The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1877-05-10

Ing Lfd9eul6s Dy poison OF lu6 DlOCh
without anything more than vocal
| protest or command always delivered
to the audience, and never TO the &C.
} tors, but l think my poor friends
utter impRssiveness TO the Wild earn
age and the terrible exhibitions Of
incendiarism that were going on
around him transcribed even that.
Dressed in 8 costume that seemed t.
: be the very soul of snachrOnism, ne
stood little outside the prOscenium
, holding spear, the other hand
pressed apparently upon the secret
within bis breast, calmly surveying
with his waxen face toe gay auditor
ium. 1 could not help thinking there
was a certain pride visible even in his
placid features as OF one who was
conscious that at any moment he
might change this simulated eatas.
trophe into real terror. 1 could not
help saying this to the doctor, who
was with me. "Yes," be said with
professional exactitude, "Wheu it
happens he'll throw his arms up
above bis head, utter an ejaculation,
and fall forward on his faee-its q
singular thing, they always fall for
} ward on their fsce-And they'll pick
up the man as dead as Julius Ciesar." J"
! After that used 10 90, night after
night, with certain hideous fsscina-
! ton but while it will be remember
ed the Destruction Of SennAcherib"
had tremendous run, IL will also be
remembered that not single life was
really lost during the representation.
1t was only a few weeks after this
modest first appearance on the boards
OF The Man with an Aneurism that,
happening to be at q dinner party OF
practical business men, [ sought to
interest them with the details of the
above story, delivered with such skill
and pathos as 1 could command. /
regret to say that, as q pathetic story,
It for q moment seemed to be a dead
failure. At last a prominent banker
sitting next to me turned to me with
the awful question: "Why don't
your friend try to realize on his life
insurance ?" l begged his pardon /; /
didn't quite understand. so, dis
count, sell out. Look here-(after q
pause). Let him assign his policy 10
me-it's not much of risk, on your
statement. Well, Pll give him his
81, 600 clear"
And he did Under the advice OF
this cooI.headed-I think my add
m-hearted-banker, "The Man
with an Aneurism" invested his
money in the name and for the bene-
fit of his wife in certain securities
that paid him q small but regular
stipend. But he still continued upon
the boards OF the theater.
By reason OF some business engage
ments that called me away from the
city did not see my friend the physi-
clan for three months afterward.
When did, 1 asked Jidings OF The
Man with an Aneurism. The doc
tors kind face grew sad. "I'm afraid
that is, l don't exactly know
whether I've good news or bad. Did
you ever see bis wife ?"
never had.
"Well, she was younger than lie,
and rather attractive. One of those
doll-faced women. You remember,
he settled that life insurance policy
on her and the children she might
have waited-she didn't. The other
day she eloped with some fellow, 1
don't remember the name, with the
children and the s., ,0G0."
"And the shock killed him." said
I
with poetic prompitude.
i'NO-thaG is-nOt yet /; saw him
yesterday" said the doctor, with
conscientious professional precision,
looking over his list OF calls.
swell where is the poor fellow
now ?'
s'He Is still at the theater. James,
II these powders are called for, you'll
find them here in this envelope. Tell
i Mrs. Blank I'll be there at land she
can give the baby this until 1 come.
Say there's no danger. These women
are an awful bother Yes, he's at the
theater yet. Which way are you GO
ling? Down town? Why can't you
step into my carriage, and Pll give
ycu lift and We'll talk on the way
down? Well-he's at the theater
the Destruction of Sennacherib &?
No2 Yes you do. You remember
the woman in pink, who pirouetted
in the famous ballet scene ? You
don't? Why, yes, you do! Well, L
imagine, of course, 1 don't know-its
only a summary diagnosis, but i'm
agine that cur friend with the
aneurism has attached himself to
her."
doctor you, horrify me-"
"There are more things, Mr.. Poet,
in Heaven and earth than are yet
dresmt Of in your philosophy. List
en-. My diagnosis may be wrong, but
that woman called the other dsy at
my Office to ask about him, his health
and general condition. told her the
truth-and she tainted. 1t was about
as dead faint as ever saw was
nearly an hour in bringing her out of
it. OF course it was the heat OF tie
room, her exertions the preceding
week, and 1 prescribed for her.
Queer, wasn't it ?-NOw, if / were q
writer, and had your faculty, I'd
make something out of that"
"But how is his general health 2"
40, about the same. He can't
evade what will come, you know, at
any moment. He was up here the
other day. Why, the pulsstiOn was
as plain-why the entire arch of all
the aorta-What, you get out here /?
Good-by."
OF course, no moralist, no man
writing for q sensitive and strictly
VirtuOus public could further interest
| himself in this man. So / dismissed
him at once from my mind, and re-
turned to the literary contemplation
of virtue that was clearly and posi-
| lively defined, and of Sin that invari-
ably commenced with a capital letter.
That this man, in his awful condition,
| lowering on the verge of eternity,
should allow himself to be attracted
by-but it was horrible to contem-
plate.
Nevertheless, a month afterward, 1
was returning from festivity with
my intimate friend Smith, my dis
| tinguished friend JObling, my most
respectable friend Robinson, and my
Eittiest friend Jones. 1t was a clear,
starlight morning, and we seemed to
hold the broad, beautiful avenue to
ourselves, and I fear we acted as II it
were so. AS we hilariOusly passed
the Eighteenth street, q couple rolled
by, and 1 suddenly heard my name
called from its gloomy depths.
al beg your pardon" said the doc
| tor, ss the driver drew up on the side
walk, shut I've some news for you.
I've Just been to see our poor friend
-. OF course was too late. He
was gone in q fash"
"Whst, dead ?"
"As Pharaoh In an instant, just
as said. You see the rupture took
place in the descending arch of
| -
i,But doctor %
"It's queer story. Am 1 keeping
you from your friends Well, you
see she-that woman I spoke of-hsd
written q note to him based on what
1 had told her. He GO it, and drop
ped in his dressing room, dead as q
/ herring.n
"How could she have been so cruel,
knowing his condition ? She might,
with woman tact have rejected him
less abruptly"
"Yes but you're wrong. By JOve
she accepted him was willing to
marry him."
"What ?"
"Yes-don't you see ? 1t was joy
that killed him. God, we never
thought of that Queer, amt it
See here, don't you think you might
make a story out CT it ?''
"But doctor, it hasn't got any NOR
al"
EHumph that's so. Good morn