The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-04-09
miscellaneous.
A NIGHT WITH A MANIAC.


his cell-torn the keepers literally in
pieces-burst the outer door-killed the
watchman with heavy iron bar that
he wrenched from the door-and es.
capped with his formidable weapon into
the city.
The town was aghast with the news
and we students at the hospital and dis.
secting room, who were connected with
the asylum, had to nerve ourselves to
help capture the escaped wild beast.
had gone to the dissecting room
alone, and was about to commence
using the knife on subject. There was
a sto-m raging, and with a loY sob the
wind swelled through the long aisle OF
forest trees and dashed with the gather
ed force OF an ocean wave against the
dcadhouse. simultaneously, hand
struck the light door and the yell of a
maniac rang through and through my
brain.
Above the door, through small ven.
tilator, the face of the madman aud the
HlurueIeT pe0Teu uJ Inc.
"Ha, ha ! i have caught you at last
here-and here alone. l have been
waiting for you. You took me once
didn't you? Ha, ha! Let me in."
The toolness of imminent peril brought
my powers to action. / held his eye
an instant; but it was evident that he
was too wild that his blood was up,
and il roved with eager ferocity through
the room and over the frail walls. With
the light bound of a leopard gained
the door, and shot tho double bolt. A
CLEAN Of rage darted from his eye, but
he laughed
"Ha, ha! You think that you will
keep me out" f...
He leaped to the ground. In an in.
stant the light was out.
"Wait," cried. IL have weapon
in my hand keen as a razor. 1t is pois.
oned by the body have been working
on. Burst the door and l will plunge
it into your heart. You may kill me,
but will kill you also, us certain as
there is God"
The swurt giant shook the door un-
til its hinges creaked and groaned be.
meath his hand. Then laughing again
low to himself he muttered:
"Fool | will 0utwit you yet"
And he stole Off in the darkness.
heard him, for an instant, pressing
against the wall OF the building, and il
swayed and bent inwards with hit
weight. Then silence. The din Of my
pulses made thunder in my ears, as ]
tried to hear his stealing tread, and sob
bing wind rose anew with wierd shrek
and made my efforts fruitless.
a thousand times heard his low
devilish, murderous laugh. A thous
and times l felt his brawny strength
against the door, and saw his wild fac'
look down on me through the gloom
but still he did not come.
tried to think he had abandoned
the design and skunk off discouraged
but | knew it was not SOL knew h,
was crouching in some corner on tn,
watch, to spring upon Inc when pass
ed.
Could l stand there all night? No
certainly not. An hour more anC
Harry Leigh I my young wife's broth
er J would come and see me-com,
unconscious Of the danger, until A,
bloodhound ut his throat would chokt
the brave young Lille down there for
ever.
! listened IN the intervals OF the nov
fitful storm to hear if he was breathing
near me. l put my soul in the sense o
hearing, but no human shadow Of sount
created it.
When the storm swelled again drew
the bolt and looked into the night ; /
black pail hung over the earth and sky
had as good chance to pass him in
the obs curity rs he TO catch me. With
my knife in my teeth and the massive
thigh bone OF a negro to fell him with
i'll must, | drew Off my shoes and step
ped out into the darkness. A sudden
whirl of the tempest almost took me
Off my feet, and brick, dislodged from
one of the chimneys, grazed my head IN
its passage, and broke in half on the
pavement.
With bated breath, and step like tho
tread of the panther scentins his prey
| parted the thick darkness and turned
my face toward the hospital. He might
be either here-at any step along the
passage-or hid in the angle OF the wall
at the door through which | must enter
This seemed most probable but there
was another door, known only to the
doctors.
i thought | would elude him. With
infinite caution began to scale the high
wall, dreading horribly least some sub
den break in the sky might reveal mt
to the wild eyes that watched for me-
but no.
Safely passing the summit l thre"
my leg over the descent, and-felt my
foot seized. 1t was but the clingine
tendril Of wild vine, skirting the wall
Grasping my knife in my right hand,
crept along the bushes Tor fifty yards
then struck across the lawn for the sid,
entrance. The darkness perpleXed me
but thought l was steering straight
Suddenly my loot struck bricks. Wha
was this ? | tried to recollect. Their
was no pavement round that part of thu
hospital.
pushed on uncertainty and feeling
n weight in the air, put out my hand'
to grope forsome clew to my wereabouts
l was in an alley-hanked with ston'
walls above my head. gave suddel
turn. In AN instant | knew was in tn,
subterranean passage of the asylum.
turned to retrace my steps-the opaqu
density of some heavy body crouche,
between me and the outer air. / hear,
its stitied breathing-its stealthy trea'
| nnDruachinu mo Nv Gah ha had FIJI