The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-01
ALL SAN FRANCISCO MONDAY PAGES

stick. but my stubborn defense seemed to
inspire the maniac with tenfold fury. The
chair W.. finally ny. shattered red. to pieces
another and fairly rained on me
torrent of blows, which required the ut
most vigilance on my part to ward off.
Failing in overpowering me the mailman,
with diaboical cunning, suddenly rushed
brands on the floor, and while clouds
of smoke rose from the burning embers he
attacked me with renewed feroc;ty.
l had hoped that my continual shouting
and the din OF battle would have aroused the
household, but no one came. Several times
the bedding took fire. but that was promptly
extinguished by the most tremendous eXer-
tionS on my part. My antagonist seemed
endowed with the strength Of ten thousand
devils. while was comparatively growing
weaker and weaker. My arm seemed pal
sled and my head swan diZZily. In mo-
ment l must give up-my strength was
nearly exhausted, when to my great relief
the madman suddenly paused.
Drops of Precipitation rolled down his
body and his limbs trembled violently, yet 1
could SEE, though the exciting contest had
told fearfully upon him, he was by no means
as exhausted as myself His eyes glittered
with latent ferocity as he shrieked: You
fight we'll, but l shall win; you are doomed
already; can see it; l will tear you limb
from limbv'
had no time to reply, for almost imme-
diately lie resumed his savage attack. But
the momentary respite had saved me, and as
l warily husbanded my strength / was
overJoyed to perceive that he began to show
evident signs OF exhaustion-but no. he sud-
denly recuperatcd with wonderful power
Again his blows thunder on my stout stick.
l am gradually losing my strength. | can
not hold out much longer, and the mailman
sees it and redolb.es his exerliOns. My
weapon Is struck at last from my weak
1 hn CHI nf
maniac in my ear, and elinch my fist in on e
feeble, despairing effort to defend myself
from the Impending stroke, when suddenly
a strange transformation takes place in the
mailman. He pauseS and drops his wea pom !;
his fierce eye assumes dull, filmy aspect,
and tile fierce expression fades away in
stupid air OF idioey; he reels ard falls to
the floor in deathlike stupor; his tremu-
lous vitality vanished as quick as it came.
At the same instant | heard hurried
tread of feet outside and loud knocking
The door burst open and with the conscious
ness Of safety the reaction came. With a
faint ejaculation of joy and gratitude l fell
insensible to the floor.
When | was restored to consciousness,
Moses, | found a crowd Of curious faces of
men around me, all eager to near from my
lips the particulars of my desperate en-
counter.
1t appears that literally battled with him
all night, and the extraordinary exhibition
of endurance on my part earnest for me the
reputation of young hero; but l never told
any one that | owed my victory over the
mailman chiefly to that portrait of the pretty
girl; for whenever L felt myself growing
weak a glance at the face would inspire me
with tenfod strength. You smile, but the
portrait was. after all, the landlords daugh-
ter, and the story 0Lly a romantic fiction of
the diseased brain of mailman
=" The picture was not, then, the portrait
of Evelyn ST. Croix ?' l asked.
- No, my dear boy. IL was your aunt's
picture, as it afterward proved. So you can
now understand tue inspiration that gave
me strength to go through that fearfuln light,
in struggle for life. st. Louis Star Say
ings.