Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1870-07-20
A Guess for Life.

I
strange delusiOns entertained by mad
men-the remarkable peTtinacity and
cunning they display in carrying out
the Whims of their disOTdered minds.
In their widest freaks maniacs frequen-
| " evince a method in their planning,
and an adrOitness and GOODNESS that
would do credit to the shrewdest sane
| person.
We give below a thrilling incident
which actually occurred as related, one
of the parties to it having been a pTOmi-
nent army officer:
When my regiment was mustered out
of the service, babe adieu to my old
comrades and to the army, and opened
an office in the flourishing town of l.
As was starting for the supper table,
on evening Of the third day of my arTi-
val, the Office bell rang violently, and
the boy came in and said that man
wanted to see the doctor.
The visitor was standing by the fire
when I entered. He was tall, power
full mana perfect giant compared to
my five feet six; and his great and
bushy black Whiskers were well fitted to
his mOnstrOus form.
IF you are at liberty, doctor, please
come with me. It is but few steps and
I put on my coat and hat and followed
him. 1t was my first call in L, and
fOndly hoped it would be the fOrGrun-
er of many others.
This man strobe on ahead of me all
the time, Notwithstanding my endeav-
Ors to keep at his side, and spoke not q
word, not even answering my questions.
Stopping before a substantial looking
residence on one of the principal streets,
he applied the latch key, and let us into
a pleasant little room on the second
floor, "a study, I thOught), hung about
with good paintings and elegant chrOmOs
and lined with books of every name.
Take a seat, doctor; I will step out
a moment. Take this chair by the fire
its bitter cold night
The chair was great, unwieldy thing
but exceeding comfortable. IthTew my
feet upon the fender, and leaned back
upon the cushion, very well satisfied to
warm little before seeing the patient.
I heard the man approach the door
which was directly back of where I sat,
and heard the door open and close
again. I IsuppOsed he had gone out, but
did not look round to see. Indeed, I had
no time for stout cord was thrown over
my wrists and around my breast, and
a handkerchief bOnnd over nv mouth
so quickly that could not prevent it.
When was perfectly secure my con-
ductOr stepped in front Of me and looked
with much interest at my vain attempts
to free myself.
Good stout cord, isn't it? he asked.
TT has never been broken, and MANY a
stouter man than you has tried it.
There, now, be quiet while and I will
tell you what want
He went to a cabinet that stood in the
corner of the room, and taking q long,
wicked looking knife from one of the
drawers, ran his thumb over the edge,
and felt the point, all the time talking
in the most commonplace manner i'm
aginable.
Thave studied the art of guessing for
years. he said, I can guess anything; {;
that IS in my guessing chair that you
are sitting in now, and I take great
pleasure in imparting my knowledge to
others. This is what I want of YOU to-
night. did intend to make you guess
that, but 1 have thought of something
better'
He had become satisfied with the edge
and point of the knife, and paced up and
down the room, giving a full history of
the world, interspersed with facts reIa-
tive to the art of guessing, at which
time he always stopped in front of me.
Did you ever study it, doctor? I
know you haven't. I am the only one
that ever reduced it to science. I have
devoted my whole time to it; and now
I am about to initiate you into its mys-
teTies if you are wOrthy.n
He was standing befora loe SO very
calm, that did not think that he in
tended to harm me; but when I looked
into his eyes, burning with the fire of in
sanity, l felt my situation was desperate
indeed.
L must test you,' he said. Unjust see
whether you are naturally gifted or not
before waste much time with you. If
/ remove the handkerchief will you an
sWer my questions?
I nodded in the affirmative, and he
removed it.
Now, my dear doctor, you are en-
tire stranger to me. Without doubt YOU
have often heard of me, but it would be
a hard task to distinguish my name
from all other great men of the time
You guess it, doctor. What isit2l
He had brought his face so near mine
that could feel the hot breath, and I
fancied could feel the heat of thnseI
terrible eyes. The long; Zen L.sgn blade he he
was olle1..mg over me-for what? To
take my life if failed.
"GUess! ! guess p he screamedp If Won
fail it will be your last guess in this
1 dared not cry out for the knife was
TOO near. I could not escape, for the
strong cords bound me to chair could
not lift, and l could not lie there and
lose my life. What could I do. ?
II IS very hard guess, and will give
you three minutes to answer ii, , he said.
1 summoned all my cOuTage-which
had never yet failed me, even in the
awful hour of battle-and looked him
steadily in the eye, said:
I know you, sir; so where is the use
of guessing? I have seen YOU on the
tented field marshaling your host to
victory. I have seen YOU put to flight a
whole battalion. know you-everv-
body knows you. Your name is in nv
mouth
L remembered what he had said
about leaving his veterans and had tried
this harangue to divert his attention. III
paused to mark the effect.
yes yes, doctor. But what is il i
Thirty seconds he exclaimed again.
Great God What would I not have
given for a clue to that madman's fancy! |
Thirty seconds, and how short a second |
Is The knife was raised higher, that il |
might gain momentum by the distance. !
His body was braced for the stroke, and |
his eye upon the mark.
Ten seconds more. What is it%
There was one hope left me and that |
was to guess. felt that he considered /
some great man as he had spO- |
ken of veterans, some great military |
chieftain. I thought of our own heroes
and the names of many of them were |
upon my lips, but dare nOtUtter them.
1t was the greatest chance game that l
had ever played-my life depended upon
the guessing ola name. Thought of all
the European Generals, but east them
aside and came back to our own side of
water again.
Two seconds?' screeched the luna
tic.
Without n thought, almost without
vOlitiOn, I spoke name, breathing
prayer that it might be the right ~
Napoleon BOnapartep =
Right said the madman, throwing
lside his knife, and undoing the cords
hat held me. Il was mistaken i'm you,
ioctOr. You have true genius; this is
your first lesson; come at this hour ev-
sry evening, and / will teach you the .
beautiful art-the way to immortal
ame.'
As I arose from the chair, weak and
trembling, the door opened softly and
our strong men entered and secured the