Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-06-18

mind.
ITS all n mistake. my good fellows ri
diculous mistakel" he exclaimed, "I'm not
a madmanl"
mo, of course not; we know you're not, ."
responded the larger of the two, with a wink
at his companion; "drive on, Tom"
"But I'm not, indeed; you are installing
ME for somebody olse-a man who just fore
ed me to exchange hats and coats with him,
and went down into the woods-he is the
n%admanl'
"Oh, no. 1 guess not" said the big keeper,
with II fearful attempt at pleasant irony.
my good man, you are laboring under
some very singular delusion,n demonstrated
the victim, trying to speak plainly between
the joltIng of the wagon and his own excite
ment. II am Mr.. Nathan Tripler, of No.,
John street."
"'Oh, yes" said the keeper, yesterday you
were Napoleon Bonaparte, and to-day you're
Nathan Tripler, and tomorrow, likely as
not, you'll be the king of the Sandwich ISL
ands. l have heard this kind of talk be-
fore"
Tripler's heart began TO stand still with
underlined horror. Was this a hideous dream,
or was he actually injured within the high
stone walls of the asylum he had so often
walked past with a feeling of dread and hor-
ror beyond all description, the fe-long vic
tim of some scarce credible mistake? In
vain he reasoned, argued, protested; his
words fell on the unheeding ears of his con-
ductors like drops of rain pattering on the
stony surface of Table Rock, until Mt length
he was carried more dead than alive, into
a narrow apartment at the end Of q long
row of similar ones.
1t was lighted and ventilated by an iron
grating IN the door, with a corresponding
window high up on the wall and furnished
only with n narrow couch and u stand built
into the wall and there. Mr.. Nathan Trip
Ter, released from his combining bonds, was
left to enjoy the uninterrupted society Of his
own cherries medItations.
at cant be possiblel l must be asleep and
dreaming" thought Nathan.
But it was possible, and he was never
more awake in his life.
Toward evening a pitcher of water and a
piece of bread were dealt out to him. Mr..
Tripler ate it under a sort of mental protest
to relieve the gnawing sensation of faintness
that was Mt his vitals.
"What would l give for one of Dorothy's
hot biscuits" thought the wretched captive.
my poor little Dorothy, l nave been too
hard upon her. Suppose, just suppose 1
should die without being able to tell her how
ashamed | am of having been such a brute. -
1t was not the dry bread that choked Ma
than Tripler just then, it was the humiliat-
ing sense OF his own sins and short-com-
ings.
Next morning it was bread and water
again. Nathan thought of Dorothy's despis-
ed coffee and grumbled-at steak.
II have deserved it," thought Nathan
"there is no mistake about that. Poor dar-
ling little Dorothy How her heart is aching
for me now. 1 wish l could stroke down
her hair Just once. Oh, it's hard to be treat.
cd so, even though l know I'm served ex.
actly right. III ever get out of this hol
alive, Dorothy will find me n changed
man."
The confused current Of thoughts was just
eddying vaguely through his mind, wher
there was n sound of steps and voices in the
long corridor without.
81 suppose they're going to put on &
straight waistcoat now" thought Mr.. Trip
Ter, with n resigned air. "Wsll, there's
nothing left me but to endure. l dom
think I'm mad but how long l shall hold
out sane under this interesting concentration
of circumstances is rather a doubtful qucs.
ton"
But Mr.. Tripler was mistaken about the
waistcoat; it was his keeper instead, accom-
panied by two or three gentlemen, all pro
fuse in apologies and sympathetic ejacula'
tions.
"Such a mistake!" said one old gentleman
with a bald head.
80 awkward for you, my dear sir!" said
another middle-aged gentleman with a Ro-
man nose.
"But entirely unintentional, 1 assure you, >
chimed in a third.
While Mr.. Tripler looked vaguely from
one to another, he said:
"Then lam not mad, it seems?" no do
manded.
mot a particle, STRIP cried the committed
men, in chorus.
"Oh," said Mr.. Tripler, '1'm glad to heal
it."
Then the committee proceeded to inform
their involuntary guest how the mistake haC
happened by which his identity had beer
COMPOUNDED with that of his mysterious nc
quaintance of the woods.
1--WE are very sorry" said the first com
mitteo man, shaking Mr.. Tfipler's hand a
ifit had been the handle OF n town pump.
80 l am said Mr.. Tripler, laconically
"Hero is your hat and coat, y said the sec
ond committee man. awe had great diff
Guilty in getting them way from our poo
friend in the incurable ward, who fancie,
they were the dying bequest of Presiden
Lincoln
And anything we can do to make an
atonement for tho awkward mistake woul
be a great pleasure to us all, " said the third
while the keeper eyed Mr.. Tripler obviously
as if not altogether certain but that he was
. little mad after all, which almost any ON
would be under the circumstance.
When Mr.. Nathan Tripler reached HI
home, all was the widest griefand confusio
there. Dorothy had had the woods searcl
ed, the river dragged, and the whole vicinI
ty ransacked, and was now in Mysteries /
the nursery. Nathan walked straight II
[ and put both arms around her.
"Here l am, Dottle. Don't cry any more.
But Mrs. TTipler cried more than ever.