Telegram-herald., 1890-06-21
A GHOULS QUEST.
srrAnze, Unoontrolable Passion or
. Monomaniac

shsrS . large fCroe n sarpsntszs -ss a.
sork swinging On zscdy seaffosis many
fs.sx trom tho Zrozn4. observed = tai
.nd auu sslaIly thin man seated On . Pile
Sf laEnsar. s2ching ssh the asnOost in
tsntness kae @orkmen. With the In
stinct q re Dewspaper reporter, ever
seeking Inform ltton- asked him 20
whom TIE 5~iLding belonged. and what
Was IL tusended for. believing sh@t 10
sls the ATcAltecs. oe possibly tho con-
tractor.
Il 30 nOs rno~, air am . stranger
In the city" 10 replied. n voice "
Singular harshnesA
II beg yoar pardon. thoNght you
r. ght De- tho architect l said; you
ZEN ~ take an .n terest IN the work
Not Ia tho wo-'-. but IN The work
men. hs reiolned gisn = grin. which
o. nado his small, mean face. with Us III
e. red eyes, absolutely diaboiicaL
Then possibly you are yourself a
ea~neuter. 1 continued; - dne trade
tie carpenter aud mason are, 70 my
mind. tho noblea1 Orde- OF mechanics;
thew ara the cre4@c-s or rather the in
strumcnts that carry out tho Inspiration
o. the architect"
They DO no. interest me Ia that
way. said .he stranger. shuftling OF the
Ian Der pIlc and moving Of, palPabie
biat that DO required no more Of my
conversaGOn-
This incident left 70 impression On
ny memory. for, although l frequently
passed the new building on my way 70
nv orice, I saw no moro Of the red-eyed
nan. one hno sunday, attracted by
tie announcement of balloon ascen-
sion at Bakers Beach, / strolled out 10
that pic 1uresque curve in the harbors
entrance. As the acronaut took hold OF
the parachute and gave the word 20 let
90, I saw the stranger. The expression
on bis face was one OF intense, and, 1
might say, malignant concentration
Ills eyes were fixed on the bespangled
frurc OF toe athlete with ferocity
which not alone astonished me, but
gave ~ such = 3ccidedly uncomfortable
feeling that I inyoluntarily stepped
from beside him.
Il am all right and away We gop'
cried the aeronaut and the crowd
cheered a. the graceful sphere sailed
skyward Under and over the bar tho
asronaut tumbled. now holding on by
ono arm. now okInging with his toes.
still leaving The dull earth farther and
farther behind him II every moment
BY heavensl he'n get down safely.
Hes not nervous, uuless-unless the
parachute should collapse. Then well
BE- al right. and there won't Be whole
bone IN bis body"
This peculiar speech was uttered by
the mysterious stranger who. In the
forward movement Of the crowd, was
again az ny eIbo~S. Determined to dis
cover the source Of this extraordinary
display of maAEnity, / said
1T seems, sir. you do not feel we'll
DISPOSED toward our friend, who ia now
tum5iing In mid-Air. Is he an enemy
O yours ~ rival professionals"
.-He Is neither. come hero, as every
ono else. Yourself included. young man.
hoping that be wiI fall I am candid
enough to say 40. and presume you are
h7pocrise enough 70 declare that you
Hope Dc will descend in safety"
Il certainly do nope 80. With all ny
heart, I replied, warmly; why, no one
buta fend incaruate would wish that
yonder daring fellow might come to
g-iot"
Tho stranger smiled, but tho smile
vas sard7nic enough 90 come under the
head % rrimace. II have me. you be-
f1ro.~ be- said. .one morning on Ellis
street remember your face now.
Come. 7 feel -athor companionablc this
evening Dine with me. am almost
q perfect stranger in tbis city. and you
vii be doing . lonesome man favor il
you accept my invitation
I consented overcoming 'he ropuE
nance I f~It for she ssl<s ~ knowing
more about this person. who waf
cvIlc1Iv nan of mystery. he named
a. address on Zine street. The h0u-
sovcn. ard Efing his hat with At
agreeable. almost an smiable ar. o'
vhich 7 could not believe his hard,
eri-l features capable. Te parted until
that hour.
Wills dressing fo- dinner T was fgl'
Of con lecture about nv strange acQuaint-
anca us name he had not given nc
Tor bad hc mentioned whether be was A
married nan cr a bachelor IA he bad
nos appointed \ restaurant for oui
dining place. 7 concluded that M -
Pine street. muss b. = boarding --houso
However. at cen minutes to the hour o
dining. runT she bell ~ large. oil
fashioned house. iinET and neg lee ted
looking CD degree. A japanese serv
ans aS-nfttrd ne. ard 7 found uV hos
e-ntef . a hani 5o-1e4 furnished uar