The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-05-15
stand that I have great mission in

SGanu tnaG nave SreaG mission IN
this world to fultil-a mission which I
have not as yet begun. The strain
upon my own mental faculties will be
too great. therefore intend to take
your brain and insert it in my head.
Here he drew from the breast pock-
ct of his coat large sized clasp dagger,
which he opened, and began to run
the blade up and down the palm of his
hand.
"I have given years Of thought to
this subject" he continued, "apd I
am convinced that I shall succeed.
With double brain power I shall be
enabled to accomplish double amount
of brain work. | have been waiting a
long time for subject, but not until
T saw you did I find one who suited
my purpose. You are the man-the
brain for which have been watch
ing ,
sadly mistaken. Your idea is grand
one-an original one. But I am not
fit to aid you in carrying it out. You
should select strong, active, healthy
brain. Mine, on the contrary, is weak
and diseased. Why, sir, up to the
age of fourteen I was considered an
idiot. Since then my friends do not
permit me to have control of my own
affairs. I am actually little better
than a lunatic. I can neither read
nor write. r.
"Nevertheless," he interrupted, "you
will answer my purpose, and l am
about to take out your brain with this
dagger, and insert it in my own head.
I have brought you out on the roof
that we may be free from Interrupt
tions. You will obligc me by now
lying down.
If my mind had been stunned by the
first discovery of the man $ madness,
it was active enough now. A thou
sand schemes rushed through my head;
I took in the situation fully. I was
alone with madman armed with an
ugly weapon, and he was bent upon
my destruction. To cry out would be
useless, nobody could hear me. The
chances Of any aid from those within
the asylum were small indeed. |
could not run away. If I attempted
to gain the skylight, I should be GER
tainly killed. The medicine case in
my hand suggested the thought which
saved my life.
70 eff you are determined to make use
:of such an unworthy subject as l ," 1
said, well and good; I shall offer no
further resistance. But l ask that
you will grant me five minutes while
I address brief farewell to all my
friends. I will give it to you to de-
Iliver to them, .
every WE'LL" he replied, ST you
know how to write, proceed, Twill
wait FIVE minutes.
BE took up his position foot from
me, watching every movement l made
with horrible eagerness. Iknelt down
with my back toward him, took from
the medicine case bottle of chloro-
form (Which [ knew it contained) and
saturated my handkerchief with the
liquid. This I succeeded in doing
without his knowledge. Then, rising
to my feet, I scribbled some unintelli-
gible words upon the back of an envel-
ope, and said:
"You will do me the honor Of read
ing what I have written here.
He came toward me, and while l
held the envelope in my hand, he
stood by my side and looked at the
writing. I had the handkerchief in
my right-haud, and the envelope in
the left. AS he bent forward to deci-
pher the words, I suddenly clutched
his hand which held the dagger, and
at the same instant clapped the hand
kerchief over his face and mouth. He
struggled fercely for moment or
two, and then the fumes of the drug
began to tell upon him. His efforts
to. release himself grew weaker, and
he finally fell to the floor insensi-
BILE.
With all haste made my way to
the skylight, down the spiral case, and
into the hall below There | recount
ed what had happened, and two Of
the assistants were sent to bring down
the murderous maniac. He recovered
from the effects of the chloroform, and
when last I heard of him, he was still
looking for subject to furnish him
with an extra brain.