Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1895-07-26

indeed, is the crop. Novels, old and
new, are literally pappered with these
oddities in character. Some mono
mania OF which the victim becomes
possessed holds him or her in its pow
erful grip until routed from it's mental
stronghold by some violent shock to
| body or mind.
| Did you ever hear Of the man with
the glass legs?" said well-known ply
stefan. THAT fellows a record break
er IN Authorizations. Here you have
an active business man, sound in body
ana mind, suddenly struck by the con
Victlon as he lay in bed, that his legs
We're made of glass. If be bent his
knee or Wriggled his toes they'd snap
right Off like stick of candy. They
trled TO argue and laugh and bully him
OUT OF his mania, but all no good. So
ms distracted family had to make the
best OF it. No doctors were allowed !;
his case was beyond medical aid. They
handled him as gingerly as a peach
blow vase.
80 Things went for nearly two years
One day seedy and TROUBLED vagabond
knocked at the kitchen door. Couldn't
the lady give him something to eat in
return for some work about the house?
she fed him. His talk was clear and
logical, his fund Of knowledge strangely
out OF plumb with his fallen fortunes.
She grew interested and confidential.
she told OF the skeleton in her closet
that glassed-legged monstrosity who
mad almost made her reason totter on
its perch
Ihen it was the tramp's turn to
play. Madame, said he, in husky
pathetic tones, long ago, before this
viper got me down, was a physician
with handsome practice. let it go
to the dogs and went to join it myself.
III cure your husband if you'll do pre-
cisely as l direct
She believed him and gave her
promise. Very well, then, said the.
tramp. as he gathered his nerves to-
gether and shook his tattered wings
out for professional flight, lead me to
his room and bring along can of ker-
osene'
In less than no time doctor, kero-
sene, and the glass legged invalid were
alone in the room. The wife had been
out and the key turned in the
lock. One brief, business glance the
vagabond turned on the sick man, but
never a word said he. fitting the can
he soon had streak of Kerosene along
the carpet at the foot Of the invalid's
bed. Then he reached for a match
and touched it off. Imagination can
daily with horror on that bed-ridden
creature, S face as he gazed at that re-
pulsive and ragged agent of doom and
realized that he was at the mercy. no
doubt, of some maniac who had started
with fiendish deliberation to roast him
alive. He beloved for help like a de-
'pairing bull, but no relief could come |
through that locked door. And all the
line the flames grew warmer and |
stronger, and there stood that stolid. I
ragged man. that diabolical goblin
resi- from the halls of hell, with the
nerciless purpose of a hundred fiends
n his cold, determined eye.
A moment more and this horrible
situation changed. Those glass toes
began to wiggle and squirm at the ap-
heat. Then, with a sudden
ERIK, up went the glass knees like
lalf-sprung jack-knife, and the next
econd the classified cripple was in
-ot Graeco-Roman wrestling match
With the tramp.
1t was the work Of minute to
uench the blaze, unlock the door, and
Omit the terrified wife, Next day
hen the poor vagabond called again
y request, he received the latest fee
e had handled in 80 years."