Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-07-31


n situation as personal attendant, or what
man named Frank Hardy, the son of
wealthy English clergyman, who was
studying for the army examinations.
Young Mr.. Hardy was as fine a specimen
of physical manhood as l ever set eyes
upon, but lac was living instance of the
old saying, The nearer the church the
further from God" He was not only wild;
he was liccntious. When ! joined him
even there were signs of the breaking up Of
magnificent constitution and powerful
intellect, though he was but twenty six
years of age.
In the suite of rooms Mr.. Hardy rented .
on Russell square, London, l occupied
like chamber at the back, connecting with
the main rooms through the bathroom and
his bedroom, which opened on to his study
by a single door, and that, by large pair
Of folding doors, upon the large front re-
ception room. WAS also able to reach
this front room by the hall passage with
out entering my masters rooms at all. Be
sides my duties of keeping his clothes and
rooms in order, preparing his toilet and
looking after his wants generally, was
expected to be in readiness at any hour Of
the day or night to attend upon him.
II TIRE MAsTEE's ROOM
As he generally came home in the small
hours Of the morning you may guess that
my office was no sineCure. On these occa-
sions he was more like u wild beast than u
human being. ! will not bother to tell
how for some weeks | had noticed re-
markahle change coming over the young
man, until in sheer self protection | had
confided certain fears to our landlady's
husband himself an old sold .rrJ, and had
requested him, should | at any time not
appear at my usual hour, to burst open
my door, for l should probably be in want
Of assistance. | felt better after l had
done this anyway.
1t was on Aug. I, 1919. | am not likely
TO forget the date, for it was one of the
narrowest squeaks for being my last day
ever had. The young master had for some
days been in a sort Of sullen mood, morose
and irritable, occasionally breaking out
into spasmodic passions and destroying
whatever was within his immediate reach.
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. If he had stuck 10 the latter
perhaps this adventure would never have
happened to me. | am great believer in
the soothing 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. nv master
came home at 2 o'clock aud ut once called
upon me to attend him. was 50 used to
his eccentricities that was not very much
surprised when he ordered me to bring my
little iron cot bed and fix itup in his room.
He was not feeling well, lie said, and was
rather afraid Of sleeping alone. Of course
| did as was comm4uied. and in five min.
utes wa. euscouced in his apartments.
~ \rANIAc's. CRASH
I was not quite satisfied with his strange
behavior nor with the peculiar way in
which he watched nv every movement.
and determined to he in readiness torauy
emergency. 1t was not long before it
arose. After assisting him to get off his
clothes and get into bed | lay down on my
own cot, and confess to having fallen off
to sleep very quickly. The awakening
came with equal suddenness in this way.
felt heavy wei Lht pressing upon me-
while some one seemed to be making an
effort to strange me. You know what a
nightmare isl We'll, haven't you some
times sort of said to yourself during an in
digestion dream that you knew it was
only dream and would pass away sooni
have, and that il how acted that night
kind of smiled to myself, and said it had
to 20 if | only waited long enough.
But somehow it did not 20. Instead Of
going it got great deal worse, and when
at last | opened my eyes, through the dim
hight of the morning | saw the face of my
Young master glazing 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 nv arms. and was therefore power
less. What was | to dof He was grad
ually but surely killing mel Just as all
these things flashed across my mind he no
ticed that INV ewes were open.
"Ah, I've got YOU now! You'll play
the detecti,e on me. will you2 You'll play
the cayesdroDper. Ell? We shall seew and
he squeezed me a little tighter.
r1-sr THAT ,yoprrn
II WAN mo,ter nf ~, f.,c moments only
Il,ro,, tbot II s ,,,, d;,v.,l, 70 recor,.
,,i,o moral ,Io,.,e. ,,.,.n cIoso a. oil
,ha+ c,ratr',y wos NV onIc charca I