Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1881-03-23

\ saw On1y tue tnlCk 1OS ana The feeble
light of here and there lamp.
Yes, the man was mad, raving mad.
There could be no doubt about it. Only
a maniac could laugh the mirthless
laugh which now came from his throat,
rs he drew two steps nearer and KISSED
at me:
1--WE shall travel together to the moon.
Adieu to the fogs; say with me adieu to
the togs!"
was now erect, watching my com.
panion intently, nerving myself for q
struggle, which was easy to tell was very
near. l could easily see / was no match
for such an antagonist. My hope was
that might hold my own for the few
minutes necessary to reach the Spa road,
where plenty of assistance would be
available.
"Your balloon would scarcely travel
on such night" I said, with affected
indifference. "The atmosphere is toe
thick"
Too thick! Do you think so ?" he
said.
IT do. Consider the density of the
fog: How could wepossibly get through
"Weu. there's something in that" he
said, sitting down. "Yet the effort is
worth q trial. Yes, it is worth trial. u
He sprang anew to his feet, and ap.
preached me. He threw out his strong
hands and made clutch at my throat.
"This is how we begin, this is how ]
get the gas for the trip. I kill YOU first
to give you start. Then I start nv.
self and follow you."
One shout I gave for help, but it was
lost in the report of fog signal; then
we were swaying backward and forward
in the carriage in a struggle which was
literally for life or death. The mad
mans breath came hot on my face. his
strong arms held me in fierce embrace.
There was fierce Joy in his eyes.
The foam worked out of his mouth.
and his teeth CRASHED angrily against
each other.
Life is dear, and 1 felt no inclination
to yield mine without desperate strug-
gle. tore my antagonists hands from
my throat, and for moment forced him
to act on the defensive. shouted again
and again for help, and how longed for
Spa road no words can describe. The
train was now going at good rate, and
l knew the station could not be far off.
If only I could hold my own for one
half minute all would be safe.
Pausing in his exertion for a moment
the mailman suddenly quilted me. just
then, to my horror, the train rushed
through my station, without even slack
ing speed. I was in the wrong train.
and there was no hope of assistance till
we reached New Cross.
1t was evident that my fellow-pass
gers had not herd my shouts for assist
ance.
Without a word of warning my COM
panion again threw himself upon me.
this time with fury so resistless that /
was borne to the floor.
"We shall 60 to the moon, he shrieked.
" l have a knife-we can cut our wav
through the fog"
I felt myself helpless. My previous
exertions had exhausted my strength,
while that of the maniac seemed to in
crease with the struggle. Strive as I
might 1 was utterly and entirely in his
power now.
How slowly the train seemed to move.
1 believe now that it was going at good
speed, but to me it appeared 10 progress
at a snail's pace. And how curiously
vivid were my thoughts. Isaw the home
where was expected, the kind faces
awaiting to greet me. I wondered what
they'd say when they beard of my death.
caught myself thinking how Ugly were
the madman's eyes, and 1 even noticed
the color of his necktie-blue, with white
spots. I no longer felt an inclination to
shout for help. To all intents, I looked
upon myself as dead. 1 even began to
think of myse If as third person, and to
lament, in philosophical fashion, the
i'll fortune which cut off at the beginning
OF h1e career, a promising young man.
Then l remembered that I owed a
shoemaker for pair of boots, and / pit
led the unfortunate tradesman for the
bad debt he had made. While these and
a hundred other thoughts were passing
through my brain, it seemed to me thaf
all age had transpired. In reality itcould
not have been at the outside more than
minute since my unlucky fall. Sud-
denly as in a dream, I heard the mad
man, who now was seated astride nv
chest, hiss:
"We'u cut our way to the moon-my
knife IS sharp. Let's try it on your
throat"
With curious deiberation he drew q
strong pocket knife, and opened it.
All right, friend, eh?" he cried.
laughing. "Now mind, do not leave
the carriage till have come up to YOU"
" 1 am swift, said I, and declare l
did not recognize my own voice. eff I
go first, you shall certainly not overtake
me; you start and I'll follow
"Me start ?"
eyes, you're drawer, stronger. and
you have knife; you must go first to
clear the way"
"Of course, forgot that" he cried.
almost to my horror, SO utterly was 1
surprised. "Of course, I forgot thai. :"
he cried again. 81 must clear the way"
Still sitting on me he deliberately drew
the bright blade across his throat, In
another moment [ was deluged with
blood. At the same time the knife fell
from his nerveless grasp. To spring to
my feet, to seize the open wound and
press the edges together was the work
OF an instant though the sudden escape
made me stagger. At the same moment
we reached New Cross station and DOR
ter threw open the carriage door.
Fortunately the self-inAicted wound
OF the mailman did not prove fatal, VI
timately I heard that the blood-letting
bad beneficial effect upon his brain. I
discovered next day that he was a most
dangerous lunatic who had managed to
escape from private asylum.
10 my surprise, when I looked at the
clock at New Cross I found that the Jour
ney from London Bridge had not taken
ten minutes. They were certainly the
longest ten minutes I ever spent.
A Freak Of Enthusiasm.
S6lomonsky's famous circus has re-
Gently visited Moscow, and there given a
series of performances, the chief attrac-
lions OF which we're lovely trapezist
named Emma Jutau and a learned pig.
exhibited nightly by Tanti, the leading
clown Of the establishment. Two Of
Moscow g wealthiest and most extravaqant
"curled darlings" have greatly distin-
guished themselves in connection with