Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1863-10-31

ters. Finally, We went up stairs together,
aud shook hands at my bedroom door.
/ had blown out the light, and was just
tumbl'ng into bed, when my conscience
smote me. l had forgotten to wind up
my watch. l instantly opened my bed
room door, and relighted my candle at the
little blue jet Of gas burning in the corri.
dor; then going back into my room, and
shutting the door, | took down my coat
searched my pockets for my keys. dived,
aud bsought up Bradshaw, a pocket hand
kerchief, and rumpled bail of paper,
which, being smoothed out, revealed itself
as an il.treated copy of the Times. AS
it lay before me on the drawers, Just as |
was bending down to blow out the candle,
my eye fell on an advertisement at the top
Of she second column; seeing the words
"CAUrloN TO HorEL KEEPERs!' it re.
mained riveted there, until had devoured
every syllable. The terrible ADVERTISE
ment, that seemed suddenly to turn my
heart into large lump of ice, ran thus {:
"CAUrIos 70 HorEL KEEPERS!
"AN INSANE GENTLEMAN Of middling
stature, stout, rather bald, black hair and
bushy eyebrows, dressed in black frock-
coat and Marsala waistcoat, carrying a
few papers, an air cushion, and an u,n.
brella, is going about seeking accommoda.
ton with anybody who will trust him. He
has no means, and is dangerous. Inform-
aticn leading to his discovery, gwen to
MIR. Oxford, news agent, Clerkenwell, shall
be rewarded
Good ,beavens thought I, as the paper
dropped from my hands, dangerous
maniac in the room next to me! Shall l
alarm the house? No; that, on second
consideration, | thought unadvisab!e, for
should be mistaken in my companions
identity, ! should lay myself open for an
action for defamation, false Imprisonment,
or some other horrible thing Of that kind
Besides, madmen were only dangerous, l
said to myself, under provocation, and on
their special topics. He might fancy him
self Enerpor of China, or land.,ur,!e,
washing basin, or cucumber; but there
was no great harm in that; no, would
shake of these fears-perhaps, after all,
utterly groundess- the doors, and
sleep soundly until Boots called me for
the early train. Once away in the train,
| could easily cross examine my compan
ion in such u way as to elicit his insanity,
If it really existed, aud could then act ac.
cordingly.
determined, however, before going to
bed, to reconaoiter; so | quietly stole
barefoot TO the door of communication
between the two bedrooms in order 10
listen. pa, my ear to chink, and could
hear IA drowsy voice, AS of man almost
asleep, droning nonsense verses and
weights and measures. Thus:
If A is to b
What ID is to c,
According to Johns deductions,
Then + is to me
What y is to =;
That's my theory of comic fuxions."
Then the voice stopped like clockwork
run out. a moment after it continued,
more drowsily:
'Ten gold i,hebos equal ten gold copangs,
Fifteen mas equal one itchebo,
One cban equal three copangs,
One kodama equal fifteen condorines.
One managoga equal ten thousand lex
magoga,
One tattamy equal-'
Here the voice stopped, and tremen-
dous sonorous snore followed. The man
was mad, that was evident; but he was
harmless, and he was asleep.
felt in the darkness-tor | had blown
out the candie-tor the key. There was
none SO con,ented myself with quietly
placing two chairs in such a way as that
no cne could open the door without NOV
ing them and awakening me. then took
out the key Of my own bedroom door,
placed it under my pillow, and jumped
Into bed.
For some twenty minutes | sat up listen,
ing to the heavy snoring of Mr.. Ihrs,le'
wood, then lay down, fell asleep, and
dreamed.
Presently low. creaking noise awoke
me. and | started up in bed.
Yes, it was the maniac! There were
the chairs moving slowly back, and there
was tho door opening wider and wider
Well, he might be restless and curious,
and yet mean no harm; he might be
sleep, walking, and yet be amiable and
tractable. My bed was far from the door,
so turned my head towared the door.
rolled it in the bed clothes, leaving only
one eye clear, and lay as still as a mummy.
The door opened. and Thistlewood en-
tered on tip toe. He was in his night.
gown, but there was nothing else spectral
about him. He had his boots on, his face
was red, and bis smile was as pleasant AS
ever. ..., .-....
1t was just dayhreak, and the cold pure
gray light showed him clearly to me as he
pulled up the blinds and looked around
with great curiosity but perfect composure.
He was talking to himself.
Kepler,' he said, "you invented The
pendulum Bacon, you discovered turtle
soup. Rumford, you invented the patent
shaving box. But You are all fools com
pared to me, for discovered the egg
whipping machine, the oys.er.opener, the
knife cleaner, and Belts brandy 81. .at
All of Sudden, the reflection Of him
self in my pier,g:ass caught his eye, and
the sight of it seemed to drive him to fury
He lifted his right foot and drove i.
through the glsss, which shivered it into
= Thousand pieces. Then in a moment he
broke the legs off Two chairs, and shattered
the second glass, the washing jog, and the
glass over the IRE place. -.<- +'s - 1~