say-in
fact, secret"
II know that already"
Really? 1 declare you are the most
extraordinary man I have ever met; well,
I've got secret, too, and that's my
grand experiment.
GAS it's secret, I suppose you will
not tell me what it is ?"
"Oh, yes, 1 will. though, but-per.
haps l had better not; never mind, I'll
tell you; it is simply this, to discover
what are the different feelings Of differ
ent persons on different occasions"
II should hardly coll that an expert
ment."
"Wouldnt you, now? Curious that;
yes, very curious, for, to tell you the
truth, 1 don't myself know whether I'm
quite justified in calling it an expert.
ment. But enough of that matter for
the present. May I ask where you are
going TOT"
"To G."
"Have you friends there3"
"None, | am sorry to say. am call.
ed there on some disagreeable, though
important business"
"Then may 1 have the pleasure oI
your company to dinner when we arrive
there2" 7, .o .
"Thank you; shall have the great.
est pleasure in accepting your kind invi'
tation"
"By-the.by, do you know how many
times we have to stop before we reach
C-?" -. -... y y
"Only twice, as this is an express
train; once at M, at 9 O'Clock, and,
the second time at F., at g."
"And when are we due at c."
"At 81 o'clock. I believe"
"Thank you" arr'-
Thus, for a time, our conversation
ended, but we often renewed it again,
and I began to regard my companion as
clever, kind.hearted, though rather &c.
centic old man.
Some time after we had passed M,
my eccentric companion composed him,
self for sleep, aud was soon snoring
and it was not long before l followed bis
example, but my dreams were troubled.
First of all, dreamt that 1 was being