Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-04-09

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and we had called the attention of
the guard to it, who, | was sure, had
not locked it. I determined then to
unfasten this door, if could contrive
to do so unperceived, the moment
the train slackened speed, and jump
out as soon as I could do so with
any safety. If the platform were
that side, so much the better: if not
well, / would rather risk injury than
be shot in cold block.
You may think how my heart beat,
and how my fingers trembled, though
! contrived to talk ceaselessly about
the drawing, asking my companions
opinion of almost every stroke. Most
wonderful it was that, in such terri
BILE fear and anxiety, / should be
able to draw at all, much moresthat
/ should have been able to produce
a likeness of a person l had never
seen-a thing / should have declared
impossible at any other time.
At last the critical moment arrived.
/ felt the train perceptibly slacken-
ing, and guessed that the station was
at hand.
''There," said brightly, II think
you had better hold this up to the
lamp and examine it critically; per-
haps you will find some furthur al
terations necessary"
He took the sketch from me, sus-
pecting nothing, and held it up to
the lamp, standing with his back to
me, and actually leaving his revol-
ver-which all this time he had been
holding-on the seat.
By this time the station lights were
in sight, and without pausing to
think of the danger. seized the re-
volver, opened the door, and jumped
on to the platform, but more than
fifty yards from the building forming
the station.
| was not an instant too soon.
With wild shout the maniac follow
ed me-was almost upon me-I could
even feel his breath upon my cheek !.
/ tried to scream for help, but could
not; however, fear, though it robbed
me of my voice, must have lent me
wings, for l soon distanced my pur-
suer, and fell painting and breathless
almost into the arms of the station
master.
By fortunate chance, or rather,
l should say, providential occur
renee, group of people was stand
ing near, and seeing my alarm-for
l was still powerless to speak-and
the wild appearance of my pursuer,
seized and overpowered him.
when l was sufficiently recovered
to tell my story l think they would
hardly have believed it but for the
evidence of the revolver-which /
was unconsciously still clutching-
and the drawing which was found in
the carriage.
The maniac was secured for the
night, and l, too upset to continue
my journey at once, sent a telegram
to Mr.. Macdonald, and gratefully
accepted the shelter offered me by
the station-master's wife.
/ heard afterwards that the maniac,
from whose terrible designs / had
been so mercifully preserved, had
escaped from an asylum in London,
and had been in the train from Eus-
ton, but in different carriage. He
/ had heen hopelessly insane for many
years, but had latterly been so much
less violent that his keepers had re-
laxed their watchfulness of him, and
so he had escaped.
1t was known that the poor fellow
| (who was by birth and education a
gentleman) had lost his reason
through some tragedy in connection
with sister who had been very
beautiful, and, singularly enough,
had had hair exactly the color of
mine, but / was never able to learn
any of the particulars.
The story of my adventure, of
course, became publicly known, and
through it l was introduced to Mr..
G.. S, then one of the first Eng
lish living artists. With the gener-
osity of a true genius and great
man he procured for me advantages
of instruction, etc., such as / could
never otherwise have obtained, and
opened up to me the way to the ca
reer of an artist. So, you see, owe
a great deal indirectly to my terrible
adventure in. the Scotch midnight
express.
Young, middle-aged. old men, suffering from ner
vous debility kindred affections. should address
with two stamps, for large treaties Worlds Dspen
| sary Medical Association, Buffalo, N. Y.
A BOYS COMPOSITION ON WINTER
Winter is the coldest season of the
year, because it generally comes III
winter. In some countries winter
comes in the summer and then it is
very pleasant. / wish winter came
in the summer in this country. Their
we could 60 skating barefoot and
slide down hill in linen trowsers. Il
SHOWS more in winter, because sc
many sleighs and sleds are made
then. Water freezes in winter wher
left outdoors. Some people bring in
their cisterns and wells on cold nights
| and lxaep them by the fire So they