The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-08
ATTACKED BY A MADMAN
A THRILLING ADVENTURE IN We
NICE'5 HISTORIC BELFRY.

Wonderful Tower 300 Feet From
Earth in the Company of Lunatic.
Swinging His Victim Out Over the
Awful Space Again and Again.
Saved by the Flight of Doves.
From the PHILADELPHIA Times.
In the oldest city of Northern Italy, Pa
Qua, party of travellers were discussing its
relations with Venice and the mission OF
Shakespeare character, Portia, going from
Padua, her home, to Venice, the home OF
her lover. Being only twenty-five miles
! distant, the writer remarked that there
should be possibility OF tracing the wind
ing road between and catching glimpse Of
the towers of Padua from the observatory
of the Campanile. or bell tower, of Venice,
which is about 800 feet high.
| An alteration in the oountenance Of the
| writer's friend attracted attention. He was
a gentleman from England, just beyond
| the prime OF life, Of ordinary stature, strong
build, muscular texture, kindly oountenance
and hair as white as the driven snow. He
| fell TO musing, but presently spoke, and told
a story which is here given as he told it:
Yes said he, 81 have experienced the
| emotions OF the sublime while standing in
| that observatory. But once, number of
there which haunts all my recolleotions OF
the place with the shadow of an absolute
terror. had been lettering about the city
| for a number of days in the early summer
when there arrived at my hotel gentleman
from my own country. It was easy for US
| TO form an acquaintance. He was IN every
| way well-bred man. almost gigantic in
| his stature, handsome In his face, graceful
| in his movements, powerful Ia his build.
! His manners we're elegant, his dress fault
| less and his conversation polished, yet fex-
! ibie, with a slight swing of humor.
I'VE strolled out together through those
winding streets where you have just been
| wandering. Soon after noon Of a bright
and cloudless day 1t was suggested that we
| take view from the Campanile. A few
| minutes later we we're ascending the wind
| ing footway which, instead of a stairway,
| leads to the top. The lofty hight, nearly
| 300 feet, and the scenes which were spread
out beneath excited my friend We looked
| out over the roofs of the famous city, over
| the dreamy isles, over the cleaning
| Adriatic over the fair stretching plains OF
Italy, away to the Alps, their tremendous
| proportions barricading the view in that
direction and their snowy peaks glistening
| in the sunlight and softening the intense
| blue Of the sky.
my friend was greatly agitated. He ex-
| pressed his delight in fluent phrase, which
| become more and more intense The vast
| mountain ranges affected him and he dilated
| on their sublimity. HIS eye swept rapidly
| over the sparkling waters and ship, VITA
| all sails set, standing out clear and grand,
| gave him a new object Of talk. His voice,
resonant at first, became thick and harsh.
| His eye fell on the lagoon and instantly he
| paused. Then it was directed to the Condo
| liers plying their craft at the entrance of
the grand canal. He quickly resumed his
talk and l noticed now that 1t became more
and more rambling and incoberent. He
| gazed down on the doge's palace and then
swept around with glance over the city to
the left.
"A flock of pigeons, famous for their as
sociations with the plaza of st. Mark.
| whirred through the air and swept do wn-
| ward, lighting on the roofs of the ad jacenb
| palaces. My companion had been mixing
| criticism and praise and iDterjecting the
| most foreign ideas into his rapid talk, which
grew more and more groCesque aud caused
me TO glance turtively at him. His cheeks
| burned and bis eyes glistened, but the whirr
and swoop of the pigeons completely un-
balanced him, and he rushed to the opposite
corner OF the observatory, crying: There
they go! | knew l would find them. Hal
| hal har
Had been in a more critical mood l
would sooner have noticed the sJrangeness
Of his actions and speech. But my suspi-
fcions came slowly, yet instantly his wild
rush and metallic cry and laugh forced the
conviction upon me that he was mad
HE stood tremblingly leaning out over
the railing and looking down, hurting out
exclamation after exclamation of exulta-
ton. Then like a flash he recoiled and par
ried what he took to be a blow, glancing
with intense gaze into the air, now this
way, now that way, crying out: 'Avaunt,
| I'll not go with thee Get thee away from
me- 'Begone; this Is not the time.' All the
| xvhila ha fnUiuy haOk ard do
ward, and wardin9 off some unseen object
which appeared to him to be moving In the
air toward him.
az tell thee l will not Co. In his
twisting movements he had got opposite
me, and when he had delivered this last cry
his gaze, for the first time since his craze
came upon him, rested on me. Instantly
there was change The unseen object was
forgotten. His eyes riveted themselves
upon me. And what eyes they were
bloodshot. blazing, bullying from the brows
which we're corrugated In heavy lines. For
brief moment be fixed his piercing gaze
on me, his head slightly lowered and lean.
ing forward. Aud then commenced a low
ohuoke.
$50 it is you, is it, And have found
you at last. Hal hal This time you viii
not get away from me SO easily. Hal ha
HAP
HE came slowly. with two or three
| steps, bOWdTu me- hul tuo bCOWl upon Qli
face grew blacker. A series Of accusations
be made against me: You took her away
You defeated me at the elections YoU
plotted against my life. You hired those
brutes to kill me-
Then followed volley OF awful pro
family He was swaying TO the right anC
left; then like u flash he sDrang upon me-
felt his cold hands upon my neck. and real
lied the vise-lIke character of his grip. But
my quick movement put me out of line, anC
soon worked myself loose from his grasI
and sprang 20 one side, laughingly remark
ing:
"'You're pretty quick and strong
YES. and I'm ugly strong, too he re-
sponded.
"All the while the ,madman's eyes, like
! live GOALS burned the horror of their gszt
. into my very soul as he fixed them I'M
, waveringly upon me. He caught me glano-
ing furtively at the exit, aud his suspicious
were Immediately aroused.
"'Ha hai ha ? he chuckled with fiendist
gles, as his face distorted itself in an appall
ing shape. You can't get away from me
this time. have you sure now-desd SURF
dead sure
His tall form began to undulate like the
: movement of a snakes sinuous body as il