The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1868-11-12

NJ A YOUNG PHYSICIAN.

A NIGHT WITH A MANIAC.
NJ YOUNG PHYSICIAN.
The maniac was giant. He had bro.
ken his heavy chains - Samson broke
the withes-had torn open the door ol
his cell-torn the keeper literally In pie
ces-burst the outer door, killed the
watchman with = heavy iron bar that he
wrenched from the door-and escaped
with his formidable weapon into the
city.
The town was aghast ut the news; and
We students at the hospital and dissect.
Ing room, who were connected with the
asylum, had to nerve ourselves to help
capture tho escaped wild beast.
had gone to the dissecting room
alone, and was about to commence using
the knife on = subject. There was a
storm raging, and with low sob the
wind swelled through the long aisle Of
forest trees and dashed with the gather.
Cd force Of an ocean wave against the
dead house. simultaneously, . hand
struck the light door, and the yell of a
maniac rang through aud through my
brain.
Above tho door, through the small
ventilator, the face Of madman and
the murderer peered down at me.
"Ah, la! have caught you ut least
here-and alone. have been waiting
for you. You took me once-didn't sou?
Ha! ha! Let me in."
The coolness of imminent peril bro't
my powers to action. l held his eye an
instant; but 1t was evident he was too
wild for that; his blood was up, and 1t
ruveti with eager ferocity through the
room and over the frail walls. With
the light bound ofa leopard, gained
the door, aud shot the double bolt. A
gleam Of rage darted from his eye, but
he laughed:
"Ha! LA! you think that will keep me
out.
He leaped to the ground. In an in
slant the light was out.
"Wait," cried. II have . weapon
In my hand as keen 40 razor. 1t is poi-
soned by the dead body I have been
working on. Burst the door and I'll
plunge It into your heart. II it but toucl,
you, you are a dead man. You may
kill ne, but I will kill you also, as Ger.
tain as there is q God!"
The swarthy giant shook tho door un-
til its hinges cresked aud groaned be-
meath Ills hand. Then laughing again
low 10 himself, muttered:
Fool! I'll outwit you yet"
And stole offin the darkness. Iheard
him for an instant pressing against the
wall Of the building, anu 1t swryed aud
bent inward with the weight. Then
silence. The din of my pulses made
thunder in my ears, and l tried to hear
his stealing tread, aud the sobbing wind
rose anew with weird shrek, and made
my efforts fruitless.
A thousand times l heard his low,
murderous laugh. A thousand times felt
his Lrawny strength against the door, and
saw his wild face look down Mt me
through the gloom; but still lie did not
come.
tried to think he had abandoned the
design and skunk off discouraged. but 1
knew It was not SOL knew he was
crouching In some corner on the watch,
to spring Oh me when passed.
Could stay there all night? No,
certainly not. An hour more and Har-
ry Leigh (my young wife's brother)
would come to seek ME, come uncon-
scious of the danger, until blood hound
1t his throat would choke the brave
young life down there forever.
listened in the intervals of the now
fitful storm to hear II he was breathing
near me. l waited for the next lull. 1t
came-that deep hush that follows the
gusty wind. ITut my soul In the sense
Of hearing, but no human shadow of
sound greeted It.
Wheu the storm swelled again drew
the bolt and looked into the night, q
black pail hung over the earth aud sky.
had - good chance to pass him in the
obscurity as he had to catch me. With
my knife in my teeth, and massive
thigh bone of = negro to fell him with,
III must, l drew or my shoes and step.
ped out into the darkness. A sudden
whirl Of the tempest almost took me of
my feet, and brick dislodged from one
Of the chimneys, grazed my head in 1t.
passage, and broke IN half on the pave
ment.
With bated breath, and step like thu
tread Of panther scenting his prey,
parted the thick darkness and turned
my face towards the hospital. Hsmigh,
be either here-at any step along the
passage-or hid in the angle of the wal
at the door through which must enter
This seemed most probable; but ther.