Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-08-18
AQUEER ADVENTURE.


at all, thinking something had gone
wrong. Besides, I've got to let Jones
have three columns of copy by o'clock
tomorrow, and haven't started yet"
"Well, just as you like, only l wish
you'd have said earlier you didn't mean
stopping, so we could have telegraphed
to say you wouldn't be back. It's after |
half past now, and our nearest Office is
FIVE miles away, so it's too late"
It was no use; Jim Carson wouldn't
stop, so had to order the trap to drive
him to the station to catch the $40 back
to town.
After seeing him off | went to the
station masters Office to inquire if some
things l was expecting had arrived, and
while there noticed an evening paper
lying on the table. 1t just happened
that an intimate friend of mine had a
lawsuit ON about some copyright busi-
ness, and the first hearing of the case
was to have taken place that day.
Thinking the affair, as far as it had pro-
ceeded, might be reported, l asked the
station master if he would mind my
having look at the paper for q minute.
Certainly, SIR" he said. "You may
as well take it back with you, as have
finished with it. There's piece in it
about some fellow as is said to have es-
capped from Bradley asylum last night,
and about killed one of the warder
chaps. l expect it's just one of them
yarns as gets into evening papers now
and again. Well, good night, sir. Til
send up your things as soon as they ar
rive"
I was long time going the three
miles which lay between the station
and my lately acquired domicile.
Lighting a,cigarette and leaving Tom
my to shamble ON as best he liked,
started in to think.
Six months ago what was l? Well,
what is generally called literary.hack,
getting about thirty-ive shillings a
week-sometimesimore, generally less
Just because crusty old uncle on whom
I was dependent had seen fit to chuck
me out neck and crop for the simple
reason that didn't go in for what he
wanted me to-i. e., the bar.
Twas of a literary turn Of mind, and
thought / should never be a shining
light in the profession. Icould at least
earn my bread and cheese. So in q fit
of anger l told the old gentleman
wouldn'tbe lawyer, whereupon was
called an ungrdteful, impudent puppy
and told to do what I liked.
"No," thought to myself; "Robert
Grant, ifyou've.got to prevaricate, dot
indirectly
So l went in for journalism! And
now poor old uncle has gone the way Of
all flesh, letting me in for all his estate
real and personal, including Ashwortl
lodge. Old iuncles who quarrel witt
their willful nephews and disinheri
them generally do come around at tht
last. Mine did at any rate.
; Jim Carson, the fellow whom hat
seen off, was an old chum of mine il
! the scribbling days, and had just rul
! down to see'my new abode and wishii
: rich uncle had kicked him out SOM
years ago.
Tommy aroused me fromrmy musing
, by stumbling over something in tn
road and nearly throwing me out. So
gathered uptthe reins, and he went tn
rest of the Journey at smart pace.
= Clemson" said to the man whom
had engaged AS a kind of valet groom
until 1 was properly settled, "whel
you've put the horse up, justitell Mrs
, Hewetson she,can go home as soon a
I she likes, as II ,shan't want anythin
i more tonight
a Mrs. Hewetson was the wife of tn
:, a gardener, who lived about half a mil
d away, and was looking after the hous
u and cooking for me.
II 1t was too fine q night and to
= = early to turn in, so settled mysel
e in my old uncle's favorite armchai
before the dining room window an
commenced to look over the paper I ha
got from the station master. locke
first for the lawsuitlreport, but eviden
10 ly the case had notcome on until latt
Is as there was nothing in the pape
III about it.
"Hello, this must be what the ST.
- ton master was talking about"
Late last evening q lunatic named jam
Is Stanley made good his escape from Bradlt
a asylum under peculiar circumstances, whiC
'r will probably result In the death of one of Il
attendants. 1t seems that last night the usu
annual ball took place at the asylum, and Sc
eral of the inmates suffering from the mild
forms of insanity were allowed to be presel
9, as ordinary guests, as had been usual on 6
~ past occasions. Stanley was one Of these, al
10 suddenly he was found to be missing from Il
room, and on a search being made he could n
- be found. On proceeding outside to hunt Fl
him, the body of one of the attendants w
discovered lying on the ground, the unfort
nate man having received O severe blow at Il
back Of the head which knocked him senseles
1t transpires that the missing man made b
II. way to the room where the coats and hats we
ry kept, in charge of q man who had only be-
about the place O few days and passed himse
off as one of the guests from outside. He ma
aged to secure hat and coat. in which
must havefbeen detected escaping by the po
fellow whom he knocked over.
Stanleysat the time of his flight, was attire
in addition to the things he secured. in an G
, dinary black morning suit, and was wearil
r. patent leather dancing Shoes He is a stron
ss tall fellow standing over six feet two, dal
st hair and slight mustache. Up to the prese
lg there is no news to hand of his recapture, nc
nr withstandinga vigorous search, which is beil
.o pursued in alkdirections.
be A queer story, I thought, when I he
p. p finished reading the paragraph, al
le more so to me- because Bradley asylu
is was only about three miles distant fro
he my place, ana had received an invit
Aion to be present at the ball in que
- - fiDn.
IA Thinking it aaight result in my gettiT
N N to know some of the residents roun
ed about sooner than I should do in ord
he he nary everyday life, I had accepted ii
invitation and sent up to town for
On ,,n,rr drors srnit anad r11nns for. the q