St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-04-14
4 kccpcf'S ,Sf0ry.

4 kccpcr'S .Sf0ry.
Il WAS in the year 1S,i--, tl.at impor
/ tant hu-incSs called me from the small
town of N--to the city OF A-,a
| journey Of about twenty milc4. When
about Iaii way between the two places,
rain storm overlook me and made it
necessary for me 10 put up for the night.
| accordingly drove into 4 farm yard and
requested permission to stay through the
night. My request WAS readily granted,
and after seeing my horse properly care
fer, repaired 10 the house with my
h"-', where warm supper WAS awaiting
u. -Four ro>y-chcckcd children were
seated around the table, besides the mat
ronly looking mother
After supper | drew up 10 the fire to
rnloy Il -, oke with my new friend. A-
the man lighted his pipe, noticed a deep
scar that EXTENDED across his hand On
asking the cause of it, saw NY host
and hi, wife exchange eIanp.-, and noted
4 shadow Hit across her handsome face.
After DRAWN" 4 Whit or two on his pipe,
he said:
"Ihrrc l. Il story connected with that
scar, ti.at shall never forget, and even
now aS | am sitting here, in safety with
my dear wife and chllIcn around me-,
cannot rcprt-s shudder ut what might
have been"
Ga my saying that | should like to
hear the story, hc commenced, astoiluwS :
Il was formerly Il niyht-watclman i'll
tine Insane Asylum over n A. |
had been at my employ mcnt about two
years, when the incident am about to
relate, happened. My wife and | had
been married ahoCt Il year, and she had
tried 10 get me 10 leave the asy lum, and
find some less dangerous employment, as
~hr termed IT, had laughed at hcr
t,ar., but as She seemed 80 anxious
about il. ! had promised in one month
more TO dD lS >hc asked. The month
had nearly expired only one more night
remained. lal 10 % on my watch at
ten o'clock. On this particular night
WIS seized with 4 nervous fear of
knew not what, but sill felt that some
Thing WIS about 10 Happen. la VAIN
argued to myself that had watched
there for two years and nothing had
I happened, but arEue rs | world, that
shadow still hung over me. had three
galleries to 20 through. and ON each side
of these galleries were cells in which the
patients were confined a. passed
aIong would orcasionly sec some hony
hand thrust through the crates or some
poor fellow would rave nj me, accuSin"
me ut-hc knew not what himself. A.
passed into tly third gallery it WAS with
such feeling that could hardly help
turnin" and ilrcin" back to awaken some
of thc attendants; l;ut laughing ut my
idle fears, a- tlIrn termed them, re-
sumrd my dutY. PaN~in" alon9 | b.
came aware ut an uncommon noise III
onr ct the cells in which Il new patient
had been cunlinrI | walked along and
looked through the nratc>, but SAW moth
in% out ui tn way, an | was about pass
in aluu" when an aYonizrd "roam pass
I rl from the lips of the man ON the straw
in the cUrnCr-hr was one of tie worst
patients, and We could not give him a
bed 10 sleep on rs hc would tear it into
pirrcs--l Immediately unlocked the door,
and passed into his cell. | approached
him, leaving my keys in the lock. As |
stopped over him 10 see what was the
matter, lac spran" to his feet. and before
I I l,,.,,. L., .,1,,,,t t,i.,,tnI
stunnn" blow in my face, which sent
me rcrlm: intn the farther corner. The
same time that he struck, he sprang past
me through the door, and before | could
prevent him had closed and locked it,
making me Il prisoner. Then picking
up my lantern, which had set on the
floor outside, he held it up and allrcd ut
me with his terrible blood SHOT eyes, and
mulicrcd:
81 know where they put the BIZ
rar,ing knife, and now that | have cot
the keys, will oct it, and death will be
your portion. y
Saying this he started oil leaving IN,
in the dark. He WIS 4 large and power
/ iul man, weighing nearly fifty pound:
more than did, and i'll his present state
a match for two like me. In vain
tried 10 think OF some way of escape
there was none. The window wa,
strongly Grated, the door, Il dozen men
like me could not move. thought OI
my dear wife and darling innocent babe,
and fears would come i'll my eyes in spite
of all could do. What would she say
when was borne Il chastity, bleeding
corpse to the house. Sometimes | would
try TO hope he would forget me, and not
come back, but reason told me better.
| tried to pray, but instead OF having my
mind on what | said, was continually
listening for his returning footsteps Al
last they came, nearer and nearer and Il,
he came in sight, | noticed he carried =
long carving knife i'll his hand. As Ii,
approached the cell, he accidentally drop,
ped the lamp, leaving us in darkness. A
faint ray of hope pierced my mind.
Could | not dodge ont as he unlocked
the door Nearer and nearer he came,
and at last stopped at the door, | could
hear him cropping for the kcyhole. Al
last | heard him insert the key and turn
it. Drawing in Il long breath, | n'rvcd
myself for the encounter, and n the door
opened, | made a spring Mt him, and,
Providence iavoring me, caught him by
the collar. Putting forth desperate ef-