The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-05-19

sillce tucH, Ike Tie NauueTiuS oe"-
whom, by the way, meet occasionally
-drifted about the wide world. Enough
of this! For the present, I am hungry;
for hunger can pain, though not destroy
me. Can you, you, sir, give me some
thing TO eat2"
Poor Charlie lad never been SO racked
by contending emotions. In his mind
fear, doubt, and a sense of the impossi-
bility of it all struggled with a longing
for something wonderful to happen to
him, and with a conviction Of truth which
the straightforward story of the man had
given him, and with his own private be-
liefs in regards to the supernatural. All
the while, too, he had been closely scan
ing the stranger; and if had steadily
grown upon him that his visitor resemb-
led exceedingly the costly Columbus up
on the back of our fve-dollrr bill To be
sure, he looked younger, and was some
what differently clad; but his story ac-
counted for the former fact, and the lat
ter was to be expected.
This decided Charlie. s'So," he
thought, "here is my hero, influenced in
some strange way to come to one who so
greatly reyerences him"
He spoke at last in an awe-struck tone,
eyes, sir, You shall be refreshed, re-
plying thus to the last question of Col
umbus.
He excused himself in his most re-
spectful manner, and FASTENED to bid the
servants prepare lunch.
"And," said the young host and mas
ter of the house, "be sure and boil sever
al eggs quite hard"
Soon he and Columbus were seated in
the dining-room beside well-laid table;
and the latter truly did show wonder
full appreciation of the good things be-
fore him for one who did not eat to live,
and who, Charlie cauld not believe, lived
to eat. He had, as we have said, decid-
ed that his guest was Columbus, but he
had had the eggs boiled, in order to use
one of them in an experiment which, if
successful, would put to flight any re-
turning doubts. If this were indeed
Columbus, he could surely stand an egg
upon end for him, as he had for the ieal-
Gus courtiers, at Mendoza's banquet;
and now, as the materials for his propos-
ed experiment were rapidly disappear
ing, Columbus having devoured three of
the four eggs, Charlie drove his courage
to the point.
''Mr. Columbus" said he, "will you
be SO kind as to stand an egg upon end
for me2"
Certainly" returned Columbus, as he
holpcd himself to the last one.
He wiped it carefully with his napkin,
end placed it beside his plate: then, to
Charles astonishment, this same Colum-
bus wiped his knife upon the snowy
cloth, and balanced it in his hand for an
instant. Now, taking the egg between
the thumb and fore-fnger of his left
hand, he waved his knife in air, and, with
rapid stroke, deftly cut off the point Of
the egg. This done, he triumphantly
stood it upon the fiat under surface thus
made, and turned to his young host.
s'You see this is great improvement
upon my egg trick of 1893. 1t is neatcr
and more graceful, and affords an oppor-
tunity of displaying considerable dexteri-
ty. But progress is the watchword of
this century, and, although it took much
practice to acquire the skill necessary for
my new method, really have not the as
surance to palm off the old one upon an
indulgent public as something wonder
full"
Here he was proceeding to dispose of
this last egg in the same manner as he
had the others, when there came a ring
ing at the door-bell. A servant went to
answer it. Meanwhile Charlie, astonish-
ed yet delighted by the result of his ex-
pertinent, was preparing to put num-
Der of questions to Columbus; but there
arose a noise of voices in the hall, and
the door of the dining room was pushed
violently open as very frightened girl
rushed in.
'Please, Master Charlie, here's Doctor
F from the 'sylum, as says there's q
escaped loonatic-"
just then mans form appeared in the
doorway. 1t was very pleasant voice
that spoke:-
"Ah, yes. I thought we might find
him here. Come, Columbus, 1 think we
had better go home now."
Eyes" replied Columbus" quietly, as
he rose from the table, his dignified and
mournful visage not at all disconposed.
He started for the hall himself, and
quietly accompanied man whom he
found there, out to the carriage which
stood in waiting.
Meantime the gentleman within intro.
duced himself to Master Charlie as DIR.
F. of the Retreat" and friend oi
Mr.. Brooke. He stated that this was
one of his patients, man of wealthy
family, and sane in every respect excep:
in the belief that he was Christopher
Columbus. He was, the doctor said, ia.
miliar with every known detail of Column
bus's life, and even studied to appear as
much as possible like the pictures of hin,
which are commonly seen; but they hu
mored him in all this, and he was harm
less, yet was ever trying to escape from
the Retreat. Tonight he had succeed
ed, and they had traced him to the
Brooke house, glad to find him in good
hands.
''And think, added DR.. F. with
c smile, which Charlie made a weak eff
fort to retnrn tsthat r oaD axplain his