The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-11-27
UP THE RIVER WITH A LUNATIC.

: weather. / was in the boat getting the
steering lines in order; Giffard and Dix
on were on the bank, talking to DIR
4, Rawle. AS i understood it, the doctor
was at the head of private asylum fol
Iunatics. He was Giffard's friend, moi
mine. He had been taking a constitu
tional when he happened to fall in with
us just as we were sitting down to our
open air breakfast; the chance meeting
led to Gifard inviting him to share oul
gypsy meal. He did.
. He YVES pleasant fellow, not too ole
and not too young. liked him exceed
: ingly. We talked of things in general,
: and of lunatics in particular. Something
led to his mentioning-I think it was
speaking of the cunning of certain class
of lunatics, and the difficulty of keeping
! them within four walls-the fact that one
or two of his inmates had escaped day
or two previously, and had not yet been
retaken. This was the more singular as
it was tolerably certain he had not gone
far, and search had been made for him
in every direction.
! As Gihard and Dixon were saying
good bye, preparatory to getting into
the boat, the doctor laughingly said:
"Should you happen to come across him
l shall consider you bound to bring him
h-oL onI oOrpI Hos mon nf
forty-four or forty-fve, tall and bony,
iron gray hair. and has curious habit
of showing his teeth and winking his
left eye. Don't look out for q raving
lunatic; for on most points he's as right
aa you and L. He's wrong in two things.
Whatever you DO let him not lose bis tenn
per for whenever he does, though ever
SO slightly, he invariably goes in for MUIR
der-he's all but done for two keepers
already. And don't talk to him of Eng
land or Englishmen; for if he should get
upon his native land, he'll favor you
with some observations which will n AXE
you open you eyes,"
We laughed. ALI and Ton shook
hands with him, and got into the boat
We promised, if we should happen to
meet him, we would certainly see him
returned to safe custody. Alf stood up
and showed as from the shore; we sang
out last good bye and left the doctor
standing on the bank.
it was beautiful morning. The river
WAS delicious, clear as crystal; we could
5ee bthH the IT, hnttasRan ttasa age TefftHer pftse7s "ishhg
the surface of the waters into little
ripple. We lit our pipes and took it
easily. L am good bit Of traveller,
know many lovely hooks and crannies in
foreign lands; 1 have lived abroad as
much as at home; but [ will match the
higher reaches Of our own Father
Thames for beauty and for charm against
any scenery in Europe. And on an early
summer morning, after a spell OF glor-
ious weather, it is in all its prime; the
water SO cool, so clear; the banks SO
green, so charming; the stately trees on
either side; the mansions seen over the
meadows, or peeping out among the
trees. You may choose your Rhine,
your Gsrda, or yonr Maggiore, or your
golden bay Of Naples, but leave Cook
ham and old Father Thames for me.
Presumably we had come for river
beauties and the camping out-presum-
| ably; but as matter Of fact there was q
Young lady lived not so far ahead, mu
tual friend, Lillian Travers. Separately
and Jointly we had a high opinion ol
t Miss Trsvers, not only of her beauty
0 but OF other things rs we'll; and having
come 30 far, we hoped we should no
have to return until at least we had ha6
a peep st her. Unfortunately, though
we knew Miss Travers, we had no &C
duaintence with Mr.-there was n,
: Mrs. We had met the young lady a
several dances and such like; but OIL
each occasion she was under the chaper
: onage of old Mrs. Mackenzie. Appar
emily Mr. Travers was not party man
But Lillian had promised to introduce u
to him whenever she got 8 chance, ant
we were not nnhopeful she would ge
that chance now. So you see that ex
cursion riverward had more in it thai
met the eye.
We went lszilY on, just dipping tn
oars in and out; smoking, watching th
OF smoke circling through the clear all
All thoughts of the doctor an his partin
words had gone from our minds. W
talked little, and that little was of Lila
and the chances of our meeting. W
= had gone some two or three hundre
yards: we were close to the shore. A
could almost reach it by stretching oil
q his oar. We were dreaming and lazinl
when suddenly some one stepped o,
from omong the trees. He was close
\ us-not dozen feet away.
q He WAS a tall man rather over tina
RS under six feet. He was dressed in
- dark brown suit of Oxford mixture;
ne had i stick in his hand, wore bill.
ng cooked hat, and his coat was buttone
re- =.
H. right up to his throat. He had ligl
al whiskers, heavy dropping moustaeh
g hair unusually long, iron gray in colo
es. He might be soldier retired from b
- profession, or an artist out painting;
IN certainly looked gentleman.
es. We were passing on, when he rais'
RI, his stick and shouted out, "Stupi"
ost
1t was a regular shout, as though '
ted were half mile from him. We stopp
,te although it was an unusual method
ior calling attention.
r s'Gentlemen," he said, still at the +
r, of his voice, 81 should be obliged if y
de could give me seat. have a long "