Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1869-03-25
SeIeeteG gtnrY.
A NIGHT WITH A MANIAC,

ne maniac was giant. lie had
broken his heavy chains as Sampson broke
the withes-had torn open the door of his
cell-torn the keepers literally in pieces
burst the outer door-killed the watch
man with heavy iron bar that he wrench
ed from the door-aud escaped with his
formidable weapon into the city.
The town was aghast with the news; and
we students at the hospital and dissecting
room, who were connected with the asyl-
um, had to nerve ourselves to help to capt
ure the escaped wild beast.
had gone to the dissecting room alone,
and was about to commence useing the
knife On a subject. There was q storm
raging, and with a low sob the wind
swelled through the long aisle of the for
est trees and dashed with the gathered
force of an ocean wave against the dead
house. Simultaneously, a hand str dck the
light door and the yell of maniac rang
through and through my brain.
Above the door, through a small ven
tilator, the face of the mailman and the
murderer peered at me.
Ha: ha l have caught you at last
here-and here alone. [ have been wait
ing for you. You took me once-didn't
you? Ha, ha! Let me in
The consciousness of eminent 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 it roved
with eager ferocity through the room and
over the frail walls With the light bound
of leopard l gained the door, and shot
the double bolt. A CLEAN of rage darted
from his eye, but he laughed:
'Ha, ha You think that you will keep
me out
He leaped to the ground. In an in
slant the light was out.
'Wait,' I cried. I have weapon in
my hand keen as razor. 1t is poisoned
by the body I have been working on
Burst the door and I will plunge it into
your heart. You may kill me, but will
kill you also, as certain as there is God.
The swarthy giant shook the door until
its hinges creaked and groaned beneath
his hand. Then laughing again low tc
himself he muttered:
Fool! I will outwit you yet
And he stole off in the darkness.
heard him, for an instant, pressing against
the wall Of the building, and it swayed
and bent inwards with his weight
Then silence The din of my pulses
made thunder in my ears, as tried to
hear his stealing tread, and sobbing wind
rose anew with wierd shrek, and made
my efforts fruitless.
A thousand times I heard his low, dev-
ilish, murdererous laugh. A thousand
times | felt his brawney strength against
the door, and saw his wild face look down
on me through the gloom; but still he did
not come.
I tried to think he had abandoned the
design and skunk off discouraged: but
knew it was not sol knew he was crouch
ing in some corner ON the watch, to spring
upon me when I passed.
Could stand there all night? No, GER
tainly not. An hour more and Harry
Leigh (my young wife's brother) would
come and see income unconscious
of the danger until bloodhound at hi
throat would choke the brave young life
down there forever.
| listened in the intervals of the now fit
full storm to hear if he was breathing neal
me. I put my soul in the sense Of hear
ing, but no human shadow of sound greet
ed it.
When the storm swellod again | drew
the bolt and looked in the night; black
pail hung over the earth and sky. | hat
as good chance to pass him in the obscu
rity as he to catch me. With my knife il
my teeth and the massive thigh bone of {
negro to fell him with, if l must, | drew
off my shoes and stepped out into the dark.
ness. A sudden whifl of the tempest al