The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1884-07-30

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the bow.string took no notice Of
my natural agitation. He simply
held out his hand sor The expected
cigar 1tried to frame d prayer
that when the awful hour which
he 50 surelypr edicted did come, my
particular mania might be homici.
dal, and that the nearest and most
convenient throat to cut might be
that Of Dr. Wolfe.
Atlast ! lalteted OUT
"But you may be mistaken; tho
gisest are liable 10 err
u never make a mistake; eer,
tainly l could not mistake such
clearly defined symptoms as yours.
Why, my dear sir, Lean look into
the. eyesofa child in the cradle,
and say:a"If that childliyes, and |
Hive long enough, | shall see it put
ander reslfsins That Is Why |
must enlarge my asylum 50 many
cases which ! marked down in ear.
" Infancy are now getting due.N
This was perfectly awful | gazed
helplessly at the glib speaker. |
felt like one in a mesmeric trance.
"And let me tell you,' continued
Dr.. Wolfe, dropping his voice to a
cofdontial whisper, but gradually
speaking louder as he proceeded,
"it is not only so fur as regards hu-
man beings that l have tho power
ofdetecting the sleeping symptoms.
In the brute creation-nay, even
in inanimate objects, I can find
them, and foretell what must hap
pen. Ny journey to town today
is partly to inform the President
Of the Board Of Trade that / have
detected undoubted symptoms Of
approaching insanity in the huge
steam roller used in Bath to crush
the stones into the roads-symp.
toms Of the.worst, the most danger
GUS type. The consequences will
be frightful when the machines
mania is fully developed. l ask
you, sir did you ever picture a
steam roller in n frenzy-the de.
struction to lifeand property when
such a ponderous mass Of metal be.
comes uncontrollable, and exercises
its stupid strength to the detri-
ment ofrespectable citizensP Who
is to check it2 They may send for
me, but what can | doP What
padded room will be strong enough
to restrain its mad and unreason-
ing rage? No sir, not a moment
must be lost Immediate steps
must botaken, and it will be my
duty purge Mr.. Chamberlain to
issue an order for its destruction
before itsfury renders it toolate.
AS be finished this extraordi-
nary statement, l heard something
very much like a Chucklo proceed.
ling from the other corner Of the
carriage. l turned and once more
encountered the eyes Of the sup.
posed lunatic; in a second / knew
the whole truth. Fool that l was
to have been bamboozled by an
artful madman, let alone frighten'
ed out of my senses by his ridicu'
lous assertions. Even the feeling
of relief l experienced did not com
pensate for the annoyance Of hav-
ling been SO completely tricked
The conditions of the two travel
ers were absolutely reversed. The
glib, self.styled doctor was the pa
tient; the poor creature whose
hands were said to be red with the
blood Of his amiable wife and twin
babies was either DR.. Wolfe o.
some one Of his employ. Now thai
the scales had fallen from my eyes
it was curious how different tht
man in the corner looked, and
cursed my stupidity in misreadinl
his knowing glauces.
The expression Of relief whict
crossed my face doubtless showed
my late tormentor that he hat
committed himself. He relapset
into silence and pretended TO sleep
though no doubt his fertile, bul
erratic brain was busy Matching
some other preposterous scheme, II
order to facilitate the escape which
l felt sure he was trying to effect
| said nothing, but awaited the up
shot with anxiety. Looking a
his powerful frame, it seemed
doubtful if the united strength Q
myselfand the man in the corner
would suffice to overpower him !
Returned rostive.
| knew we must be getting
near Swindon. The impostol