The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1872-04-06

a case. 10 him mentioned that ha(
a queer fellow up Stairs, and that if
pulled the dbcll'rope he was to come ny
ate once not that i feared danger, bu,
there WAS no knowing what might hap
pen ! came up the stairs to my room
with q full determination to get rid Of
my strange friend as quickly and quietly
as possible" When I entered 1 found
himb dressed with the table.oloth round
his shoulders, hanging like toga. His
eyes we're like blazing Goals as he. stole
toward the door, turned the key, and
removed it from the lock. Now cried
he, 4 shall tell you who I really am.
am the Evil Spirit ofChrsmas; Long
have 1 roamcd the earth, and until now
! have not had one victim. The time
has at length arrived. This shall indeed
be merry Christmas to me.'
I laughed, and said, very well acted
indeed' asb q nsc on r.q es
y IA ctad ? = 7 am in earnestp
Here he produced, to my alarm, O
long dissectipg7 knife, which he had tax.
en- from case (for VIC kept those in
struments up stairs.) I saw that the
drink had carried away what little sense
the wretehed mun ever had, but ]
thought bold front would quiet him
So ], laughed, and said, 'Now, my dear
sir, do sit down, aud-'
Never Blood I must have p
The bell, thought, and turning
quickly. Good heavens title 6eU.lope
'eas cshigh'np! felt faint; but with
an effort L rallied and suatching up
the poker, 1 cried, Look here if YOU
don't stop, this nonsense instantly shall
smas.- Jou with this" " $50
The maniac roared with fendisb
laughter as he cried, z am q spirit
your weapon will go through me as
through airHi,d ..~ bss n.;,.
There he stood, glaring on, me, re-
morsclcss maniac !,
Oh, !! how I prayed that the 'ed5o edo5oor..bell
might trihg,9 and that the porter might
announce 9 paEie6s How sweet would
the soahdSliike angei-meiody to INV
Leart4 But % ;'tcaaasS cases were a but few At
F .sent. Oh, that I had told John 70
follow after me -" .i'l-''' h"s
Prepare! Thy doom is come p cried
the madman, rs he. drew toward me.
stood behind chair, with the poker
firmly clutclcd in my left hand.
Suddenly he rushed at me, catching
my blow upon his arm, and seiz.
ing me by the throat. Fortunate.
ly | caught the. wrist of the arm
that held the kuife-that long, sharp
instrument glitteriuS in tic gaslisht. !
raised my voice, aud cried, Help
Help! But the wind, which had now
risen to storm, drowned my voice
besides, in that long, rambling house
could only be heard outside the door
The maniac at length got frm hold o
my throat but just before he did SO
gave one loud piercing Shrek of 'Mur
der" Then my eyes seemed forced out
of my head; my brain was on fire the
membranes of my ears seemed bursting
and-I remembered no more
When revived ] found myself i,
bed, with Buryhan and Dobbs standin:
by me.
'All right, old boy cried Dobbs
you are better now
At first | thought | had been dream
ing; but as the rene nbyance came bacl
in all its horrors, shudderinglv ask cd
How did cscape?'
'Dobbs and came home earlier than
usual Buryhan replied. 'Whcn W,
came in the porter told us you had
queer fellow with you, and mentioned
what you had said to him. We hurried
up stairs, tried the door, but found i
fastened. We then heard your cry o
murder So, without more ado, W,
burst open the door--and, by Jove W,
were only just in time, as the madma,
was turning you round to drive the knifi
into your heart. However, he is saf
enough now. by this time he is lyin:
in the padded chamber Of the work
house"
pressed both their hands, and tn
tears silently rolled down my cheeks
Since then have been very select il
my company and-wheneVor see maj
of eccentric character feel cold shud
der creeping through my anatomy as
remember the horrors OF that sChrist