The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-04-26
CHASED BY A MADMAN.


1t was a long time ago, and yet
it seems but yesterday, that an
event occurred which even now
when | think oft thrills me with
an indescrit able sensation. 1t was
on an eve following an election, and
the victorious party was celebrating
in honor of the event, with bands of
music, torchlight procession and
general rejoicing. Everybody SEEM
ed to be OH the street. Houses
were Illuminated, bonfires were
kindlsa; cheers aud boots mingled
with deatening uproar, and altogeth-
er it presented a scene at once grand
and beautiful. 10 a dispositiqA like
mine it was truly edifymg, and SO
lost was | in the carnival of the
night, that it was near twelve
o'clock before | thought about
starting for home; and as this was
the latest that had ever stopped
out, | began to feela little anxious.
My home was about three miles
from where | was, and the way lay
through thick grove Of timber for
about half the distance, and it was
one of those gloomy, winding roads,
with deep dells skirted by thick
underbrush, with an occasional
brook running across spanned by
log bridges, to vary the monotany.
One ofthose places my imagination
had coWured up as being the center
ofeverything internal. Whether it
was the tales the old women told,
or my own fancy, | did not know,
but certain it was felt SO, and
could not help it; and even in the
daytime when passing that way
had more than once felt halfinclined
to whistle. On this particular night
it seemed darker than usual, mades
by the lights in the town. Ap-
preaching the old wood with TIM
id port, | pressed on until | came to
the verge of the forest. Here
stopped and tried to peer through
the darkness, but | could see moth
ing; all was dark and lonesome
.
it put one in mind ofa long tunnel
running through high mountain,
SO dense was it. Nothing was NOV
ing, all was silent with the excep-
tion Of a torlorn bullfrog rendering
a melancholy dirge that was in
unison with the surroundings. /
plucked up courage, however, and
pushed on in a kind of dog tlvt
fully prepared, ifoccasion warranted
it, to increase my speed according
ly. BY this time | had reached the
first hill, and had started down the
grade at a pretty smart pace, look
ing from side to side as | moved
along, when all at once | heard a
noise as if somebody breaking
stick and, on looking ahead to the
left, saw something white peering
through the thick brush. My first
impression was to get away as fast
as possible, but then had walked
up so near to it that | would not
have much chance ifI made the at
tempt. But | quickly came to the
conclusion that | would try and get
by it, as soon as possible; so, turn
ing well to the right, ! made smart
run, with the intention of leaving
his honor in the rear, but he SEEM
ingly defined my object and bound
ed out of the woods and stood in
the middle Of the path before me.
| now began to get scared, and |
naturally thought of ghosts and
Ilobgoblins, fairies and elfs, but $
which Of these this one was my |
IDEAS were not clear enough to de- '
inc. ] began to shake with terror, Il
md was about to turn and try to '
get away, when the figure spoke, Il
md wanted to know where | had +
,een. To hear a voice in q place g
ike the ono described would have n
'een some relief IN anordiuary casc, n
nut the thought that this man must is
o mad diyested my mind Of the b
slcisd. security that | bad indulged /
|, bat q mOE1esia before. AS he W