Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1863-09-05
The Maniac Doctor.
An Adventure in a Railway
Carriage.

provoking thing 10 receive letter OH
Christmas morning, calling you two hun.
dred miles away en- "immediate and i'm
portaut business" Yes it is very pro-
voking thing, indeed-at least as l found
1t, both IN ANTICIPATION and in very deed
but there was no help for it. Shocks,
ny lawyer, wrote AMI told me that if, on
/ the 25ih, ! was not at c., should
7 probably loose-never mind what, but
something which induced me to pack my
portnanteau in all haste, send for n
handsom, and drive to the Y. Y. Z. sta
ton. When / arrived there, found that
was just too rte for the train | had
come to catch, and that the next one did
not start for three-quarters of an hour
lewardly cursing my i'll fortune, went
TO the waiting-room, and endeavored to
make myself as comfortable as [ could;
but, despite all my attempts, | think 1
never knew time to pass so slowly in my
life, except a certain twenty minutes about
which am going to tell.
Although, rs | said the time went
very slowly, nevertheless, it did go; and,
in process of time, | found myself snug
II ensconccd in first class carrirge,
which had but one occupant besides my
self, cheerful looking, little, old man
with grey hair and a strange, restless ook
about the eyes. Directly after l got in
to the carriage, he addressed me ia IA
miller way:
a merry Christmas TO you!''
The same 10 you," said I rather
gruliiy As | was not in The best of hu-
NOR, and did not feel inclined to be
cheerful and neighborIy.
"WEy, bless me! sir" said the littIo
old man renewing the attack, "you have
nothing wherewith TO keep yourself warm
on this cold winters day; allow me to of
fer You one of my travelling Wrappers;
always take care 10 be well provided
with such Things when go on jour
ney." And my companion took from
his side a roIlei-up RUG, unrolIed it, AMI
taking small mahogany box from its
folds. threw the rug - me.
"Thahk yon SIR" said I, feeling ia
spite of myself shade more cheerful.
"OlI, no thanks, no thanks; | do it
for my own benefit. not for yours, ! as
sure YOU
elbow do YOU make that OUT?
"Why. I like 10 have comfortable
face opposite me; AMI, besides, the
grand experiment. YOU know"
''What grand experiment." | said,
somewhat startled at the mans excited
manner.
%. nothing, no.hiug,' said be, color
ing yioie;t!y; only that is 10 say-arc
you Freemason Z"
~, 81"
Not a.Frcemason Why, bless me!
you ought most certainly to become
one"
Why so!'
because you would then know that
they got a sort of-that IS to say-in
fact, n secret"
Il know that already"
Really, | declare you are the most
extraordinary man ever met; well, I've
got secret, too, and that's my grand ex-
pertinent"
las it's secret, l suppose you will
not tell me what it is!"
20, yes, | viii though. but-perhaps
had better not; never mind, I'll tell
( you: it is simply this, to discover what
are the different feelings of different per-
sons on different occasions"
| Il should hardly call that an expert
ment.''
"Woulden'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 pres.
ent. May | ask where you are going
to?"
80 C"
"Have YOU friends thoro?"
"None, l am sorry to say. am call
cd there on disagreeabIe, though impor-
tant business"
Then may have the pleasure Of
your company to dinner when we arrive
thcre?'
THANK you: shall have the great
est pleasure in accepting your kind ivita
ton"
"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 NJ, at 2 o'clock, and til,
second time at F., at o."
0And whom ore we due at c."