Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-02-06

RlIl uo cACldltucl, duu no ucBdu
whistllng as he stood in the attitude
of violinist, and played an imsgin-
airy fiddle, bowling and lingering as if
it were real. Frightened as / was. /
could not help admiring the precision
and melody with which the quick notes
were shot from his lips.
Step out, little girl, step out! he
commanded. Strange as 1t may seem,
| was now beginning to see the humor
of the situation, but, in my event, |
should not have dared to disobey him.
rose and attempted to execute
small shuttle.
Faster! Smarter' he kept prompt
ing me.
On l went, whirlIng, shufling, leap
ing, for the more actively l danced,
the more urgent and excited was he.
If my steps tagged for moment, my
insane prompter kept me at my work
with shouts and gestures.
At last his whistling powers failed
him, and he began to sing-such
ridiculous jumble as 'Lsr-diddle-lick-
lick, lar diddle-lick-lick!' which he
delivered with great spirit.
Even then, greatly alarmed as |
was, | thought It half.funny, but fin
ally could do no more, and dropped
into my chair, bresthless. A dark
scowl came upon the mans face, and
his peremptory commands drove me
up again, painting and trembling.
To encourage me, he began dancing
with me, or rather around me. The
stove, chairs, and even the little table
we're no obstacles before his agile feet.
He skipped over them seemingly
without effort, all the time keeping
step to Lar-diddle lick -lick!' given in
a most spasmodic manner as he went
over the various articles of furniture.
My brain was in a whlrl. Would
he never stop2 And if lie did stop,
what would his insane fancy next
prompt him to do? AS totte,ed over
the floor, set my mind at work to
devise some plan of escape from this
annoying lunatic.
l had not taken off my rubber boots,
and of course my attempts at dancing
had been clumsy and tiresome enough.
| saw that my agile companion regard
ed the boots at times with contempt
uous disapproval. This led me to
think of the slippers which l wore
through the day. They were in the
big closet. With the thought of them
a method Of escape suggested itself to
my mind.
| Commanding my voice as we'll as I
could, l explained to the man how
difficult it was to dance in rubber
boots, and asked him if he would
oblige Inc by fetching the slippers
from the closet, the door of which |
pointed out to him. He readily COM
piled, and ran to the closet. With a
wildly beating heart I followed him,
unnoLiced.
The slippers were not in sight, and
as the lunatic groped about in the
farther corner of the closet, slammed
the door upon him, and whirled the
big button half around.
With howl he tried the door, then
burst into a toron ado of shreiks, exc
crations and threats, accompanied by
kicks against the stout old door that
made it creak aud tremble.
| worked with all my new born
strength to barricade the door with a
long recitation bench which opposite
and near it. Then throwing on my
cloak, | leaped to the top of the desk,
and climbed out through the litCle
} window behind.
During our goblin dance the wind
had lulled, but the snow still fell
heavily. plunged through the deer
drifts toward Mr.. Fosters house, call
ing for help at every step. Mrs, Eos.
ter, who was up with her sick baby,
heard me while l was still far of, and
sent her husband out to answer the call
My face was chilled from my expos
ure to the wind. and l was so much
affected by the nervous shock which ]
had sustained that l was not very
lively guest at Uncle Johns the mex
day. However, no serious conse.
quences followed. The school had 6
holiday for the rest of the week, and
resumed again on Monday morning
My prisoner, pauper from the next
! town, had once been dancing-master
| For several years he had been subjec
to periodical fits of insanity. 1t hat
been the practice of his keepers, wher
the approach of one Of these attacks
was indicated, to take him to the State
asylum, where he remained until be
recovered; but the attack of insanity
which resulted in his visit to me hac
come on suddenly, He had arttully
eluded the overseer at the house
and made his escape on the morning
of the storm. Guided by my light
probably. he had sought shelter il
the school house
The reason of Uncle Johns failure
to come for me that day was that ht
had been taken suddenly Ill with {
slight illness. He had sent message
bidding me- po to Mr. Fostar's for tn,