Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1891-09-04
FBsSLE WITH A MANIAC
\ SOLDIER GETS A LESSON IN TIE
CARE or THE INSANE.

Eiief uoforsunApo ms
IN ana trained nurse. My specially !
= ~ 8 osre IF the insane. I was formerly
9s $3.50, IN the British Marine artillery
~ ~ 9n NV discharge, finding my pension
M sufficient to keep me, iooKeu 49, 49,.
far employment. Having exceiiene ~,
conduct papers was not lsng In oDts'lnin !
slsnation as personal attendant, or VIVA
s.osIled body servant to a young gentie
80, named Frank Hardy, the son OF
-s~oitbv English clergyman, VINO wa
I SsdvinR for the army examinations
younq Mr.. Hardy was as fine a speclllle
- s,,,vsical manhood as / ever set eye
unon. but he was q living instance q y !.
IA saving, "The nearer the cnnrcn "
f,,,tbar from God" he was not only Wiz w
~ rraa ueentious When Joined oil
n.on there we're signs OF the breaking up
r,aaniacent constitution and powera !,
intellect, though he was but twenty .
SG ~ tS - suite Of rooms Mr.. Hardy rente
on Russell square, London, occuPle 81,
like chamber at the back, conheotlnE "" ~
tbe main rooms through the bathroom, ~ Ia *
his bedroom, which opened on 70 lls 80 ,1s
Nv a single door, and that Dy i, els',t =, !
- folding DOORS upon the laFs{e - reaf
oontion room. I was ais0 .ssso,,s NJ
me front room by the na ..oo 800 ~ su r
ont entering my mastes, ~, ~ ciothes an
W. - d,1ties Of leeping ms CIOtIes -
sides my u' ,-Ssv preparing his toilet al
rooms ~ e. his wants generally, W
looklhB % be in readiness at any nov
expeotSyo or night to attend upon him.
the IN THE MASTERS ROOM. small
As he generally came home in s. that
hours Of the morning you may iese occa-
nv office was no sinecure. OEast than
sions he was more like wifher to tell
human being. / will NOT noticed re-
how for some weeks 5ver the young
( markable change comjbrotection I had
man, until in cheer TO our landlady's
confded certain fe0ld soldier), and had
husband (himselfl I'D ! at any time not
requested him, al hour, to burst open
appear at my0uld probably be in want
my door, for felt better after had
OF assistanRay.
done this Aug. 4, 1879. / am not llkely
It washe date, for it was one OF the
to fort squeaks for being my last day
narrh. The young master had for some
eveleen In q sort of sullen mood, morose
d, irritable, occasionally breaking out
60 spasmodie passions and destroying
whatever was within his immediate reach.
1 did not like the prospect, and was even
more anxious from the fact that he had,
during those days, entirely given up drink
and tobacco. II he had stuck to the Rattef
perhaps this adventure would never nave
happened to me. am "a great believer In
"a, sooF6i6es effects Of nicotine, and have
seen it produce calming results Of the most
satisfactory nature upon many dangerous
rabid lunatics.
On the morning of Aug. my master
came home at 9 o'clock and at once called
upon me TO attend him. I was so used to
his eceentricities that / was not very much
surprised when he ordered me to bring my
little iron cot bed and fix it up in his room.
He was not feeling well, he said, and was
rather afraid Of sleeping alone. OF course
/ did as was commanded, and in five min
utes was ensconced in his apartments.
IN A MANIAc's GRASP.
I was not quite satisfied with his strange
behavior nor with the peculiar way in
which he watched my every movement,
and determined to be in readiness for any
emergency. Il was not long before it
arose. After assisting him to get on his
clothes and get into bed lay down on my
own cot, and confess to having fallen OF
to sleep very quickly. The awakening
came with equal suddenness in this way.
felt heavy weight pressing upon me,
while some one seemed to be making an
effort to strangle me. You know what a
nightmare isl Well, haven't you some
times sort Of said to yourself during an in
digestion dream that you knew it was
only a dream and would pass away soons
I have, and that is how l acted that night.
/ kind Of smiled to myself, and said it had
to 90 If only waited long enough.
But somehow It did not go. Instead OF
going it got a great deal worse, and when
at last opened my eyes, through the dim
light of the morning saw the face Of my
young master glaring down at me, while
with his thumbs at my throat he was
quietly choking the life out Of me. had
sense enough not to make an effort to
move. and then discovered that he was
sitting across my body, with his knees
upon my arms, and was therefore power
less. What was 1 to dot He was grad
ually but surely killing mel Just as all
these things flashed across my mind he no
ticed that my eyes were open.
"Ahi I've got you nOwl You'll play
the detective on me, will your You'll play
he squeezed me a little tighter.
RUsE THAT WORKED.
Il was matter Of few moments only
/ knew that. 1t is not difficult to recog-
nize moral danger when it is so close as all
that. Strategy was my only chance. l
gave a little struggle to put him of the
scent; he only squeezed tighter and laughed.
Then, with gasp, let my jaw drop and
my limbs fall loose and limp beneath the
mailman. Would my trick succeed The
few seconds that followed my ruse passed
like hOursl
Yesl He felt the difference. Whatwould
he dor Just what hoped he would. Raised
my head and shoulders from the pillows,
and after one more squeeze, which nearly
did have the desired effect, flung me back
on the pillows. But in so doing he lOosened
his hold Of my throat and his knees slipped
from my arms That instant saved my
life. Quicker than / cansayit was awake,
alive and fighting for supremacy with
raving murderous lunatici
had no knowledge of how to treat such
sieople, but self preservation is a wonder
n teacher. With my arms free I could
grestle, and wrestle did. By good luck
r accident, in the course Of that struggle
We came to the floor with the mailman I'M
derneath, and then / noticed that had
got him into an inextricable tangle with
be sheet II was wound round and round
him, forming most complete strait jacket,
and was safe.
All had to do was to sit still until the
landlord come in the morning. / did not
go to sleep any more that night, can tell
tell You. When Mr. Hardy's friends came
and the doctors advised hts removal to an
asylum they asked me to go with him.
The increase in the pay tempted me. /
stayed with him till be died, twelve months
later.--NeW York Recorder
Medicines IN Coal.
1T may fairly Be said that most Of the
new medicines produced are products Of
coal tar, said physician. Until lately
remedies freshly added TO the phaFma,
copeia were obtained through novel dis.
cOveries IN the plant Kingdom. Even now
from time TO time such lucky finds ara
made; but the soiencs OF botany has pretty
roor1o o. ,lafoa Zee IA ~ . ~ III