The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-03-18

1 pearance OF SuppreSseds merr1ment about
his countenance, but I could trace nothing
of the kind. On the contrary, his eyes
sparkled with a look of savage trium ph,
and he waved the lantern about his head
with wild energy.
/ BY this time was convinced that had
] fallen into the clutches of a madman.
What was to be dones 1t would be of no
use to shout for assistance discretion. ):
thought 1, "is the better part of valor, es-
1ecially in dealing with lunatic. In
stead of opposing the doctor, will try
and hrmor him. In the first place i'll
! question him about this mysterious per-
son who is seated at my side"
"Well, DOCTOR l said, show soon is the
| sentence to be carried out?"
"In about ten minutes" he replied with
infinite calmness, as he looked at his
watch.
~Then win You allow me to spend por-
ion of my time in conversation with my
fellow prisoners"
Certainly. There's nc objections to
chat. But you will find him a very obsti-
nate,fellow," said DIR. Finch, pettishIy. Il
ant get word out of him"
perhaps, if you, doctor. was to exert
Toar authority, and ask him to speak to
ne, he would listen to you"
~Hal a capital idea" quoth the doctor
.s+1SNA III ODlASC " yOu. L IL
ry at once" -fts-f
He accordingly set down his lantern Oh
ne ground, and STOPPING till his face was
N a level with my companion's hat,
ihouted thus into his ear:
'Fawkesi Guido Fawkes, don't be Oh
iinate any longer. You've only got eight
3iaares left. and your friend Mr.. Catesby
lat.' to speak to you"
Ny blood ran chill at these words,
-,Nch uIsolled the singular delusion un-
+ which DR.. Finch was laboring. 1
ili understand now why was tied,
2 why / was knee-deep in straw, and
s. my gaoler carried lantern. As for
mysterious companion, he made no
s,y. Notwithstanding the doctors earn
:eqnest that he would speak.
ff5e'S snil1y brute, this Fawkes, isn't
:. irsG5tesby?' quoth the doctor con-
!2HtijlE en -
.fe drew near, and fastened good-sized
iag, containing some tolerably weighty
';bstance, round my neck, There, Mr.
atesbr,p he said, "now think you viii
e thoroughly comfortable. This bag con=
aims three pounds weight of excellent
g1npowder. AS soon as the fire reaches
{, you will go up. like a rocket, without
my further annoyance"
II am much obliged for your civility,
loctor, l murmured family.
well; Mr. Catesby, the time is up; I
lust wish you good night. You bear no
aalice against me, of course? I am
merely the agent of the law. will light
IOur fire at once"
Ny landlady, when talking of domes-
ic fire, could not speak more coolly or
nore civilly than did this maniac. With
hese words DIR. Finch drew a box of
matches from his pocket, and presently
ieard the sound of scratch, scratch,
icratchr
My position resembled that of wretch
hanging over a precipice, who feels that
ohe plants to which he is clinging are
gradually being uprooted by the weight
Of his body. Here I was, in a lonely wood
ut midnight, fettered to my seat, a heap
Of straw piled round me, a bag of gun
powder at my neck, and madmah stand
ing over me with a box of lucifer matches
in his hand, firmly impressed with the
belief that he was destined to be my ex-
ecutioner.
Scratch, scratch, scratch!"v
The first match had missed fired, and
doctor had taken out the second.
Scratch, scratch, scratch!"
Again there was no infammatory re-
suit
Scratch, scratch, scratchw
OO4lOuuu III cAClalHiGu OI Il HUI dIl-
grily. "These matches are damp. Very
annoying and inconvenient, isn't it, Mr..
Catesby?"
For genuine, unadulterated impudence
commend me to that of a lunatic.
"Pardon me, Dr. Finch, said gravely,
"The matches are not damp"
'Not DAMP" l am sure they are"
Setting aside the question whether
they are damp or not, no lucifer matches
can be expected to go off at the present
epoch"
"Why notS"
Because they are not yet invented. How
can they be invented in the year 1905"
"Ahl bless my heart; you're right, Mr.
Catesby," exclaimed DIR. Finch, as if a sud |
den light had broken in upon him. "YOu
are perfectly right. Now, what's to be
done, or L shall never get your fire lighted
tonight, to say nothing of that sullen /
brute there?"
%You must use flint, steel and tinder-
box"
aBut where am to get them froms"
%Your housekeeper is an old-fashioned |
person; dare say she keeps them out of
Aud lang syne.'
"I'll wake her up at once"
With these words the doctor started of |
With vigorous strides towards his house
gan to try and wriggle out of my bonds; /
but had not done much to extricate my /
,elf when I saw several lights twinkling |
n the darkness and heard the sound OF !
approaching voices.
"I say, Jones, we shall catch it for being |
,ut at this time of night" said IA boyish
7oice.
'Oh, no, we shan't,n answered another
1oyish voice. sold Roddau will forgive
.nything on the Str of November"
"But what makes you search this oak
;cpse'" asked deep, bass voice, which
,oan..-,. ,,-.e-.l:.nonly Ike my JgotheriH
laws.
"Becausc Mr.. Stubbs, one of your labor
srs told us this evening at the Three Pig
cons that he'd met old Finch carrying
something in his arms that looked ike q
nan. Hurrah! here he is. You jolly Old
guy, what a dance you've led us"
As he said these words, the boy paused
opposite my silent companion and fellow
,onspirator, and inspected his dress and
by the aid of candle stuck in a
bottle, with an interest that was almost
,aternal.
aHere's another guyr" exclaimed Charley
Stubbs, halting in front of me.
sWhy, Charley, don't you know me?" ]
in tone of melancholy re-
,roach.
sWhat, Josh, tied fastt Straw all
around you for lightingl What in the
world does mean. Hal hal ha! Hot no! ho!"
That unfeeling Charley clapped his
lands to his sides and went off into coz
yulsions of laughter. At this moment Dr.
Finch reappeared on the scene,
Charley" 1 cried, "for heavens sake
,ome herel Let me whisper a word in
7our ear. Seize that fellow Finch; he is
dangerous lunatic Had you not come
lere, he would have burned me alive
Ny brother-in-law is a powerful fellow,
ind a man of prompt action. Aided by
;wo of DIR. RoddaII's biggest pupils, he
and secured Finch, while the
remainder of the gentlemen united my
lords.
Little more remains to be told. 1t seems
hat DR.. Finch had long labored under
that he was DIR. Finch of some
who fiourished during the reign
# Elizabeth and James /. His house
Keeper and gardener were aware of his
Ielusion but as it appeared to be a per