Wichita eagle., 1888-12-22
MIR. STATISTIC.

II WAS SOIIle time after IuluUlSilI " men,
weary with overwork and all a-1utter
with nervousness caused by too close APP
plication to the task of smoking my
twenty cigars day, climbed the
rickety stairs Of my tenement and opened
the creaking door of my apartment on
tho top floor. In the dark felt around
on the table for a match. None was
there.
thought, and proceeded to remove my
clothing.
was nearly ready for bed when l
thought heard a noise as OF some one
breathing heavily | stood very still and
thumpings of my frightened heart. Yes,
in my room.
am never too courageous in the dark,
not even when my nerves are calmest.
There is always feeling in my soul that
some unearthly creature is close behind
me. / often feel his warm breath on the
back of my neck, and when l do not l
have the same feeling that he is there
impalpable, unassailable as the thin air,
but there just the same. Now that my
nerves were unstrlIng and my mind ia
and elusive problem in mathematical
cryptography was even less courageous
than usual. The breathing went on. /
feared | should lose my reason. Iseemed
transfxed where | stood Nothing but
my heart moved, and that pounded SO
loudly that l feared it would wake the
breather: for made no doubt that he
was asleep, since his breathing was al
most light snore.
| must find a match. remembered
that had felt through all my pockets
in vain for one with which to light my
last cigar, and had finally taken fire
from the cigar of man l had met on
the street. drew hard at the stump,
which | still held between my teeth-for
| always smoke myself to sleep-but it
was out; out and cold.
Softly as | could move in my stock
inged feet l sneaked over to the table
and made another search for matches.
In my mind | laid the table top off in
three inch squares, and then placed my
hand on every square, one after another,
until | was sure no match was there.
This occupied my mind so fully that
some of my fear was allaved. Fears do
not stay in the busy mind. | became
even bold enough to think Of putting on
some of my clothing and going down
stairs for match.
turned from the table, but as did so
struck the loose leg of it in such way
as to throw it out of place. A crash of
glass announced to me- that as the table
had toppled over the lamp had been de-
stroyed.
What's that? Who's there?" The
voice, as of some one waking in fright,
came from the corner farthest from the
door. My first impulse was to run out
Of the room, but my first impulse is usu
ally wrong. l am naturally unlucky.
The thing I would do most naturally is
the thing most likely to bring me mis-
fortune. l have, therefore. habituated
myself to doing Just what my impulse
tells me not to do. But for this l should
have been dead long ago.
All" said the voice more calmly, 81
must have fallen asleep"
This treasured me.
"Who are your" asked, and the sound
of my own voice seemed to put courage
into my heart. "What are you doing
here?" / added before my first question
could be answered.
II am Mr.. Statistic, and have been
waiting here for you since supper time"
Il do not recognize you by your name"
l said land l cannot recognize you by
your face, since cannot see it.
well" said he. cit doesn't matter.
We can talk as well in the dark"
What do you wish to talk aboutF' ]
asked.
Il want to prove to you that am not
crazy. The world says / am insane; but
it is the world, not /, that has lost its
reason. am sound. That is why
everybody is trying to kill me. They
put poison in my food, they lay snares
for me. they shoot at me. and send de-
mons to torment me. merely because they
are jealous Of my sanity. But l fight
them off, and one of these days, when
feel just like it, am going to kill them
all Off; and I've got a big knife right here
in my belt and pistol in my pocket, and
poison all over me-enough to kill every
body"
NY fear was now of tangible sort.
Ghosts and COLLINS flew away and real
human being with implements of death
confronted me. / began to think OF cum
ming things 10 do. Every time spoke
quietly changed my location, SO that If
he shot at me or struck at me with DIS
knife should not be there.
You cannot see me. so must tell you
what look like" he continued. Just
now am a little, gray haired man. about
FIVE feet four inches tall, thin OF features
and very feeble BY eyes are steel gray
and my brows are shaggy and long.
That is the way / lock now. l can change
myself, though / can make myself
eleven feet tall and stronger than Her
cules or Samson. | can throw down
buildings and carry mountains away"
II am glad Of that" said. for surely
| must humor him. Il am glad OF that,
and wish you would come around to-
morrow and see me. I've got some
mountains / want moved. and I'd De
glad TO give you the contract Then
Slid over to smother part Of the room.
Il can move them and | can move
worlds, too I've got string tied TO
every star and to the sun and moon
can do anything want to.
We'll. you're Just the kind OF man
I've been wanting to take into partner
ship with me-" said. Couldn't you
come up tomorrow when it is light! We
viii make out the articles Of agreement.
Il can see now. I can see In the dark
And that isn't sill can do. can make
it light. can bring the sun night into
this rooun. ard stand it up there IN the
air. Now, you see There: Don't you
see how light it il uOwf
had to see it. / should probably have
had knife run right through me # ]
rad not
And yer,- said I, there are fools who
call you crazy
Yes, sir: there are That's what
came up here TO talk about. want to