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

ALT Dixon, Tom Ginard, and | had
gone up the river camping out; we had
done our second days work. 1t waa
early morning on the third day, glorious
weather | was in the boat, getting the
steering lines in order; Gillard and
Dixon were on the bank talking to Dr.
Rawle. AS | understood it, the doctor
was at the head of private asylum for
lunatics. He was Gillard's friend, not
mine. lie had been taking constitu-
tional. walk when he happened to fall in
with us Just as we were sitting down
TO our opcn-air breakfast; the chance
meeting led to Giltard inviting him to
share our gypsy meal. lie did.
He wasa pleasant fellow, not too old
nor too young. liked him exceedingly.
We talked of things in general, and of
lunatcs in particular. Something led
to his mentioning-I think it was speak
ing of the cunning Of certain class OF
lunatcs, and the difficulty of keeping
them within four walls-the fact that
one of his Inmates had escaped a day or
two previously and had not yet been re-
taken. 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 Gi1ard and Dixon were saying
goodbye, preparatory to getting into the
boat, the doctor laughingly said:
Should you happen to come across
him, shall consider you bound to bring
him back safe and sound He's q man
of forty-four or forty-iiyc, tall and bony,
iron-gray hair, and has curious habit
of showing his teeth and winking his left
eye. Don't look out for raving lunatic;
for on most points he's as right as you
and |. He's wrong in two things. What
ever you do, don't let him lose his 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.
We laughed. ALI and Tom 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 from the shore; we sang out
Z last goodbye, and left the doctor
standing on the bank.
Presumably, we had come for rive
beauties and the camping-out-presumr
ably; but as a matter of fact there was
q young lady lived not so far ahead, a
mutual friend, Lillian Travers. Sepa-
rately and jointly we had high opin-
ion Of Miss Travers, not only of her
beauty, but Of other things as well and
having come 80 far, we hoped we should
not have to return until at least we had
. peep at her. Unfortunately, though
We had no acquaintance with Mr.-there
was no Mrs. We had met the young
lady at several dances and such like; but
on each occasion she was under the
ehaperonage Of old Mira Mackenzie.
Apparently Mr.. Travers was not party
man. But Lillian had promised to
introduce us to him whenever she got a
chance, and we were not unhopeful she
would get that chance now. So you see
that little excursion riverwaId had more
In it than met the eye.
We went lazily on, just dipping the
oars in and out; smoking, watching the
smoke circling through the clear air.
All thoughts Of the doctor and his part
ing words had gone from our minds.
We talked little, and that little was OF
Lillian and the chances of our meeting.
We had gone some two or three hundred
yards; we were close to the shore. ALI
could almost reach it by stretching out
his oar We were dreaming and lazing,
when suddenly some one stepped out
from among the trees. He was close to
us-not dozen feet away.
He was tall man, rather over than
under six feet. He was dressed in q
dark brown suit of Oxford mixture; he
had a stick in his hand, wore a billy.
cock hat and his coat was buttoned
right up to his throat. lie had ligh,
whiskcrs, heavy dropping mustachc,
hair unusually long, iron-gray in color
He might be a soldier retired from his
profession, or an artist out painting; he
certainly looked gentleman.
We were passing on, when he raised
his stick and shouted out, "Stop"
1t was a regular shout, as though we
were half q mile from him. We stopped,
although it was an unusual method oI
calling attention.
Gentlemen" he said, still at the tor
of his voice, 81 should be obliged if you
could give Inc a seat. have a long way
to go, and am tired"
We looked at him and at each other
1t was free-and-easy style of asking 9
favor; but he seemed gentleman, and
an elderly one too. Common politenes'
dictated civility.
al am afraid" said ALI, ave have
hardly room; she's only built for three.