San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-07-13
mo; tell me now. I am right I think,
thouoh \ had a vro<Sv <fuhH so,a~~o

tnough, mad pretCy tigho eQuee1a"
1T was my brother Charles who attached
you. It Is q strange story, and will not ask
you to believe IT. Some i've years ago Char
ley was in business and had q home of his
own One day be told his wife he bad to 20
to Cincinnati. The nature Of bis business re-
quircd him to 60 quite often on short trips to
the neighboring citiea This time he was alb.
sent about week. When he got back he
had not the slightest idea where he had been,
nor could he give any account Of bis move
ments since leaving New York. He said he
could only remember travelling q good deal
on the cara To me and his wife he admitted
although he could not explain in that he
felt he had suffered some harm: but Of what
nature he could not say. This went on for Q
year, when in the same week precisely, a. .
year before, he had an attack of insanity,
which TASTED just q week and left him
perfectly sensible, yet very much exhausted.
Fortunately this first attack occurred when
he was alone with me on fishing excursion
in the mountains What I had to endure
that week no one can imagine, and no one
will ever know. Well, this has gone
on for several years The mysterious attack
always comes on in that particular week Of
the year. The doctors declare it Is not in
sanity; In fact can get no definite answer as
TO what is the matter with my brother.
Charley has always bad q morbid fear Of an
insane asylum, SO I promised him always to
taxe care Of him during that particular week
IN the year. So secretly has the matter been
kept from the public that not even bis own
wife knows of It You, and one or two doc.
tors to whom | have introduced my brother
as a stranger, are the only ones that have
seen Charley in one of his fits, or whatever
you like to call them. have always had a
taste for carpentering and l have fitted up
the room directly above yours for him. Last
night he managed to escape out of the
window, and thus got into your room. It was
most fortunate that arrived when did, for
in another moment he would have strangled
you However, there is no need of further
alarm. | saw him safely into his strong
room, with no possibility Of another escape.
Ii you like it, we will go and see him.
think that would be the best means to settle
your nerves"
thought 1t would be so myself, 90 we
went Although the room was directly above
mine, we had to walk quite a distance
through an upper hall before we came to it.
Stopping at a heavily barred door. Macrny
after unlocking an upper and lower lock,
drew out long thin key, with which he
finally opened the door.
Are you not afraid to 60 inr' asked.
"Oh, no, he always seems to know me-"
Holding lighted candle, we entered. At
first saw nothing of my late intruder. but
heavy stertorous breathing led us to where
he lay in front of thickly-barred window.
We lifted him up and carried him to a small
iron bedstead. The candle light fell on his
face, which was a repulsive one with savage
scowl still lingering on It His hair was
thickly matted
After standing a moment Macray said:
Come, we will have a glass Of something.
see your nerves are shaken bit Look out
or you will drop that candlen
"Of course, Jack, " continued Macray, when
we were down stairs drinking our brandy,
''you will never mention what you have seen
to any one By the way, old Pompey gave
me big fright tonight; ! thought it was
Charley"
"Yes. noticed 1t. thought you were ILL.,
I answered.
"Do you know what I think the matter
with Charley Isl It Is this; that be is tor.
mented by an evil spirit that at certain times
and seasons enters into his body and takes
possession of it You may have noticed the
large number Of books have in my library
devoted to the subject We read that there
were many in the old days possessed with
devils and unclean spirits. Why could not
that be the case todayf Nothing else to my
mind will satisfactorily explain my brothers
trouble"
After the exciting scenes had just wit
messed, could but answer, 81 think so too
Some two or three weeks later, was again
asked to visit Staten Island. Among those
whom | met was Charley Macray and his
clever wife could hardly bring myself to
acknowledge that the man who sat opposite
to me at dinner, and who by his brilliant
conversation held the entire table, was the
same who had attacked me in the dead of
night only few weeks before And yet It
was the same. and as continued to look.
recognized some of the characteristics Of the
first face
A half amused smile was playing about my
hosts face. His eyes met mine and they
seemed to say: Have not spoken the truth
about my brotherl Is it not as saidF'
The next morning in the city, before we
finally separated, Macray turned to me and
said:
Jack, do you not realize now that Shak.
speare was right when be said that there are
more things in heaven and earth than are
dreamt Of in our philosophy Goodbye"
and he was gone.-George Downing Sparks
in The Epoch
London Lodging House Character.
I'm the same lodging house that Taffy