The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-08-07

thought convinced me that l should do
| better to keep on. While | was free
| they would not dare to kill him, fol
they must have known that should
| give the alarm, and then the crims
would be detected. If l should return,
they might capture and kill us both
without fear of detection.
Again gave my horse the rein, and
he galloped on. | know not how far |
had ridden, when thought l detected a
stream of water directly ahead; but no
movement of mine was necessary, for
with sudden jerk, my horse stopped
and was thrown far over his head l
remember the sensation of falling, but
| that was all.
| When | came to myself it was day-
light. and the warm sun was looking
brightly upon me. moved heavily to
a sitting posture, and found my horse
at a short distance from me, cropping
the long grass. | felt stiff and my
head ached; but ere long l arose to my
feet and looked about me. The stream
which had caused my disaster had
dwindlcd to a mere tiny brook: but the
marks of its flood were left, and |
could see that it had been quite for
midablc.
But one thing surprised me. Not
more than half a mile ahead | saw
quite a town, a large tlourishing viii
lage. 1t was some time before 7 -.,,.et
collect my scattered senses; but When
| did so, | became convinced that the
,N1,, he
horse must have left the true road al
most Immediately after the darkness
set in. and here | was nearl, twenty
miles out of my way to the westward!
But | forgot all thiS-I orgot the
pain in my head and lim's-in my
thoughts of what had occurred during
the night: and L resolved o seek I'M
mediate aid to arrest tho inmates OF
that horrible abode | ha left, and to
set free my unfortunate cmpdnion. l
easily caught my horse, nd, though l.
gained the saddle with difficulty. yet,
when once there, l rde with ease.
| When | reached the town, which
proved, as | had thouht, to be Deca-
tur, one of the first objects that met
my gaze was lawyers sign. l drove
up to the door of tie office and dis
mounted. While l vas hitching my
horse, a wagon drove up in which was
a gentleman and lad. The gentleman
was an elderly pers'n, and one whose
countcnance was sch as to command
instant and universal respect. He en-
tered the office directly behind me. He
smiled and shook lands with the law
yer, and then turred to desk, and be-
gan to overhaul bundle of papers
which he had Just taken from his peck
ct.
My muddy garments gave me any
thing but Il comely appearance, but as
soon as | was assured that ! addressed
the lawyer" proceeded to unfold
my fearful tale. The attorney started
and trembed as commenced, and the
gentleman who was overhauling the
papers stopped from his work and
looked at me. | went on, and de
scribed every particul ar; my hair
bristled as | told of the terrible cries
of the poor victim | had left behKms
and assured my hearers that it was
the hostler who had sprung out as
rode off
A strange, TN accountable expression
passed over the lawyers face. He
gazed at me a moment in silence. and
then clapping his hands upon his sides
he sank back into his ch air and burst
into a long, loud, uproarious laugh |
was thunderstruck. The old gentleman
dropped his papers and actually sank
upon the floor, and a wild burst of mer-
riment shook his frame.
''Ha, ha, ha! Why, my de ar friend"
uttered the lawyer, as soon Ps he could
command language, "you-ha, ha ha!
you were-ha, ha!-you have been
-. O. oho-o-o-o-ha, ha.-he-e-e-e"
sank into a seat, utterly overcome,
and at length | got at the truth. The
old gentleman before me was none
other than the celebrated DIR. Gabriel
Landresser. He and his wife had left
home on the day before on visit, and
the storm had prevented their return.
His dwelling was a private hospital,
where he had number of poor ma
MACS in course of curative treatment,
and with those maniacs | had stopped!
His hostler was the only really sane
person he had left in charge of the
buildings, and l afterwards learned
that this hostler had been much averse
to my remaining at the house, and
hence his grutf manner towards me.
The man who had led me from my
chamber was a poor fellow who had
entertained the idea that some one was
seeking to murder him, and his strange
monomania had a variety of phases,
according to the circumstances about
him. He had evidently intended to have
escaped from the doctors house with
me, but the timely appearance of the
hostler prevented him. .. -
Landresser insisted that I should re-
turn with him to his house and remain
there until | had recovered from the eff
fects of my fall and l consented The
last heard from the lawyer was just
as | mounted my horse, and that was
another wild peal of laughter.
| remained with the doctor three
days, and during that time l enjoyed
his company much. Once l saw my
companion of the nights adventure,
and he did not fail to whisper earnestly
in my ear that | should be murdered if
| remained in the house The woman
whom had seen was an inoffensive
creature, who had suffered from relig-