Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-05-14

passed, but I doubt If any man was
ever saved from horrible and painful
death in stranger manner that was l
twenty-five years ago, when l was en-
ployed as under -timekeeper at Wheat
ly & Sons great saw mills, in the
Westminster Bridge road.
My adventure sprang SO directly out
OF an incident connected with my do
mestic life that may perhaps be par
doned for referring to the incident in
question. 1t was rs follows:
When I first came to the sawmills !
lodged with fellow employee named
Maxwell. He was tall, powerfully
built, dark fellow, possessed of a cur
ious manner which made many of us
call him mad, though believe none
OF us ever thought him really insane.
When in a good humor he was the
best OF companions, and after time
he and became great friends.
Our friendship would doubtless have
continued had it not lieen for the in
PREVENTION of that breaker Of so many
friendships between man and mana
woman. Ella Langley was the sweetest
girl I had ever looked upon, and when
1 first saw her face I longed to make
her my wife. I con6ded my purpose
one evening to Maxwell Us we sat
smoking our pipes at our lodging, and
he sprsng up as though l had shot
him.
Curse you, Graham" he said, in a
hoarse tone, the old mad look blazing
in his gray eyes; 81 mean to marry
that girl myself. Keep away from her,
do you hear?"
l could not help laughing.
"Your behavior is extraor. linary,"
said, land your remark still more 80.
Haven't I as much right as you to
Miss Langley?"
Fright or no, right" he said, in a
logged tone, "you had better mind
what I say. We have been good
friends, Graham; hut, Heaven hclI
you if you make Ella Langley your
wife. II cannot have her myself, l
will take care that You do not either.
81 have heard" / replied qnietly,
"of the story of the dog in the manger,
but never thought you were that
kind of animal, Maxwell. Come, lei
us shake hands, as pals should do, DAD
forget this nonsense. We both have
equal chances, rs understand it, and
let the best man win"
He held out his hand, s1lkily, and
muttered that he hal no desire t.
quarrel, but that lie was very jealous
and hated the idea of having rival
Putting down his late outbreak to some
mad impulse which lie could not con
troll, dismissed the incident from my
mind aud soon forgot all about it.
To make long story short, I may
say that shortly afterward aske,
Ella Langley to marry me, Hrl she
consented. We were wed within q
short space, and Maxwell conSratu
lated me along with the others, I Won
dering at his magnanimity. Little
did I guess the hideous vengeanc,
which was already developin:
in his brain; otherwise I douht il
should have gone my way with my
bride as ioyfully as went it then.
The weeks passed uneventfully
enough, and brought us to the Angus
bank holiday. On that day the entire
factory was closed, the only person
on the premises being myself. I had
to look after the building until
O'Clock p. IN. when the night watch
man would come on duty.
Invent my ronnds methodically OF
arrival, and rs 1 returned to the yart
Office, where my report book was kept
I heard ring at the gate bell. Coin;
to the gate, I found, to my surprise
that the visitor was my late fellow
lodger, Roger Maxwell.
"Holloa, old mani" he said, "Tv'
just come to get my watch, which
was duffer enough to leave in my
locker in the shop yesterday. Sham
be minute.
Although he spoke in calm man
ner, and seemed friendly, I did no
like the look in his eyes. Somehow
or other began to fear that the mad
ness which we had always attributes
to him was now taking hold OF him il
real earnest; but, Of course, I conl'
make no reasonable objection to hi
fetching his watch. l. thereto re al
mitted him, and bidding him "lool
sharp" returned to my stool in tn
yard Office. D.
The day was exceedingly hot, an
very soon my head dropped forwar
on my book, and I dozed off into
vague, restless Mumber. Dream fol
lowed dream in fitfnl succession, an
suddenly the face of Maxwell SCENE
to come into my vision. His visag
was black with hate, and somethin
seemed to tell me that he was abon
to seek my life. I was meditatin
flight, when l awoke with n cnriou
feeling in my throat, to find the ma
whom had seen in the dream bend
ing over me in reality, his finger
twisting themselves around my neck
I struggled fiercely, but the strn2
gle was All unequal one, for he was III
finitely my superior in size m
strength, and then the fierceness
madness redonbled his vigor Fiv
minutes later lay on the floor of tn
yard office bound aud helpless. L
cry for assistance was useless, for tn
door to the Office was shut, an eve
had it been open, no cry OF min
could have reached the street.
My position was indee apral'ln;
Here was 7, unable to move hand {
foot, and at the mercy OF fierc
II Aniac, for I knew now that he WI
) .Adeed mad, and that his reason
which long had been wavering, hn
fed altogether. Making, however,
mi ,hty effort to be calm, | said, 4
quietly as conld:
"What is the meaning OF thi
Maxwell? What are you going to
with me?"
His laugh, low and demouiacal, tol
|; me that l might expect little mere,
When his fiendish mirth was exhaus
ed, he said with sneer:
"You will know my meaning al
what I intend to do with you soc