Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-09-21
A Keepers Story.

70 the city of A, a journey of
.yenrv miles. When about half
sa,ween the two places, q rain storm
, O me. AID made it nee. ss,ry for me
y, no for the night l acoriingly
into q farmyard and requested per
;ou to stay through the night. My
".t Gas readily granted, and after SEE
nv horse pro perly card for, l repair
The house with my host, where a
= sn per was a aiting us Fur rosy.
81 children We're 8; ated around the
beside the matr ,nly looking mother.
ser supper drew up to the fire to en-
am Ike with my new friend. A toe
lighted his pip, l noticed deep scar
ay,ended across his hand. On asking
The c 4use of it, raw my host and b 9
exchange CLAN ;es, and noted shadow
a,oss her handsome face. After draw.
IF or two on bis pipe, he said:
There is story connected with that
that | shall never forget; and even
a. am sitting here in safety, with
oar wife AID children around me,
bot repress shndder at what might
been."
n nv saying that l should like to hear
story, ne commenced as follows:
was formerly q night Waterman in
Insane Asylum over in A. l had
at nv employment about two years,
n the incident l am about to relate
pened. My wife and l had been mar
about We r, and she had tried to get
10 cave the asylum, and find some less
perous employment, as she termed it..
II laughed at her fears, but as she
he'd 80 anxious about it, l had prom
in one month more to do as she asked.
month h d nearly expired; only one
night remained. had to 60 on my
Ell at ten o'clsck. On this particular
n I was seized with nervous fear
knew not what, but still l felt that
ething was about to happen. In vain
rued to myself that / had watched
9 two years, and nothing had happen
but argue as l would, that shadow
hung over me. l had three galleries
through, and on each side of these
eries we're cells in which the patients
confined. AS passed along, would
sionslly see some bony hands thrust
ugh the CRATES, or some poor fellow
ID rave at me, accusing me of he
what himself. As l passed into the
gallery it was with such feeling
| could hardly help turning ana fee
back to awaken me of the attend
but, laughing at my idle fears, as I
Mmed them, l resumed my duty.
|Hgalong, became aware of an un-
hon noise in one Of the cells in which
Spatient had been confined. / walk
ana looked thr gh the CRATES, but
nothing out of the way, and was
1t passing along when an agonized
IN passed from the lips of the man On
straw in the c3rner-he was one Ofthe
BIT patients, and We could not give HIM
u to sleep on "a he would tear it into
rs. / imme lately unlocked the door
passed into his cell. l approached
leaving my KEGS in the lock. As |
ped over him to see what was the mat
he sprang to his feet, and before |
" what he was about, planted a stun
blow in my face, which sent me
ing into the farther corner. The same
J that he strack, he sprang past me
hugh the door, and before l could pre-
b Ii n, had closed and lockedi it, max ng
b prisoner. Then picking up the Ian
;, which l tad set on the floor outside,
held it up snd glared at me with his
IMe, bloodshot eyes, and muttered:
know where they put the big cary
kniie, and now that have got the
NJ will get it, and death will be your
ton
aying this, he started of, leaving me
bsdark. He was a large and powerful
Weighing nearly fifty pounds more
| did, and in his present state a match
wo like me. In vain l tried to think
ome way of escape; there was none
window was strongly grated the door
zen men like me could not move. l
ght of my dear wife and darling limo
babe, and tears would come in my
il spite of ali could do. What
I'D she say when was borne CHASTITY,
Rdins corpse to the house Sometimes
buld try to hope he would forget me,
not come back, but reason told me
er tried to pray, but instead OF hav-
my mind on what l said, was con-
pslly listening for his returning foot
y. At last they came, nearer and
PER, and as he came in sight l noticed
arrieda long carving knife in his hand.
be approached the ell he acciden ally
Rped the lamp, leaving us in darkness.
faint ray of hope pierced my mind.
I'D not dodge out as he unlocked the
p! Nearer and nearer he came, and
sst stopped at the door. l could hear
cropping Tor the keyhole. At last l
Pa him insert the key and turn it.
owing in long breath, / nerved myself
the encounter, and as the door opened,
pade spring at him, and Providence
pring me, caught him by the collar.
ping forth desperate effort, twitched
and tripping him at the same time,
him to the further side of the room.
sprang out and was locking
door, when he rushed to it, but find
1t locked, reached through the CRATES
with his knife struck me across the
pa, while was removing the key. As
went 10 draw back his hand, l seized it
the wrist and catching hold of the knife
"a my wounded hand, wrenched it from
/; The next day left the asylum for
p, and have never been inside of one
fee. We bought this farm, and have
Fd here ever since; and, now, friend,
can judge, whether l can ever look
Z 70 that night without a feeling of
Fror"