The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-06-25
A Fearful Adventure.

account oil Wnlcn nave not before
made public, from the fact that have
SO shuddered to think of that night of
horror that have not before summon
ed courage to recall the circumstances |
at the point of my pen but my nerves
have grown stronger, and 1 give this to |
the public as an evidence that truth, il
not stranger than fiction, has at least o
more fearful realization. The follow
ing is the story:
One stormy night in December, dur
ing q visit of my family to Pougheepsie,
was all alone, the servants even being
away at wake, or wedding, when a
ring at the door.bell summoned me to
the hall, and, on opening the door, was
confronted by a large fine-looking
man, well dressed, and of pleasing
manners.
"Good evening"" said he, in a splen.
did voice. "This is DIR. B, Is it
not ?"
"That is my name, SIR" replied
blandly. "Will you walk inP"
"Thank you, SIR" he returned, in a
in politeness. care you disengaged
for the evening, doctor p
am," said I.
CT am very glad that you are, sir"
he replied ;'"it gives me an opportuni-
ty I have long desired of conversing
with you upon anatomical science,
with, perhaps, some practical illustra-
tions )" and with this he followed me
into my Office and seated himself before
the comfortable CRATE.
As he had apparently forgotten to
leave his hat on the rack in the hall, l
requested him to take it off, and offered
to carry it to the hall for him, and
while he rose to take it off it gave me
fine opportunity to observe his splen-
did physique. He was apparently over
six feet in height, and of muscular pro-
portions, very Apollo in form, with
handsome, regular fertures, fine mus
tache, and luminous black eyes that at
times had wonderful glitter in them.
"Who have the honor of meeting 2"
said L, when returned from the hall.
"Ah - he replied, with smile, "as
to the honor, you are raising aquestion;
as to the name, l am answering one in
the card have the honor of presenting
to you"
On handsomely card I read
the name, "John DalhOusie, M. D.,
No. rs Lombard street, London" and
Immediately entertained higher feel
ing of respect for my visitor, and at
tached more Importance to the visit.
A lecture of mine upon anatomy had
been read and favorably commented
upon by the Board of Surgeons in Lon
don, and L was vain enough to think
that this had induced the visit |; so I
extended all my hospitality to my visi-
tor, and placed before him wines and
| ,,,to ~, otoJ
conversation, in which I found him we'll
read and deeply versed in medicine and
surgery, and the appearances were that
L had more to learn from him than to
impart.
noticed, as he slipped the wine from
time to time, that the CLEAN of his black
eyes grew more intense, but 1 supposed
this came from his deep interest in the
subject of our conversation. He then
proposed that we should go to my dis
secting-room, which I had located on
the top floor for the benefit of a fine
skylight, and with pleasure led the
way, and lit fire in the stove, which
always kept ready to touch off, so that
we soon had hot fire, and the room
warm, while threw on food OF gas
{ light, which made the room brilliant,
/ indeed. He examined my surgical and
r dissecting instruments, and his eyes
, glistened as he remarked how he should
, like an opportunity of using them, and
expressed my regrets that had not O
subject to place at his disposal. He
then told me he had an original plan
, for testing the strength of the human
heart and its highest degree of pulsa
, ton, and if would lie down upon the
4ol> I. - Il.
, demonstrate it to me. He said it would
/ be best to remove my clothing to the
t waist, so L stripped them off and laid
! down upon the table. He then went tc
my head and leaned over me, and in {
{ moment, before 1 was aware of his
5 purpose, he had my arms pinioned bach
with rope that he had evidently taker
out of his pocket, with slip-noose al
3 prepared. As he bound me more firmly
, he told me that if L made noise hi
: would stab me to the heart. He theI
t went to my feet and bound them firmly
and L had an opportunity of looking
into his face; insanity cleaned from
his eyes / saw that was in the powe
: : of maniac. Utterly helpless, daret
e not make q noise, knowing he would
kill me the moment did. My agon.
of suspense was awful. What was b,
y going to do?
He took up my dissecting instru
ments, and his eyes cleaned witt
fiendish delight. All hope died in m.
breast; 1 saw his purpose. He said t
me, with a demoniacal laugh that mad
my blood run cold, as if freezing in m,
: veins
!, "Ah, doctor, you regretted not hav
a ing a subject for dissection at my dis
posal [; you see how easily 1 have sc
. cured one. 1t is my old plan of securing
\ \ living subjects 1 like to operate ol
: : them best, and study the vitality O
each particular part of the human body
:. and how long life will last under dis
section of any one of its parts"
"My God !" 1 exclaimed, in m,
: agony; "you are not going to dissec
! me alive?"
4 4 "Why, certainly am" he said, will
= laugh. "You owe that much t,
: science. You know Paul said, thougl
: l give my body to be burned, and sure
ly you can give yours to be cut up
.. You have passed your age of useful
= ness, and have drifted into the old-fog.
ideas /; you are not a progressionist as
!, am you belong to the old school
|, which, like the Bourbons, never learn
: anything and never forgets anything
8 and it is better for you to be anatomize'
than fossilized /; fossils are nothing tt
! science, anatomy is everything.
= "But," said /, in the most appealing
= : voice, "my dear sir, we owe something
to humanity as we'll as to science W