The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-08-09

written for the ADVOCATE
The Fatal Prescription,
RECALLED TO LIFE T.
BY WELDON j. COBB. Jr.
CHAPTER XXII.


A thoughtful physician somewhere states
that when the mind is affected by external
influence, as by hurt or injury, or the re-
opening Of an old wound, the emotions or
delirium which ensue, is generally prolific
Of temporary insanity. 1t was thus with
Mr. Mapleton. In mad frenzy, wrought
by the attack Of the Indian, Ajalma, he
had dashed from the cave where he had en-
countered him. and had wildly hastened
on, his former weakness Of mind, turned
into far severer type Of insanity, which
lent an unnatural paleness to his counte-
nance, and caused his eve to CLEAN and
glitter, madly, ramblingly.
He hurried on, the pain in his wounded
head becoming more intense, and his sur
roundings presenting to his dazed mind a
perfect blank. Along the road leading from
the village, down through the marshy
meadows. thence over the hard coach road,
where, at a wayside inn, he mechanically
stopped, and wearied and confused, drop
ped his head on his arm, and sat partially
stupetied, entirely unconscious OF the fact
that the landlady was regarding him with
pitving looks, and had covered his wounded
head with plaster.
He arose from the bench, hastily, Just as
hat, to supply the place Of his missing
one, had been placed upon his head, by
pitying hands. They sought to stop him.
to questi III him, TO detam him. But they
we're enabled to ascertain the state of his
mind only by his questioning eyes, and
white, wild face
Rambling on for a mile or two more. he
finally came to long reach Of land by the
! IL Il
spring of water In his delirious thirst,
he quaffed long and slowly of the delicious
ly cooling draught, and then sank into a
troubled slumber, broken now and then
with incoherent words and Wild elacula-
tions
When he awoke, the moon Was high in
the heavens, sailing in a flood Of liquid sill
very glory over the broad expanse of sky
His wild insanity had now quieted down,
and he moved dreamily. and as a man who
suffers collapse from a state Of excitement
into an apathstic reversion into dazed
unconsciousnees. If the eyes bespoke
truly the minds emotions. a hopeless idiocy
had entered the mind of the young man,
for he seemed to observe without compre-
hending, saw without any external evidence
of the fact that his vision was clear.
Yet, in his mind was thought, if the IN
Stinet Of nature may be termed such The
intricate machinery Of his mentality had
been Jared, but even as an old clock, de-
prived of wheel, will give eccentric loco
motion to its remaining members, so the
recent blow, its contemporaneous and sub
sequent events, had caused momentary
injury to the delicate mechanism of his
mind, leaving it not inactive, only fixed
upon one idea, and that idea, solely, now
mechanically sctuated the every motion of
the correspondents assistant.
What his thoughts we're he indicated by
no word OF gesture. Once moving onward,
he stopped at an inn, and perused, sharp
ly, the sign-board, which conveyed the in
telligence Of the location Of and distance
TO London. Then he resumed his journey,
at the same gait, his expressionless eyes
fixed on the road, or the sky.
Morning was breaking when he reached
the suburbs of the great city. Many peo-
pie were stirring, and many q country We
hicle, loaded with the green grocer's pro-
duce, passed him on the road. He did not
tarry nor lnger. however, until he reached
long line Of shady hedges skirting the
road. Here he stopped, plunged, seeming
| ly, into the deepest meditation.
He had stood thus for some little time,
unobserved, until one-horse vehicle, con-
tanning two persons, stopped suddenly, the
driver uttering an exclamation of surprise.
1t was Mr.. Leroy, who, with Tom Gray,
had started, in his carriage, to reach Mr..
Carleton's, in the hopes Of discovering
some trace of the missing Mr.. Mapleton.
= .rx~alxy h. ~ ov-sad NJ
refining up his horse.
Yes, said his young companion, land
in the same place where first met him. "
Leroy, excitedly.
Certain, Mr.. Leroy"
Mr.. Leroy stopped and meditated. Quick
to discern anything. and wondering at
Mr.. Mapleton's singular position, the ques-
ton entered his mind if the finding of the
object of his search in the very same spot
where Tom Gray had affirmed he had first
met him, might not have been caused by
the correspondent q assistant coming there
to trace up his identity The young man
was lust turning from the spot, however,
and As there was no doubt but that it was
Mr.. Mapleton, he turned his horse aside to
admit Of free passage of the road BY
others, and followed by Tom Gray, hasten
cd to the young mans side.
''Mr. Mspleton," he said, touching him
on the shoulder.
The young man turned, surveyed his in
terlocuter and his companion, quietly, and
then, with NO sign of intelligence or recog
milton in his eye, turned to move on.
But Mr.. Leroy made . OBTAINING move
msnt with his hand.
"Do you not know M r. he cried; TON
Gray and !, Mr.. LerUyf'
Aamsn that aamnehin0 Ulanna aunin tn