New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-09-10

Filled with q vague alarm, 1started
into q sitting posture, the better to
catch the import of his words. At that
moment he turned, glared at nue. an in
slant, then advanced toward me. There
was pistol in his hand.
He approached with the pistol lew
eled at me. his eyes burning like GOALS
OF fire. Otherwise, his manner was
quiet, and his voice low and mufiled.
".C0me, sir, he said. shortly, pre-
pare for death! Fate, whom / serve,
commands me to slay you at the rising
of the sun. You have Just five minutes
in which to make your peace with
Heaven, then you must def
The pistol was what was then called
'pepper-box. the prototype of the
whole modern arsenal Of revolving
weapons. As he held it toward me, I
could distinctly see the balls at the
end of the chambers; and I realized
that the man who held the weapon OF
death was q maniac. II l made the
least movement toward the door, nv
young life would be the forfeit.
"What should I dor
Like fash Of light came the
thought, The landlord will be coming
presently to rouse you. Try to keep
your wits about you. and gain a little
tilne.'
care you prayinga' said the mad
man.
"'Tm thinking l replied, as quietly
as | could, fixing my eyes upon his
livid countenance, that Is very harsh
treatment to offer man who has done
nothing worse to you than to give you
share Of his room.'
Can't help it, sir; must obey or
ders.'
"Do you know said, trying to
control my voice, that you've deceived
meP You didn't tell me, yesterday,
about being an agent Of Fate, or I
should have been better prepared; but
you allowed me to believe you to be q
gentleman, travelling on ordinary busi-
ness, or for pleasure; 30 l offered
you q bed in my room; and, in re-
turn, you take my lifel To say the
least, you have not acted like gentle-
man.
"He looked little troubled. De-
ceived is strong word, SIR he began.
~ can call it nothing else,' T re-
turned, still speaking as quietly as
could; sand what 10 more, sir, when q
man deceives me about one thing. I'm
very apt to distrust any other state
ment he may make to me. doubt,
now, whether you were ever in the
East at all; doubt whether you were
ever married; I doubt il you have q
daughter. Why, l remember how You
said, last evening, you'd show me her
miniature; but you didn't produce it.
l don't believe, now, you've such .
thing In your possession
So have! I swear have it here in
nay carpetcbagv he said, letting his
hand which held the revolver fall to
his side in his earnestness.
"Well, said I. nonchalantlY. I'm
believe you when I see the picture. not
He laid the pistol down on the foot
Of my bed, and strobe across my room.
You may believe lost no time in Sc
curing the weapon.
Just then, footsteps sounded in the
passage outside. The landlord was
coming at last. sprang to the floor,
and pointed the pistol ct nv late
would-be executioner. who had turned,
and was looking at his empty hands
in CONSERVATION.
You stir another STEP cried, 1T
will be your last stepv
II then opened the door and admit
ted the astonished host, who looked
perfectly aghast a. tried to explain to
him what had occurred. Twas excited
almost to frenzy, while my companion,
well-dressed, bland and self-p0ssessed,
expressed the greatest ama3ement at
my story, which he denied In every
particular.
s.. just look at his appearance he
said. Contrast his manner with mine.
and tell me which of ~ looks like the
mailman. You heard him outside, Just
now, landlord, threaten to shoot me.
He has the pistol in his hand now. 10
1t likely that, if it belonged to me, l
would give it into his possessioni The
man is perfectly insane-has been aot-
ing like lunatic ever since he awak.
ened this morning.
At this unexpected turn of affairs,
I was 50 nonplussed that, in an excited
manner, endeavored to show the de-
ceit of the fellow, moving the pistol in
my excited gesticulations.
So Help, help! Murder, murder'
screamed the man, in apparent terror.
- Help, help! Murder, m-u-r.derr'
echoed the wretched landlord, who
clutched at the others arm, and
dragged him towards the door, vocifer-
ating, Help! There's crazy man up
stairsp
II don't know how should have
convinced the landlord Of my sanity il
unexpected help had not arrived soon
after, in the shape Of two stout, burly
keepers from an insane asylum in Phil
adelphia, who pounced ct once upon
the old gentleman 40 their legitimate
property, and handcuhed him in the
twinkling OF an eye.
They had most opportunity arrived
by the mail-coach during the alterca-
ton upstairs.
!" It seemed that the old gentleman
had formerly been an actor, Il could
well believe it. blu twas possessed with
q homicidal mania, and had been pro-
n0unced incurable. As soon 90 his es-
cape from the asylum was discovered,
1t at once occurred to the keepers to in
quire for him at the different coach
Offices in the city.
80 No such person being booked as
passenger, they were thrown of the
track, and were searching the city and
/ its environs, when they were put upon.
the right track by countrYman who
had seen him waiting on the roadside
to take the stage. e
g They had Just time to send off two