Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-07-05

"Who are youP' l said, 'and what devils game are you playing with meF There was no answer, but hissing as of a kettle boiling over came from between his teeth. 1 had but lately seen "Dr. Jekyn and MT. Hyde" and visions of the latter came vividly to my mind managed to reach the table and to light candle. At this the man, with some incoherent gibberish, rushed at me. 1 had thought I was strong, but, whether owing to the terror of the sit uation or what, this fiend incarnate had me by the throat, and was oh, help!-killing mel remember strug- gling and writhing, but all to no purpose; and then q choking, burning sensation, and then all was blank.
 When I came to I found I was once more in bed The candle was still lighted, and 1 saw Macray sitting on chair near me, with his head buriedin his hands, A slight move ment on my part caused him to start.
 Are you better, old fellow2"
 "Yes" answered; lis it gone?' He seemed to understand, for he said sim ply. ''Yes."
 "What-or who-was it7'
 "I will tell you everything tomorrow; had you not better wait?" replied Macray. "No; tell me now. l am right. I think, though, I had pretty tight squeeze" Ut was my brother Charles who attacked you. It is q strange story, and will not ask you to believe It. Some five years ago Char ley was in business and had home of his own. One day he told his wife he had to go to Cincinnati. The nature of his business re- quircd him to go quite often on short trips to the neighboring cities. This time he was ab- sent about week, When he got back he had not the slightest idea where he had been, ! nor could he give any account of his move 1 ments since leaving New York. He said he | could only remember travelling a good deal | on the cars To me and his wife he admitted ! although he could not explain it that he ! felt he had suffered some harm; but of what nature he could not say. This went on for a ! year, when in the same week precisely, as ! year before, he had attack of insanity l which lasted just q week and left him ! perfectly sensible, yet very much exhausted l Fortunately this first attack occurred when l he was alone with me on fishing excursion l in the mountains. What 1 had to endure
 that week no one can imagine, and no one I will ever know. Well, this has gone | on for several years. The mysterious attack l always comes on in that particular week of ! the year. The doctors declare it is not in- ! sanity in fact l can get no definite answer as I to what is the matter with my brother. | Charley has always had a morbid fear of an | insane asylum, so 1 promised him always to
 tase care of him during that particular week l in the year. So secretly has the matter been l kept from the public that not even his own ! wife knows of it. You, and one or two doc 1 tors to whom l have introduced my brother l as stranger, are tho only ones that have | seen Charley in one of his fits, or whatever | you like to call them. I have always had a
 taste for carpentering and 1 have fitted ur | the room directly above yours for him. Last l night he managed to escape out of the
 Tx
 most fortunate that arrived when did, fol l in another moment he would have strangled
 you. However, there is no need of further
 alarm. I saw him safely into his strong
 room, with no possibility of another escape
 If you like it, we will go and see him.
 think that would be tho best means to settle
 your nerves"
 l thought it would be so myself, so WI
 went Although the room was directly abov,
 mine, we had to walk quite distance
 through an upper hall before we came to it
 Stopping at heavily barred door, Macray
 after unlocking an upper and lower lock
 drew out long thin key, with which h
 finally opened the door.
 Are you not afraid to go in?' asked.
 "Oh no, he always seems to know me-"
 Holding a lighted candle, we entered. A
 first 1 nothing of my late intruder, bu
 heavy stertorous breathing led us to wher l he lay in front of a thickly-barred window
 We lifted him up and carried him to a smal
 iron bedstead. The candle light fell on hi
 face, which was Q repulsive one with a savag scowl still lingering on it. His hair wa thickly matted.
 , After standing moment Macray said: Come, we will have glass of something I see your nerves are shaken bit Look ou ; or you will drop that candle"
 | HOf -1,o
 we were down stairs drinking our brandy ) 'you will never mention what you have see to any one By the way, old Pompey gay t me big fright tonight; thought it ws ! Charley"
 f "Yes, I noticed it, thought you were ill
 answered
 Q 'Do you know what think the matte with Charley is. It is this; that he is to
 mented by an evil spirit that at certain tim ]. and seasons enters into his body and talk 0 possession of it. You may have noticed u l. large number of books have in my libral t devoted to the subject. We read that the @ were many in the old days possessed vii t. devils and unclean spirits. Why could Il, y that be the case todaya Nothing else to II l. mind will satisfactorily explain my brother '- I trouble"
 @ After the exciting scenes I had just wi d messed, could but answer, "I think so too k Some two or three weeks later, was aga d asked to visit Staten Island. Among tho @ whom I met was Charley Hacray and | 'f clever wife l could hardly bring myself l. acknowledge that the man who sat opposi } to me at dinner, and who by bis brillia It conversation held the entire table, was t d same who had attacked me in the dead g night only few weeks before. And yet le was the same, and as I continued to look d recognized some of the characteristics of t IS first face.
 n A half amused smile was playing about n d hosts face. His eyes met mine and tn IS seemed to say: Have l not spoken the tru
 about my brothera Is it not as saidF' k- The next morning in the city, before g finally separated, Macray turnod to me a : said:
 "Jack, do you not realize now that Sha cl speare was right when he said that there a ce more things in heaven and earth than 6 in dreamt of in our philosophyf Good-by'
 and he was gone.-George Downing Spa, Ill lin The Epoch.