The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-05-10

AS shall 1mpart renewed existence.
1t is our life's elixir left,
And by its retrospeotion glorious,
Though wounded, bleeding and bereft,
WsIiH H7o, end by It be victorious.
Ineipione Insanity-s.The TanRlinc o1
tho 6kein."
A writer in CdsseHs Magazine, dis
coursing OF the symptoms Of insanity,
under the title of s'The Tangling of the
Skein," narrates the following:
A very old friend OF mine once met
with an adventure which has no climax
in print, but which was doubtless trying
enough at the time. On arriving in
London some years back, he found
lodging until the house he had taken
was ready, and to his annoyance he dis
covered, after he was in, that the large.
old-fashioned dwelling was full of lodgers
from top to bottom. Come home about
twilight one evening, hs passed on the
broad STAIRCASE man who averted his
head; but in the single glance that my
friend caught of his features, he saw an
expression which startled him. He
mentioned this incident to his young
wife. who owned that she had been
alarmed by what she supposed was the
same man; and, indeed, described his
terrible eyes and his dark, sinister fea-
lures 80 accurately as to leave no doubt
on the matter. Each felt little more
disturbed than either chose to aoknow-
ledge, and my friend scarcely liked to
leave his wife by herself; however, see-
ing no more Of the stranger for day or
two. they had almost forgotten him.
They always burnt night.light, and at
the side Of their bed ticked q small
alarm clock.
About week after the incident re-.
lated, it happened, strangely enough,
that my friend and his wife awoke at the
same moment, and, on speaking, each
found the other oppressed with strange,
nameless dread, and with no disposition
to sleep again. On looking round the
room my friend saw that the night-light
was not where he had left it-he was
positive of that; although very near, it
was not exactly where he had put it,
Then, missing the familiar sound, he
saw that the clock had stopped. He got
out of bed and examined tho room, but
discovered nothing. By comparing
with his watch he found that the clock
had not been stopped many minutes.
In addition to the nightlight, he was
sure that the position OF several small
articles on the table had been altered.
The next night, feeling little nervous,
he, without saying anything to his wife,
looked the door of his bed-room-a
thing he had not done before; but, very
strangely, he woke at the same time as
he had done on the previous night, or
rather morning, for it was nearly Q
o'clock. His wife woke also, and just as
he was speaking to her in low voice,
door was heard to open in the upper
part OF the house. In tho stiffness and
silence Of the night, the screak of the
hinge was as distinct as though it had
been in the same room with them. He
sprang ont Of bed, and at that moment
stealthy step was heard slowly decend-
ing the stairs-oautiously and slowly.
for they conld each hear the brushing of
sleeve against the wainscot as the
conner steadied himself with his arm.
Ny friend felt that his door would be
tried, and stood with one hand on the
lock to receive the intruder; and as he
was powerful man and skilled athlete.
tho Welcome promised to be OF the
warmest. The stealthy hand approach
ed; 1t paused; the sleeve glided down
the wainsoot, and hand softly turned
the handle.
My friend threw the key round in the
look and strove to pull the door open;
but his wife, without telling him, had
on her part also looked it, 80 that it was
doubled looked and could not easily be
opened. Steps were heard hurrying up
the stairs, door was olapped to. and by
the time my friend stood on the landing
with light. all was silent in the house,
and he had no means Of knowing which,
oc. ct o kslf O dozen rooms, was the one
he wanted. OF course the iandlady was
summoned In the morning, but no light
was thrown on the matter by her, nor
was it ever conclusively proved who was
the intruder. However, ere many days
elapsed. the dark man who had been
met on the stairs showed symptoms Of
tia most dangerous insanity. Ee was
removed, and became confirmed luna
tio.
It would be in place here. did space
allow, TO enter upon catalogue OF the
alterations, more or less complete, OF