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

a queer fellow up stairs, and that ii
pulled the dbcllrcpe he was to come up
ate once--not that / feared danger, but
there was no knowing wha: might hap.
pen, | came up the stairs to my room
with full determination to get rid OF
my strange friend as quickly and quietly
as possible When I entered 1 found
fhimJ dressed with the table.oloth round
his shoulders, hanging like tcga. His
eyes were 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 of Christmas; Long
have [ 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' er3 % aeu on v.r oaa
igtActed !? 2 I am In earnestv
Here he prodnced, ,tc my aslls-.n, e
long dissectips7knife, which he had TAX
en- from o case (for VIC kept those in-
struments up stairs.) I saw that the
drink had carried away what little sense
the wretched man ever Had, but |
Thought n bold front would quiet him.
So, | laughed, and said, sNow, nv dear
sir, do sit down, and
Never Blood 1 must havop
The bell thought, and turning
quickly Good heavens !A4MS 5ely.rdpe
'eas cs,s'high ups l felt faint; but with
an effort 1 rallied and snatehius up
the poker, [ cried, Look here if you
don't stop this nonsense instantly l shall
smash you with this " '. .'' l
The maniac roared with fendish
laughter as he cried, z am q spirit
your weapon will go through, me as
through pirH ;,t s., b., ,.;,.
There he eerstto9od stood, glariug on, me, re-
morselcss maniac. ),
Oh! how I prayed that tthb the door ddo5oor::bell
might .ri6s,S and tRae the porter might
aiinoI6ce patient: How sweet wo,,,d
sBs the sound like ahgeIsmelody to INV ~
hoart But % 'icaassS cases we're n b,uii but few fsS At
present. Oh, that I had told John to
follow after me - " : i''' = t'e
Prepare! Thy doom is come p cried
the madman, as be, drew toward ME.
stood behind q chair, with the poker
firmly clutchcd in my left hand.
Suddenly he rushed at me, catching
my blow upon his arm, and seiz-
ing me by the threat. : Fortunate.
ly l caught the wrist of the arm
that held the knife-that long, sharp
instrument gltterius nishc gaslight. /
raised my voice, and cried, Help
Hclp! 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 firm hold oI
my throat; but Just before he did SO
gave one loud, piercing Shrek Of Muir
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 .
X
When revived ] found myself il
bed, with Buryhan and Dobbs standing
by me.
'All right, old boyp cried Dobbs
| 'you are better now
At first | thought had been dream
ing; but as the rene nbrance came bacl
in all its horrors, | shudderinsly asked
g" i'll e=cai,a @
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 duor--and, by Jove W,
were only just in time, as the madma'
was turning you round to drive the knif
into your heart However, he is saf
enough now. by this time he is lyin:
in the padded chamber Of the work
house"
l pressed both their hands, and tn
tears silently rolled down my checks
Since then | have been very select il
my company 8 and-whenever see MAJ
OF eccentric character | feel a cold shud
der creeping through my anatomy as
remember the horrors OF that sChrist
Il ~