The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-12-21
MONKEYS AND SNAKES.
How i, Feels to Have Dellrium Tremen,

Were the monkeys ever after me?
Vel, / should smile. After me; had
me-had me down. Crawled up on top
Of me aud ran all over my PROSTATE
form" and the old soaker drew a long
breath and shuddered at the recollection.
''It was out in Texas" he continued.
Texas is the greatest State on the Amer
lean continent for the jim jams. More
in December and January, than in any
other State in whole year. Why, I
have seen 'em two in q bed fighting
until you couldn't rest. was in San
Antonio onccAgot roaring drunk there
aud stayed drunk two weeks. ] WAS rs
Timber as a rag for n whole week, and
one day, JUS, rs I was entirely and com
plctely broke, the police run me in. The
next morning was moi in condition TO
be tried, and STAYED in the lookup all
that day and night, Two days without
liuuor found me 80 restless that could
not sleep. ! knew that my system need.
ed to be let down & 1tly from such u
spree, and | had begged for whisky
without success. was c0rnercd. had
no money, no whisky, no friends, and !
saw distinctly what was sure TO follow the
sudden withdrawal OF the stimulant that
had kept me up for two weeks. asked
for morphine, and they said they wern't
getting up funerals. begged them for
Gods sake to give me anything that
would save me from delrium tremens,
but they laughed at me. paced the
floor of MY cell all night. felt weak,
my hand trelnbled with nervousness, my
feet and hands grew cold. All at once 1
felt like my body was swelling. My
head felt as heavy ~ lead aud half as
big as n barrel My legs fclt as big
around as Il tree felt like was sink
ing away. got scared at my condition
and then begaU 10 imagine all sorts OF
things. fell into sort OF rcverie from
which WAS awakened by seeing the face
of dead man, with his sad, CLASSY eyes
peering in through the grated door of
the cell and just visible in the dim light.
The face moved away slowly. Great
heaven I would recognize that face to-
day if were to see it, it made such a
terrible impression or my mind. Ny
cell was dark. turned away from the
door and iii a minute saw the face in
one corner of the room. The head WAS
on the body OF Il dog. 1t moved slowly
from side 70 aide and then | saw two.
Then third head came that was severed
visible about the throat. Then saw q
dozen heads and then the room was full
of them and they all made at me. |
gave yell that was loud enough to have
walked all San Antonio and made break
for the door. Da you think II man would
come to my help? Not man. raced
around that cell and nearly butted my
brains out against the wall and finally
made dive for my blanket. covered
up my head but covered up several
other heads with it aud could feel their
cold cheeks against mine. yelled and
howled like Il madman. | beat ut 'enl
with my blanket, hut they would dodge
me, and couldn't hit one n square lick
Finally made terrible lunge. and fell
on the floor almost insensible to every.
thing. Then they left me, and wns
congratula!ing myself on my escape and
wondering how long it would be until
daylight. when suddenly
spRANG FROM MY PALLET
like had been fired from a cannon. 4
huge rnttlcsnnke hnd slipped into the
folds Of my blanket. and WAS coiinp
himself about my neck. / felt for my
knife only to remember that it hnd been
taken from me when ! was locked up
Then caught the nlnn-ter in my grasp
and while he hissed and ratified, and
struck at me, / tore him from around my
neck and dashed him toward the floor
He turned and standing on his tail reach.
ed deliberately up and bit me on the
nose. I could sec his little bead like eyes
as they twinkled devilishly, and could
feel the keen fnngs rs they penetrated
my flesh My face began to swell and
fa!: %:::se. than ever al.s! finally !ee!rd
and fell on the floor. A thousand snakes
came through the walls aud ran all over
my body and a big old monkey came and
sat down on the floor close to my head
and said that would never get out of it
alive, that old Satan was coming aud
would burn the house down and that
was to go to torment, and was to lay for
ever stretched stark naked on red.hot
table. ] begged for mercy, and then ]
heard pistols firing outside and looked
out and saw the police fighting the devil
and his angels, and the snakes and the
big monkey inside shouted to the devils
to whoop 'em up. that was in there and
they had me. / asked the big monkey
what they were after me for. lie s0id
that was refugee from justice and that
while had escaped the punishments Of
earth, could net cacape the punishment
VI = ttc.-.
haIi, ami then the cell door opened and the
benevolent face of human being ap.
pcared. / few into bis arms. His face
was to me the most beautiful ever saw
! kissed where tho crows feet hud gather.
ed about hs temples and thought that
never did see mortal half 30 beautiful.
AS soon rs he saw me he poured out
draunm Of laudanum and drachm OF
chloroform and swallowed it at a gulp.
In five minutes
MY CHIN DROPPED ON MY BREAST.
They laid me down on my pallet and
slept twenty four hours before opened
"What theu7''
II walked up all right, and when l
knew what had happened left San An.
tonic, and I have never dsgraced the
town BY entering it since that day"
"Ever had 'em since?"
eyes, have had slight attacks, but
never did spend such time az that
spent in the lock. up at San Antonio.
have seen many man have the horrors
and tell you it is something to be dread.
ed. 1t is no laughing matter 10 the man
who has the attack. Everything that he
sees is real to him and no power Of pen
or words can give even the faintest idea
of the mental torture that a man under.
goes while persued by monkeys and
snakes. would not blame any man for
taking his own life to escape three days
uu uufnripO frno, doliriu,p treman,B