St. Paul daily globe., 1896-04-19
ii-E |<~23ET
JOHNSON
WAS ECCENTRIC.

London Tit-Bits.
Johnson was eccentric. He was so
eccentric that / wondered sometimes
If, indeed, he was not mad.
He was handsome enough to have
won any woman and claimed her as
his bride; he was clever and he was
rich.
Yet he lived in a remarkable manner
on something under 30 shillings a
week, in a miserable lodging house
on the other side of the Thames. -
His sitting room vas as bare as a
barracks, and as dingy as a railway
station waiting ROOM and the de
crepit armchair which adorned the
+ hearth was typical Of the rest of his
furniture. The only comfort he seemed
to permit himself was his pipe, an
old. ugly black stump of thing,
which he smoked everlastingly, and
from which he was inseparable.
One night = one stormy, blistering
night made my way across the sod
dened gravel path that led up to john
sons diggings,
His room was on the ground floor,
with a window facing the back, and
II had just raped hastily with my
stick when I felt the landlady touch
my shoulder.
"Mr Johnsons moved to the next
floor" she said, in the habitual free
and-easy tone in which she addressed
her visitors. First floor, back; same
as this; only 'igher."
1 had scarcely got my feet on the
first step when heard the door of his
old room open surreptitiously-o in
a sly, creaking manner, as if the oc-
cupant was anxious to avoid observa-
ton, and turned round hastily, just
in time to see dark head disappear
within.
1t was face filled with the deadliest
terror-a face that inspired me for a
moment with a feeling of unaccount-
able horror. 1 have never, before or
since, seen one so expressive of cow
ardice and intense fear.
Johnson" 1 said, as I put down
my hat on the table, what on earth
have you got inhabiting your old room
down stairs?" I say what for If
ever man looked less like a human
being
"Hushw Johnson cried sharply,
glancing toward the door with a
strange, nervous look in his eyes.
What the dickens do you meanw
/ stared at him in surprise
Dear me, Johnson,"I remarked, ban
teringly, you appear to be in an ex-
tremely uncomfortable state of ex-
citement. Nerves gone wrong, I ex-
pect."
BE quiet" Johnson growled.
He put out an arm and pushed me
unceremoniously into low chair, and
it was then. at that moment, that ]
noticed, with sudden establishment, a
difference in his appearance.
His clothes had altered; they seemed
| new, and were neater and more COM
fortably arranged, and his whole ap-
pearance was more gentlemanly than
I had seen it for years. To add to
the marvel he pulled out, not his
stump of a pipe, but a capital Ha-
vana cigar.
Make yourself comfortable" said
he, seating himself by my side and
stretching out his feet to the fire.
"a patient of mine-a man named
Baines-sent for me at moments
notice, and he lives only a stones
throw from here. Poor fellow, he is
IN a terrible state, raving like a mani
ac and threatening suicide and every
thing else. 1 fear his brain is af-
fected," 1 went on, filling my pipe,
and all through that wretched scamp
of a fellow who decamped the other
day; Nichols, 1 mean"
Johnson started and drew a sudden.
sharp brea ath.
"Ah?' he said
That fellow ought to be shot," 1
continued; "he isn't fit to live How
many happy lives he has ruined heav-
en- knows" 1 applied the match to my
pipe, and added, rather bitterly: eff
ever run across that man I'll drag