The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-02-24
A STRUGGLE WITH A MANIAC.

Up In great warehouse, six high
stories above the ground, and everywhere
about me wool-bales upon bales OF
wool, which we had been cranine up all
day, and i'll Mt the open door. Floors
and floors beneath slowed with jute and
dyewoods, teas, coffees, spices, tobaceos;
and, lowest Of oil tallows in huge hogs
heads. Riches from MI parts of the
world lying on hand, and waiting tho
finish of the commercial enterprise
which should consign them to traders.
and then to the people of busy coun-
try. "'E '.'' -
"What's the matter with Jack
Wood?" said one of the men in the after
noon.. g.. a..-...s, -.s
But, excepting that he looked little
wild about the eyes, didn't see any
thing more about him than might often
be seen in men who drink heavily at
times; and so I said. But at last, to-
wards evening, when I was longing to
get away home to spend my evening
comfortably, L was left alone upon that
floor with him, and felt bit startled to
see him go all at once to the open door
where the crane landed the bales, and
cut some strange capers, like a man
going to dive off n board into the sea.
Putting down my work, which was
getting ready two or three burst bales
for the hydraulic press, 30 that they
might be tied up again, I slipped quietly
up behind him, and laid my hand upon
his shoulder, when, with yell, he
Devil devil devil :"
:, And the next moment, by the light Of
the gas of that foggy winters afternoon,
we two We're wrestling and fighting to-
gether, within few feet of the door, out
of which we should have fallen clear a
hundred feet upon the stones of the
wharf below - 20
Iashoilld have shouted, but all power
OF speech seemed taken away, as locked
together we wrestied here. and there.
while his hot breath Kissed against nv
cheek, and L could look close into his
wild, glowering eyes as, flushing with
rage, he bore me nearer and nearer to
the doorway; s'fs - 49,
Used as was at ali times to standins
close, to the edge and receiving bales
and packages, / could lean over usually
without shudder; but now, with this
madman slowly forcing me back to-
wards the certain death, could feel the
cold sweat standing upon my face, and
trembled 80 with dread that nv resist
ance, became feebler andsfeebler; and as
Q last %resoarce / lhanaged toget my leg
between my opponents, and tripped
him, when we fell heavily.
Fortunately for me my enemy was un-
dermost, and the force with which his
head came against the warehouse floor
partly stunned him, SO that shook nv
self free, and turned and fled toward the
stairs. But the next moment thought
OF the open doorway, and the state the
poor fellow was III, so turned back to
lock it, aud SO insure that he did not
come by his death by falling out before
I could get assistance. n
My hand was on the door, but could
not close it, for Wood lay in the way:
and shuddering at how near he Law to
the gulf, T stoopedto drawhim on one
side, when hestarted DIP and seized me
again.
70 beat up his hands, and turn and
nee down between the piled-up bales was
the work Of an instant, while roaring
with rage could hear him tearing after
me. rs u
Tho stairs were pretty close, but as I
ran round the end of the bales found
the door closed, and had to dart past to
AVOID oelng caught; when I turned down
anothef opening between tbs packages,
and ran painting on.
Vast as the floor was, there was pas
sage after passage between the wool
which was piled up eight or nine feet
high, and tore on in the hope of so far
dlstancing my pursuer that could dart
through the stair door, fasten it after me.
and fo escape or summon as ,istance'
On and on ran, now getting ahead. and
now with the painting breath close to INV
shoulder, 80 that I expected every mo-