The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1874-06-11

have exasperated his poor, disordered
brain. made suggestion
"Why not place the Sleeps heart
in the hub? Would not that do as
well ?"
mo; it must be a human heart.
Brutes have instinct, as you know,
but human beings only have reason
and creative desires. The motive
principle which we call mind per-
meates the blood and eDdues the hu-
man with certain prOpelling energy
that is necessary for my lurpose. Do
| you know"-he lowered his voice to
solemn vhisper-''that l sometimes
think my machine will possess con-
sciOusness and will ? Does it not look
reasonable I? But of course that is
only a matter of conjecture as yet.
There will be time enough to consider
it when the first object is accomplish
ed"
There was no Disgusting the fact
that some desperate resort-some
stroke os strategy-was necessary to
defeat my demented companion. His
whole manner proclaimed that he
was terribly in earnest, and the CLEAN
! Of his eyes revealed Enthusiastically
i tLeAS EC nOulu CAECGLC
vengeance should l attempt to force
my way into the car or summon as
sistance. OF course he was incapable
Of considering the consequences to
himself 1 endeavored in vain to
hit upon some plan to Outwit him or
divert his mind from its purpose. We
were both silent for a short time,
when suddenly an idea struck me.
Said /:
"Wby not have your own heart cut
out instead of mine and placed in the
wheels ? Its supply Of nerve power
must be much greater, and all its en-
ergies tend in the desired direction.
Surely it would be much more effec.
tive for your purpose than mine."
"Yes, you are right" he conceded /;
fbut there are difficulties in the way.
First, it would be almost impossible
to find q skilled surgeon willing to
perform the operation. And again, 1
was once betrayed by one who made
the same proposition that you have.
lay down with my breast barred,
ready for him to remove my heart,
when he suddenly slipped pair Of
handouts on my wrists and bound
my legs together. He then carried
me of, and from him and his hire
lings / suffered various indignities.
However, that is neither here nor
there. 1 am out of his clutches now,
and am not to be imposed upon again
in the same way. Pardon me for
doubling your sincerity; but 1 have
learned to be on my guard. No you
must be the victim this time, and /
the operator. Ali we are almost
there. think it best that we jump
off about mile this side of the sta
ton, as it is necessary that our opera
tions be carried on secretly. About
sixty rods further on you see large
haystack close by the side of the road.
Just this side of it we will make the
leap, and then we will have a walk
of three or four miles across the cOun-
try"
"I tell you 1 do not wish to jump
off. Wait till we get to the station,
and 1 will walk back with you"
mo; there are spies there whom
1 wish to avoid. Get ready"
"Wait! You jump off, and l will
ride on and walk back to join y yOu."
''No; that would be wasting time,
and we've none to lose. Are you
ready? We are almost there J"
made no reply, but turned sud-
denly and endeavored to grasp one of
his legs and throw him down. But
he was too quick for me. He seized
me by the collar, lifted me up with
apparent ease, and then clasping me
around the body, firmly holding both
of my arms to my sides. His strength
was prodigious.
The engine whistled before the
train began 20 slack its speed. A
brakeman came out of the car. I
shouted for help.
But my captor made the leap,
carrying me with him. There was a
violent concussion-af fearful rebound,
and then unutterable confusion. Was
I hurt2 Was 1 killed? Was the aw-
ful tzanault i'm my brain caused by the
flight of the spirit from the body?
How long would the struggle last?
What would see next?
These and a flood of other wild
questionings darted through my
brain with inconceivable rapidity,
then swift numbness settled upon
me, and all became blank.
I awoke and heard low-spoken
words. After an instant's effort
recollected everything. Two men
were seated near me. was lying
on couch, and could see faces peer
ing in at window and hear the hum
of voices outside.
As opened my eyes two men
q onA y.oororfaA fntanflHr
concluded that they were physicians.
"Any bones broken?n asked.
mo-" one of them replied.
"Any other injuries?"
ga few bruises"
"Shall try to arise?"
"Not just yet"
"Here, take this,n said the other
doctor, extending glass of wine.
1 drank it and sat up. Beyond
a slight dizziness 1 experienced no
uncomfortable feeling. 1 expressed
the opinion that 1 was all right, in
which the doctors were disposed to
concur.
"How about the other one?" I
asked.
"Was he friend OF yours?"
mo, not even an acquaintance"
"How did you happen to be with
him?"
Irelated the matter briefly, and
then repeated my inquiry.
"Well, he's dead"
"Poor felloww / exclaimed. "He
must have been crazy"
"Yes, he escaped from DR.. KS
asylum about eight hours ago. A
telegram was received here describ-
ing him, and officers were waiting to
search the train. The brakeman saw
him make the leap with you in his
arms, and the train was stopped.
You were picked up, and have beeL
here about half an hour.n i
"How came it that he was killed,
while / got off so easy?"
"He struck the ground first, and
broke the violence of your fall. You
rebounded against g haystack, and
were only bruised little"
"Oh, yes-I remember the haystack
was there. Poor fellow He must
have been shattered from head to
foot"
ayes. There are not many whole
bones in his body"
1t turned out that my crazy COM
panlOn WAS u hopeless IunaIic- L
learned something of his history.
Perpetual motion was his hobby, and
for years he had been bent on carry
ing out the scheme he had unfOlded
to me. He possessed fine natural
abilities, and in early life had given
promise Of q brilliant career. But the
taint Of insanity was in his blood,
and took the direction that has been
indicated. His madness was bis own
destruction. AS for me, although it
is not within the bounds of probabili-
ty that I will ever again meet with
even q remotely similar adventure, /
have ever since made it a point to
serutinize- critically the faces Of trav-
elers who tend to sOciabIlity or COM
municativeness. Do you wonder at
ITO. s. Adams.