The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-11-04

appearance In sucf acoStume as this.
He rose, brusho4 away the chill drops
of perspiration from his forehead, and
was just replacing the crimson silk pocket
handkerchief in its resting place when
he was suddenly grasped from behind
and thrown skillfully upon the ground.
"Well, we've cotched you at last, my
hearty" said o burly man who stood over
him, while another had bound both his
hands and feet together before he could
find words or breath to remonstrate.'
"You thought you was going to give us
the slip, hey2 Come, itisn't worth while
to cut up like that, you know, unless
you want the straightriacket brought
out"
"Straight-jacketl' gasped Tripler.
J" What do Iwant of a straight Jacket"
"Nothing, unless you behave yourself
unruly like. Steady, then Tom, bring
up the wagon" N
"Where are you taking me to2"'4iI.
"To the asylum, to be sure, where
you'd have been two hours ago if you
hadn't been a little too spry for the stage
driver and your keeper"
Light began to dawn on the troubled
chaos of Nh. Tripler's much bewildered
mind.
"It's all a mistake, my good fellows
aridiculous mistake" he exclaimed, "Pm
not q madmanl" r1
i"No, of course not !; we know you're
not" responded the larger of the two,
with wink to his companion-"Drive
on, Tom" : 95nlc3 ,Sa7
"But I Inn not, indeed; you are mis-
taking me for somebody else-aman who
Just forced me to exchange hats and
coats with him, and went down into the
woods-he is the mailman
sob, mol guess not" said the big
keeper, with a fearful attempt at pleas
ant irony.
"My good men, you are laboring un-
der some very singular delusion, remon-
strated the victim, trying to speak plain
ly between the jolting of the wagon and
his own excitement. " am Nh. Nathan
Tripler, of No. - John street.
"Oh, yes" said the keeper, lighting a
cigar, yesterday you was Napoleon
Bonaparte, and to-day you are Nathan
Tripler, and to-morrow-ikely as not
you'll be the King of the Sandwich
Islands. I've heard this kind of talk be.
fore"
Tripler's heart began to stand still with
underlined horror. Was this q hideout
dream? or was he to be actually immure6
within the high stone walls of the asylum
he had SO often walked past with a feel
ing of dread and horror beyond descrip
ton, the lifelong victim of some scarce
credible mistakes In vain he reasoned
argued, protested ; his words fell onsths
unheeding ears of his two conductor
like drops of rain pattering on the stony
surface of Table Rock, until at length h
was carried-more dead than aive-intt
a narrow apartment at the end of a lont
row Of similar ones. ~ tssa az
1t was lighted and ventilated by al
non grating in the door, witha CORE
spending window high up on the wall
and furnished with only a narrow coucl
and a stand built into the wall; an,
there, MI. Nathan Tripler, released fror
his confirming bonds, was left to enio
1.-THE uninterrupted society of his ow1
cheerless m~eaitations. }lSA1
cit can't be possible I must b
asleep and dreaming" thought Nathan
Butcit was possible, and he never va
wider awake in his life.
Toward evening a pitcher of water an
a piece Of bread were dealt out to hin
4 Nh. Tripler ate thunder a sort of menti
protest, to relieve the gnawing sensatie
of faintness that was at his yitals.
what would i not give for one {
! Dorothy's hot biscuits" Thought th
wretched captive. "My poor 1ittl
Dorothy I have been too hard upo
her. Suppose I should die withor
being able to tell her how ashamed I al
of having been such a brute"
1t was not the dry bread that choke
Nathan Tripler just then-it was the HI
, initiating sense of his own sins and shor
comings. Us * Z
Next morning it was bread and wat.
again. Nathan thought of Dorothy
despised coffee and grumbled-at steak.
"Iye deserved it" Thought Nathan
"there is no mistake about That. POI
darling little Dorothy how her heart
aching for me now. I wish I coul
stroke down her hair just once. Oh, it
!. hard to be treated SO, even though
> know I'm served exactly right. If
ever get out of this. hole alive Dorett
> will find me a changed man." +.
4 The. confused current of his though
was just eddying vaguely through b
|, mind when there was o sound of stel
|, and voices in the corridors without. u
, at suppose they're going to put 'dn
: straight waistcoat now,""L Thought M
: Tripler, with a resigned air. "Wel
J there is nothing left for me but to e
dure. I don't think I'm mad but no
long I shall hold out zane under this i
! teresting confederation of circumstanc
3 is rather q doubtful question"
But Mr.. Tripler was mistaken abo
the straight waistcoat-it was his keep
| instead, accompanied by two-or thr
gentlemen-an profuse In apologies al
q sympathetic CALCULATIONS.
e "Sucha mistake i".said one oldgentl
man with a bald head
$50 awkward for you, my dear sir
! said another middle-aged gentleman wi
: a Roman nos
. "But entirely unintentional, I assn
you, sir" chimed in a third.
WINE n1I. Irlpler OOheQ NdSue1y1I
4 one to the other he said q.
y "Then 1 am not mad, it seems2"
Z "Not a particle, sir !" cried the thr
committee men In chorus.
: "Ohl !" said Mr.. Tripler, "I'm glad
9 hear it !"
/ Then the committee proceeded to
form their involuntary guest how t
mistake had happened by which ]
identity had been COMPOUNDED with IL
# of his mysterious acquaintance of
woods.
eve are very sorry," said the Fl
committee man, shaking Mr.. Triple
hand as if it had been the town pump.
Il $50 am l." said Mr.. Tripler, lacon
/ ally.
"Here is your hat and coat, sir" Sc
IS the second committee man. ave b
great difficulty in getting them aw
N from our poor friend in the incural
e ward, who fancied that they were the Il
lie dying bequest of President Lincoln. "
and anything we can do to make a
atonement for the awkward mista
Is would be a pleasure" said She thi
y while the keeper eyed Mr.. Tripler du