Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-07-27


who took boarders, who were the most
peculiar, but we were likely to know
something about it now. There was
not day that some new utensil for
that room did not come home. The
man cooked and ate in his room and at
the table both, and he was taken
with cramps at all hours. He
drank gallons of hot water, and used all
the mustard we could supply but he
never paid his board bill except under
threats OF expulsion. We brought
father into the fracas then, as rent col.
lector. We all decided he was a
genius, because he was so odd, but it is
very trying to live with a genius, and
we tried to get rid of him, but in vain.
He would take neither hint nor pro-
test.
BY this time our best front bedroom
had become temporary kitchen. Om
genius made midnight coffee, and fried
sweetbreads, over the gas.
One morning Hannah presented her
self with her things on.
I'm goin', num-" she said to moth.
er in her most aggressive manner. u
don't moind bein' a Greek slave, mum,
but if l stay here I'll be Roman Man.
lac an that's quito beyant me-"
She had picked up her phrases as
finer ladies do. She had heard some
one say roaming maniac" and the
term pleased her fancy.
"fll not stay here to be em-u-rdered, y
she continued, tragically, shaking with
fright
"What do you mean, grip" demand
ed father.
II heerd him in the blessed hour Of
midnight in the front room. sayin' to
himself over an over till me fish creep;
4 must kill Hannahl Imust kill Ham
nahr"
We all burst out laughing.
'It's his novel," said Lou, Hannah
is one of the characters-a very good
one, too
'Indade I'm not, miss, I'm not 4
character at all at ALL"
But it's in novel, Hannah" ex-
planned Lou.
'Its intirely too novel for me, miss,
an I'm goin' among folks as is Chris.
tians and not howlin' with cramps or
agy livery blissed hour of their lives. 7"
And Hannah went
We turned our boarder into a roomer
then by refusing to give him meals, as
we had no servant Horrible odors OF
boiling cabbage and frying sausage
came from his apartment and saturated
our carpets and curtains. But we could
not get him out of the house.
"Where is the fgurative women who
wanted to wash and ironP" l cried out
to mother. Take her by all means, in
the place of the man who isn't any
trouble. 1 would prefer convention
of women to this cooking Miss Molly"
"He is q genius. He has read me
parts of his novel and it is wonderful.
/ could not begin to understand it, )"
said practical Lou. He is making a
study of psychology"
'Which?' asked father with brief de-
rision.
"You had better look after LOU" he
said to mother later 'or she will be
eloping with our roomeE She ism
accustomed to genius in the family"
That very night the matter was set
tied. We had often wondered because
of the few acquaintances our boarder
had, but he told us he had isolated him
self for the purpose Of psychic research
while writing his novel, That night
two men called-rough looking men,
who inquired if we were boarding a
chap with light hair and a scar on his
forehead
They described our genius exactly
and we led the way to his room. He
was talking to himself.
AT it again. He is numbering Ham
nah,n said one of the men.
ALI the family assembled at the door,
when the men opened it without any
ceremony and went in.
The genius jumped up from his writ
ing.
"Ha, gentlemen! have not killed
her yet, but tomorrow she dies Mean
while the banquet is spread. What
will you have? A French ragout, an
Irish stew or Il Welch rare bit? Two
raw and one in the darkP Name
them
"0ne man took him on each side.
I'VE came from the asylum after him.
He gave us the slip two months ago.
and we've been looking for him ever
since. Luny, you see, but not violent.
He's been murderin' Hannah like that
for two years"
HAS he no friends" inquired Lou,
eagerly.
'Lots of 'em, miss. but they can't do
thing with him. He's out of his
senses like this, all the time. but if he
can be cured then the asylum is the
place that will do it."
"Can he write there and finish his
novel, asked Lou.
"Yes, miss, if he keeps on bein'
crazy enough to get that Hannah out
of the way. He's struck on her But
if he should come to his senses he
couldn't write, cause he wouldn't know
enough"
What was he when before he lost
his reasonm asked Lou.
"A waiter in a restoorang, miss. -
Mrs. M. L. Rayne, in Detroit Free
Press.
The musical taste Of the Young wo-