The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-01-15

watched; he couldn't sit still he looked
first at one bank, then at the other, his
eyes travelled everywhere, resting no.
where; his hands iidgctcd and trembled;
he seemed all of quiver. | expected
him 10 break into paroxysm every sec
ond. If Il hadn't called out he would
have run us right into the shore; when |
called he clutched the other string vic.
lcntly, jerking the boat almost round,
| heartily wished him at Jericho before
he had come near us.
No one spoke. We went slowly along
watching each other At last he said
something.
"I-I will get out" he said, in an
odd nervous way.
with pleasure" said Alf; "in
minute"
"Why not nowH Why not now,
sir?" he said, seeming to shake from
head to foot
"Where are you going to get?--into
the riverH admired Alfs coolness; !
envied him. / only hoped it wouldn't
carry him too far.
The man glowered at him; for mo.
ment he looked him full in the face. l
never saw a look in a mans face like that
in his. Alf returned him look for look
Slightly, almost imperceptibly he quick
ened his stroke. x little lower down
was well-known hamlet with we'll
known inn and capital landing-stage'
When we came alongside, the stranger
said, "This will do; I'll get out here"
He turned the boat ashore No sooner
were we near enough, than he rose in his
scat and sprang upon the beach. There
were several people about, watcrmen
and others Alf was after him in an
instant; he rose almost simultaneously
and lcapcd on shore; he touched him on
the shoulder.
"Now come" he said, "don't be fool
ish. we know all about it."
The other turned on him like fash
of lightning
"What do you mean"
But Tom was too quick for him; he
was on the other side, and took his arm
"Comc," he said, don't let's have a
row."
The stranger raised himself to his full
height and Shook off Tom with ease.
He then hit out right and left in splen
did style. Tom and Alf went down
like ninepins. But my blood was up !
scrambled on shore and ran into him
dodgcd his blows, and closed. am
pretty strong. He was old enough to bc
my father; but found had met nay
match and more. was like baby in
his arms; he lifted me clean Of my feet
and threw me straight into the river. 1t
was a splendid exhibition of strength.
Tom and Alf, finding their feet, made
for him together, and, scrambling out as
best could, followed suit. You never
saw such sct-tO We clung to him like
lccchcs. The language he used was
awful, his strength magnificent; though
we were three to one, he was II match
for all of us. OF course, the by-stand.
crs, seeing a row, came up; they inter
fercd and pulled us of.
Heres a pretty 60" said one.
"What's all thisY
"Stop him! lay hold of himW said
Ali; "hc'sa Iunatic."
"A what% said the man.
"iic's lunatic, escaped from DR.,
Rawlc's asylum"
Instead Of lending 4 hand, the man
went on IN Il roar OF Laugulvf, ana rnr
others joined The stranger looked lit.
orally frantic with rage. A gentlemen
stepped out from the crowd. "Nhcrc's
some mistake he said; "this gentleman
is Mr.. Travers, of TolIhurst llaII'
You could have knocked usall three
down with feather, | do believe,
Could it be possible? Could we have
been such consummute idiots rs TO have
mistaken sane man for II lunatic? and
that man Lillian Traycrs' father! could
have shrunk into my boots ! could
have run and hid myself in bed, To
think that we should have doggcd, and
watched, and insulted the man Of all
others in whose good books we wished
to stand-Lilan Travers' father! Never
did three men look such fools rs we did
then! We were so confoundedly in
earnest about it; that was the worst Of
all. | don't care what you say; YOU
may think it first rate Joke; but he
must have been IN eccentric sort of an
elderly gentIcmam If he had behaved
sensibly; if he had made one sensible
remark, he would have blown our de-
lusions to the winds.
We rendered our apologies the best we
could to the man we had so insulted,
but he treated us and them with the
lofticst scorn; and we got one after
another into the boat amidst the gihcs
and jeers of an unsympathctic crowd
And as we rowed from the wrntched
place as fast as our oars would take us
we each of us in our secret heart de
clared we should never forget our ad
venture up the river with a lunatic
And we haven't. From hat day to THU
| have never seen Lillian Trayers, nor dt
| wish to.