Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-03-21

come across it in that cursed volume
II cannot even get away from it in my
in the craft at all? Here it is in YOU
volume called BY Mental Telegraph.
The title explains the story. Oh.
know that mysterious, slender. beaut;
ful maiden with her visions and hallu
cinattons but too we'll; the psycholoc
zeal siren who has driven me TO mad
ness. She ecoyers when she gets Z
husband, and becomes a model queen
of the nursery ever afterward. But
shall always be the same. 1t is you
and your class who are responsible for
this; you must die With the last
word ringing on his lips, Wanless few
at me and bore me to the ground.
his grasp. for the mailman possessed
the strength of a dozen beings at that
moment. I could feel his hot breath
upon my face as he bent over me.
you are one of the fends who have
robbed me of my reason" he Kissed.
"YOu are one of the successful hacks
who dress up old tales, and try to
~galvanize paralytic corpses into life
until the gibbering dead faces mock
u to insanity. Once l deemed the
world to be fresh and bright; but the
weary monotony of the novels !
craved for made me what am.
Make the most of your time-you will
never leave this room alive. AS a duty
to my fellow sufferers I am going to
rid the world of n scribbling fend
tonight"
l tried to eX%pOstulate, but the words
died on my lips. Wanless bent over
me and gripped my throat with con-
vulsive force. The strength of despair
came back to me as | realized that we
were in that solitary place alone, and
that my life depended upon my own
efforts. We rolled Over and over. but
Wanless was always u%ppermost. From
time TO time 1 compelled him to re-
lnquish his grip: the sudden rush of
air to my lungs caused me to feel
sick and dizzy. But the contest was
bound to end in one way; for, as I be-
came weaker, my antagonist gathered
fresh yigor.
at is useless" he cried triumphantly.
"You have got to die"
| knew it, but l would not despair.
M then, as I commenced to fail.
there came a sound welcome as a voice
from heaven-the sound of Bellamv's
step in the hall. He tried the door,
only to find it fast; he shouted. and
III response came a feeble gurgle from
me. Bellamy wasted no further time:
something told him that he had ar
rived in time to prevent a terrible
tragedy. AS Bellamy's whole weight
broke in the door Wanless gave me a
squeeze that caused the countless
stars to dance and flicker before my
eyes. Then sleep, peaceful and child
like.
Whe came to myself again I was
in bed. The windows were open to the
breeze. a glorious sun was shininE.
and Bethany stood respectfully beside
me. On the whole, | felt little the
worse for my adventure.
II ann extremely sorry for what has
happened, SIR" Bellamy said politely.
THE people here knew nothing, and
L shall esteem it a personal favor if
you will preserve secret. 1 ought.
perhaps, to have told you, sir"
"But what on earth is the matter
with Mr.. Wanless?" l asked.
"Well, SIR" Bellamy said deferen-
TALLY, "My masters name is not Wan
less at all. He is Mr.. Cultshaw. the
critic and e~ssayist, who used TO be
reader to Messrs. Gilley, the great
publishers. Of course, you know him
by name, sir. Two years ago the poor
gentleman had brain fever from over
work, and he's lever been the same
since. If he has three glasses of wine
he's quite mad. Usually he is harm
less enough: but when excited he has
a perfectly morbid hatred of maya
zine writers. He attributes his maladv
to reading the same class of stories
with what he calls the same motif over
and over again. He did not know YOU
by SIGHT, and. indeed. mistook your
name, but you he holds in especial
d~etestation, sir. He would have killed
You if he could"
Il quite believe that, Bellamy," I re,
piled grimly. But you may trust me
to say nothing about what has hap
pened. How is your ~patient?"
Perfectly we'll this morning. and
without a notion of what took place
last night. But on the whole, sir, l
would respectfully beg to suggest that
you do not meet again. / don't sup
pose that you are specially attached
to the place, and as it agrees with my
poor MASTER
"Say no more, Bellamy.' | replied.
Il will get away today. I came out
for quiet and rest, and not for mid
night adventures. And there's a f10
note for you. Bellamy, with my most !
grateful thanks"
From that day to f>,is I have seen
nothing of W~anless, nor am 1 likely
to now. for he died last week, and
therefore l am at liberty to publish
this singular story, the moral of which
is oblivious. People say that latterly
stories are less trite than they
We're. Have any of you noticed it,
may | ask 2Chambers' Journal.
BLANQuETTE OF HAL1BTT.