Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-09-25
THE MANIAC DOCTOR.
AN ADVENTURE IN A RAILWAY cARRrAc

AN ADVENTURE IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE.
1t must be confessed II is very provoking
thing to receive letter on Christmas morn
ing calling you two hundred miles away,
on immediate and important business Yes,
it is very provoking thing indeed--at least,
so found 1t, both in anticipation and in very
deed; but there was no help for 1t. Snooks,
my lawyer, wrote and told me that il on the
25th was not at c., should probably
lose, never mind what, but something
which induced me 10 pack my portmanteau
in all haste, send for Hanson, and drive to
the X. Y. z. station. When I arrived there
i found that was just too late for the train
had come to catch, and that the next one
did not start for three quarters Of an hour
Inwardly cursing my ill-fortune, went to
the waiting-room and endeavored to make
myself as comfortable as could; but des.
pite all my attempts, think never knew
time to pass so slowly in all my life except q
certain twenty minutes about which am 60
ing to tell. gHE4 asfg 8 br0
IL Although, as said, the time went very
slowly, nevertheless it did go and, IN pro
cess Of time, found myself snugly enscons-
ed in a first-class carriage, which had but
one occupant beside myself, cheerful look
ing little old man, with gray hair, and
strange, restless look about the eyes. Di-
rectly got into the carriage, he addressed me
in a familiar way @
A merry Christmas to you'll ".-' #TsEl
"The same to you," said rather pruffly.
as was not in the best of hpmors, and did
not feel inclined to be cheerful or neighborly.
why, bless me sir,' soid the little old
man, renewing the attack, "you haven't got
fhipr xyhora,,,,fh ~. Laa,, ,,xo..~,
on this cold winters day; allow me to offer
you one OF my travelling wrappers. always
take care to be well provided with such things
when go on journey and my compan.
ion took from his side rolled-up rug, unroll-
ed it. and taking a small mahogany box from
the folds, threw the rug to me. ,.
THANK you, sir" said I, feeling, in spite
Of myself, a shade more cheerful.
"Oh! no thanks, no thanks | do it for my
own benefit, not for yours, assure you"
" How do you make that out ?"
Why, like to have comfortable face
opposite me: and, besides, the grind exper.
imcnt, you know e .T.,,....-' n. .
What grand experiment" said, some
what startled by the mans excited manner.
"Oh nothing, nothing said he, colorng
violently; "only that's to say--cxactly, are
yon Free Mason 2" ~ -a .'.tr
"N No, sir" ~.
"Not Free Mason? Why, bless me you
ought most certainly to become one" ~
"Why SOP"
Because you would then know that they
have got a sort of-that is to say--in fact, a
secret"
Il know that already" a" ..N
Really? declare you are the most ex.
traordinary man / have ever met well, I've
got secret, too, and that's my grand exper-
iment."
T" As it is secret, suppose you will not
tell me what it is ?' A.
"Oh yes, | will though, but--perhaps
had better not; never mind, I'll tell you; it
is simply this, to discover what are the diff
ferent feelings of different persons on different
occasions" .n.'... " III. .+E
T" should hardly call that an experiment"
Wouldn't you, now? Curious that yes
very curious, for to tell you the truth, don't
myself know whether am quite justified in
calling it an experiment. But enough of that
matter for the present; may ask where you
are going to?" ..' E
"ToC- .. ... l.
Have you friends thcre2" r a..
None, | am sorry to say. | am called
there on some disagrceable, though impor-
tant business" ..a- !.
Then may have the pleasure of your
company to dinner when we arrive there 2"
"yhank you. I shall have the greatest
pleasure in accepting your kind invitation" !"
By-the-by, do you know how many times
we stop before we reach c. ?"
"Only twice, as this is an express train !;
once at Mat two o'clock, and the second
time at F. at five."
And when are we due at CO"
At halfpa six, believe"
"Thank you"
Thus, for time, our conversation ended,
but we often renewed it again, and | began
to regard my companion as clever, kind
hearted, though rather eccentric old man.
Some time after we had passed NJ, my
eccentric friend composed himself for sleep,
and was soon snoring, and it was not hong
before followed his example, but my dreams
were troubled; first of all | dreamt that
was fighting against overwhelming odds, and
was then taken prisoner and bound. then
dreamt that was being hung then that
was being hand d.cuffed; and, last of all, that
great weight was upon me, and that some
thing was pressing heavily on my chest. l
then woke with start to find myself bound
hand and foot, with rope passed round nv
neck, and fastened to the umbrella, in such
manner that, il struggled in the least, I
should inevitably choke myself; and my fel-
low traveller was standing over me with one
knee on my chest What are you going"
said l.; but my sentence was cut short by a
gag, which my eccentric friend thrust into
my mouth and tied behind my head. He
then stood away to look at his handiwork.
with his eyes glaring like wild beast and
his whole frame trembling with excitement.
"Now," said he with wild laugh, 4 now
shall be able to try my grand experiment |
now shall be able to find out whether the
heart can be extracted while man is alive
without killing him Twice have failed, but
the stars have told me that a third time /
shall not fail Oh fame, glory, immortality,
have you in my graspl What! pitifu
fool, do you turn pale and tremble! If You
do die you will die a glorious martyr to- Sci
encc and if you live, you and willshare
the glory Of this grand discovery -"
From this ridiculous rhodomontade, per-
ceived that my pleasant and eccentric travel
ing companion was q raving maptac. What
was to do could not move band nor foot,
or even speak, and the mad man was arrang-
ing on the seat in front Of NJ collection Of
bright steel instruments, which he took from