Smyrna times., 1888-07-04
A MAD RIDE.

A MAD RIDE.
Do you ask me the cause of that single
lock of white hair over my right temple?
Well, l will tell you now, though for a
year after the event occurred which caused
it, l would not mention the subject under
any consideration.
One bright autumn afternoon, dressed
myself with unusual care to make a call
on Mrs. Mark DOliber, whose husband
was in close business relations with mine.
l went to the -- hotel, where she was
staying, and on sending up my card was
told the lady was not feeling very well,
but would like to see me if | would come
to her room.
''Show the lady to $50, sixth floor" said
the man in waiting, with the usual -four
ish, to the man in the elevator.
| found a gentleman already in the
elevator, and while waiting to see if no
one else cared to be taken up had a good
look at him. He was very large, finely
proportional man, with q singularly at
tractive face. lie did not seem inclined
to be seated, but walked from the elevator
into the hall and back, and then from one
side to another (fOr it was a large, square,
very shOwily furnished apartment), appar-
emily desirous of examining tho workman
ship. He entered into conversation with
the man in charge, asking him questions
about the machinery and management,
and before we reached the third floor they
were excellent friends. The elevator man
had impaired his entire stock of informa-
ton as to the running of his car and had
been delighted at the impression this
knowledge seemed to make on the stranger.
At the third floor we stopped, the ele-
vatOr man evidently expecting some one.
/ He stepped into the hall to take survey,
when like flash the door shut to and the
car started up. The gentleman turned to
me with the calmest, most benignant
| smile
Madame" =" he said Il knew you would
much prefer to be served by a gentleman
of quality than by that clown Where
can leave your"
Stop for the elevator man, l implore
of you, l cried; ''you do not understand
managing the machinery"
Indeed, madame, you iniure my feel
ings very much. Just as though l had
not manipulated the elevator for his high
ness the shah of Persia, as well as for
the emperor and empress of China, and
the great mogul of Indial"
please leave me at the sixth floor"
answered meekly, too much disconnected
to reflect that there were only one story
buildings in any Of the countries he had
enumerated.
Certainly, you shall be left at the six
teenth floor" he replied, as we passed
the door where fain would have entered
Il said sixth foor,'" rejoined with
some asperity.
"Oh, pardon me, ever fairest if not
dearest. You do not mind if l wait until
the return trip before leaving your"
Something was not right with the man.
that was certain. He was silly, senti-
mental, light headed; and he was also
vigilant and on the alert. He would not
let me come near the door or the operating
cable. Up, up we went, till we reached
the top. was in hopes he would not be
able to start the machine down again. and
l called to passing domestic: open the
door for me, quickw But it was of no
use; we had started down, and the woman
called after me: "The doors only open
from the elevator, maam."
When glanced at my companions face,
after this appeal to the servant saw it
had undergone q change. Instead of the
bright, benlgnant expression, with the
cheerful smile coming and going, there
was dark, angry scowl, and his hand
some eyes, that had rested on me in ad-
miration but an instant previous, flashed
forth such wrathful glances that l felt
they would burn if they did as their owner
wished. A chill crept over me as asked
myself the question, Can this man be in
sane2'
Madame, he said fiercely you have
grossly trespassed on my forbearance.
would have served you like a slave; and
see what return you make!"
With every word he uttered his passion
grew hotter and hotter. Instantly l saw
that l must try pacific measures; and with
q calmness that was far from feeling
said: "Sir, l did not mean to be migrate.
full; ingratitude is something l despise.
Let me thank you q thousand times fol
| your desire to serve me-"
The scowl, the anger the passion van.
ished as soon as they had appeared He
took my hand, and nearly reducing
it to u shapeless mass by the We,
hemence with which he pressed il
in his large, powerful palm, he replied
Madame, don't mention it. l felt your
ingratitude was not premeditated. It was
merely the result of-of-of-well per
haps Of Indigestion"
| wanted to smile at this suggestion
but felt that it would be dangerous; so
: heaved a deep sigh and tried to look as
sad as could. Watching my every ex
: preston, this sadness brought him on hi.
knees, while he implored me to tell hin
, what he could do for me.
Stop on the ground floor" quickly
perhaps too much so for my object-dc
f manded.
T We had arrived at the third floor, anC
. the door not closing tightly on our ascent
= the elevator man stood with it opened
= ready to spring in. With the nimblenes
Of cat my big companion was up on hi
+ feet, and he dealt the man such a aresound
;, ing blow that he tOppled over against tn
Z opposite wall of the corridor, his hea,
banging with a crash.
Madame, he said, triumphantly, "yo1
will perceive I am a good hand at cracking
: cocoanuts." And he began to tell me tn
most ludicrous tale of the number an,
size Of the human fruit he had broken.
: Interrupting him, l said: "Here is tn
! ground floor"
1t was dangerous interruption. For
minute his face was darkened with tn
angry scowl, and did not know but m
turn had come for having my cocoanu
cracked. But heexhibited his resentmen
: only by saying, snappishly: Ground floor
: Of course this is the ground floor. Wher
/, else would you expect to have it? On tn
top Of the house2"
! When the elevator reached the bottom
. this newsmachiniSt exhibited tho same ski
: in starting it up again as he had at tn
other end Of the line. By this time til
different floors had moro or less peopl
e watching for our approach. The car wa
rs made to go at the top of its speed. L
spite Of that, heard one man ask. as W
v shot by landing:
! us that the man you are after?' ant
D. the reply made my hair rise: Eyes, he go
x out of the mad ward, and the rest o
y ! the sentence was lost to me. So here
was, Gagged up with q maniac, flying Vi
and down between the first and tent
stories Of the hotel at the maddest of al
mad rates.
There were moro men at the open doc
Of the third landing when we passed it
but we were going so fast, and the bi
figure Of my crazy companion stood S
close and so threateningly at the entrance
that 1t would have been worse than fool
4 ish to have attempted to pass him.
could hear the servants who had pon norrn