Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-11-21

Dear me-" suddenly interrupted this
uncomfortable companion, what very
nice hat YOU have Now, what do you say to
exchanging hats? Mine isa very nice straw,
but tird it somehow heating to the brain.
"You are quite welcome, SIR taltercd
the trcmulous Nathan, speaking all the more
rapidly in that the freakish maniac had al
ready de!tly affected the change.
"And your coat. too-nice cool linen.
Upon my word, now, that coat is infinitely
preferable to this swalow-ta tailed concern of
mine, with the brass buttons. Ycs-it fits
me very nicely. hope you don't object sir,
to the accomm pdationY'
"N-no" ialtered Mr.. Triplcr.
'Well, good morning" said the stranger,
| looking round with bewildered air. 81
don t really see where my chief orderly is
| told him to be here precisely at nine
ocock-and everything will be in confusion
if don't attend to it personally"
He plunged into the green, dense faStncS-
seS OF the woods, talking rcStles|ly to him
self as he went, and Mr. Nathan Triplcr was
left soIrls in a coarse straw hat and Il cont of
coarse blne cloth, garniShed with huge metal
buttons, whose briliance was considerably
tarni>hel
Dear me, what figure cut groancd
Mr.. Tripler. cycling himself with disgust.
Il must 60 directly home and get on some
thing decent. \ man would be hootcd
through the streets of New York ii he ven
costume as this p
lie rose brushed away the chill drops of
pc spiration from his forehead, and WAS just
replacing the crimson silk pocket handkcr-
chief in its resting g-placc when he was sud
denly gra~pcd rom behind and thrown
skllinly upon the ground.
"WeIl, we've cotch You at last. my
Hearty said burly man who stood over
him, While another man had bound both his
hands and feet together before he could find
words or breath t. rcm,nst'ae. You
thou%ht you was goiu to give the lip,
hey? Come, il isn't worth while to cut up
like that, you know. unless you want the
strait jacket brought CUT
strait jacket?' ga>pcd Trpler, "what
do want Of Il strait jacket?'
"Nut',ing; unless you behave yourself
urr"uly like. Steady, then! Tom, bring up
tie wagon"
Nv !rrc are You taking ne tog' remon-
| | | 4
"nchur>c wagon.
II" thc asylum to be s"rc, where yon'd
haye been two hours ago if y"u ha,ln' b.en
Il litjlc too ~pry for the sta .e-lriserani your
keeper"
Light hcyan to dawn ON the tronb'e chaos
of NJ Tipler' much hcwidrrc,i mind.
"l'~ all mistake, my good rIi-w~-p
ridiculous mistake,' he exclaimed, ~ N not
a mad mani"
''No, of course not; We know you're not,
responded the larger Of the two, with wink
at his companion--" Drive on, Tom"
But am not, indeed; youarc miSsaking
me for somebody else-a man VINO just forced
HE to exchange hats and coats with him,
and went down into the wood,-he is the
madman!'
son, no-I guess not" said the big
keeper, with fearful attempt ut peasan;
irony.
'My good men, you are laboring under
some very singular dclusion." demonstrated
the victim, trying to speak plainly between
the .jolting of the wagon and his own excite
ment. lam Nj. Nathan rripler, of No.,
John Street.
son. Yes said the keeper, lighting
cigar, yesterday you was Napoleon Bona
parte, and to-day you're Nathan rrip.er, and
o-morrow-likely as not--you' II be the king
of the Sandwich Islands. I've heard this
kind o talk afore."
TriplcrS heart began to stand still with un-
defined horror. Was this Il hidcou< dream?
or was he to be actually immurcd within
the high stone walls Of the asylum he had SO
often walked past with Il feeling of dread
and horror beyond all description, the life
long victim Of some scarce credible mistake?
III VAIN ii' it"1oi''', "' 'S"eu, pl''S>teu. HIS
words fell on the unhccdiny ears of his two
conductors like drops Of rain pattering on
the stony surface of Table Rock, until at
length he was carricl-more dead than
alive-into narrow apartment at the end
of long row OF similar ones.
1t was lighted and ventilated by an iron
grating in the door. with Il corresponding
window high up on the wall and furnished
with only narrow cIlch and sand built
into the wall and there, Mr.. Nathan Trip
Ter, released from his contning bonds, was
left to enjoy the uninterrupted society of his
own cherries mcdilNtions.
''It can't be po,Sible!' | must be asleep
and dreaming" thought Nathan.
But it was possible, and he never was
wider awake in his life.
Toward evening, a pitcher Of water and
niece of bread were dealt out to him. Mr..
Tripcr ate it under sort Of mental protest
10 relieve tie gnawmg sensation Of aintness
that was at his yiialS.
''What would give for one of Dnrothy's
hot bi,caitS," thought the wrctched captive.
"My poor little Dorothy. | have been too
hard upon her. SnppoSe-.juSt suppose |
shorld die without being able to to! how
ashamed am of having been Sucha brute ~