The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-08-28
could only sit still and await some darker


nights but TO sleep, If / could in darkness
and solitude. The unutterable horrors of
solitary confinement were mine; often had
read of them; never had | realized how
woeful they could be. Frightful noises,
suggestive of the place, We're of frequent
occurrence. From this floor and the floor
above at times there came the sound of
quick tramping feet; the sound of scuffiing
and falling; and several times q shrek went
pealing through the building which made
my heart stand still. 1t may we'll be that
there were insane people within those walls.
| should have lost my reason had | been
kept there month.
So let me not prolong the record of that
dreadful experience There came time
when | was conscious of a change In my
situation and surroundings. How it hap
pened, l could not tell; nor can | now, save
as matter of con lecture | only know
that one night lay down On my bed, and
was so happy as to lose myself in sleep
sleep, which my unhappy state of mind had
denied me almost since | was brought here.
1t was long before | thoroughly awakened
from that sleep; to be exact, it was more
than two days. During that time, | had
occasional CLEANS of consciousness When
aud how my removal from the asylum was
accomplished, | know not; what happened
to me, except that | was moving, contina-
ally moving can only be matter of con &C.
ture. If ever | reused from the dead,
lethargic slumber that had fallen upon me
for n moment, and there came to my senses
the shliek of an engine whistle, or the
rumble of wheels; If once or twice the sin
lister face of DR.. Beaumont or the stolid
features of Big Jake came TO my vision, the
perception was but fleeing, and | sank
back again into UnconsclousneSs. 1t Will
need no evidence, however, to establish by
what agency | was kept in this condition.
| had been drugged before being taken
from the asylum; | was continually kept
under the influence of drugs during that
long Journey. Beneath the cruel, sinister
hands that piled me, | was powerless as an
infant; and thus they hurried me away. |
had only the sense of moying-eyer
moving.
4 cool salt breeze blew refreshingly in
my face; dash of water through an I'M
closed bull's-eve window completely awak-
end me- and | started up. Whether it had
been intended that the influence of the mar
cGtIc should leave me so soon, [ cannot
say; it is likely that the motion by which l
vas carried along and the blowing of the
wind did for me what it was not expected
would occur until some hours later. /
started up; that is, tried to rise; but | was
lying in the berth of a vessel, and had some
trouble TO free myself from it. When at
last | was able to stand upright, my knees
tottered under me-my head whirled; |
was very weak. Catching sight of a water
pitcher fastened in a stand | clutched it
and poured It's contents over my head and
face Greatly revived, | staggered to the
side and looked out at the bulls eye. Great
heavens, what was this that met my gael
A limitless expanse of water stretching to
the horizon, with tumbling white crests
scattered over it: a stately ship under clouds
of canvas bounding away In the distance;
nearer, dozen graceful pilot-boats skim
ming under full sail; while under me, over
me, and all about, felt the roll, the throb,
the jar which told me Enthusiastically that l
was on a large steamer, moving rapidly
through the water.
Not now, as on previous occasion, did !
need to stop and rack my aching head to
remember what had happened TO me- With
one prodigious rush of memory all that had
occurred in moments of consciousness came
back to me; yes, everything, since the
memorable ninth of September. | turned
and grasped the dool-knob, and wrenched
open the door The great, spiendidly fur
nished saloon was before me, peopled with
a hundred fashionably dressed passen-
gers. / know not what my appearance was;
from what L had passed through, it may
well have been startling IN the extreme. ]
heard more than one woman scream, and
saw children fleeing i'll alright.
Its the sick gentleman" l heard some
one say. Call the stewardess."
The stewardess came; quick, firm
woman. She gave me one sharp look, and
then laid hand ON my arm.
please go back to your berth, SIR" she
said. and I'll call the ships surgeon"
Call anybody you please; but for the
love of God, tell me where l am and how |
came here"
you are ON the steamer Hungary, bound
for Southampton. You we're brought or
board by your friends this morning"
My heart sank like a stone at her words;
| believe l groaned aloud in my agony.
Now lie down, please, and I'll fetch the
surgeon"
What did the people say who brought me
here?n | demanded.
She looked at me half pityingly, but with
something like smile. why, if you must
know-the rudy faced gentleman i'll the
cloak said that you mad been on spree all
night, but that it would soon wear of; that
you We're used to en-"
She closed the door. and | sat down in the
berth, clasping both hands upon my fore
head What hope could there be now for
me? / was to be carried three thousand
miles, and landed penniless among stran-
gers. Before | could make my way back
to Berkeley, if l could ever make my way
back, what might not be done by my enc
mics? My mind recoiled from the forlorn
prospect; / could only beat my hands upon
my head and cry. "IOst-losti"
| A CHEEKY, familiar voice in the saloon
| suddenly called out:
Where is the subject? Which door
is it?"
That voce,-an electric shock could not
have thrilled me so. | regained my feet,
and was face TO face with a handsome fell
low with a gold band round his cap, and
| the bluff, brusque manner that those in
authority are apt to take on at sea.
Well, my friend, what's the matter?" he
| sang out. A little too much leave taking
| in New York-ha? Well, it's not uncom-
| mon. Cold applications to the head, good
| sleep, and little settler"
| He paused abruptly; something in the
| eye of the haggard, unkempt man before
/ him made him stop. My heart bounded up
: again; glimmer of hope appeared.
"Albert-Albert Winfield" l faltered.
! Don't you know me?"
"What-is it possible? No-yes, it is,
! by Joyei Harvey MintOn, is this you, or
| your ghost? I'm glad enough to see you
! even in this shape, he added, with a little
! laugh. | clutched his wrist, and spoke al
most fiercely:
Look in my face-in my eyes, Albert!
Look, and see if there is the least trace of
alcohol there.
| He looked, and exclaimed at once:
| No, indeed, not the least. What IS the
NATTER"
! i have been kidnapped, bound, drugged
| If there were time, | could tell you a story
I that would shock you with anger, aud fill
/ your eyes with sympathy; but 1t must wait
/ Tor better time. Only be assured. Albert,
/ that | am not in fault; | am the victim of
| bad and desperate men. Do you remember
what you said to me when we parted on
that night last May in the college campus ?
our words were strange and strong; | have
not forgotten one of them: There is some
thing within me that says that one of us
+ two Is to be of great service to the other
! before We have run or race The time has
( come now: you, Albert Winfield, can do me
Il rr~s,1 f.azF IS Il