Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1899-04-27

ShiliSo WHO oOA vi ~ hCuL al ulOintI
and microcephalic, rheumatic father.
At first seemed to be on the
wrong scent. Alexandra Mansel, on
reaching manhood, regained normal |
health and gave unmistakable proofs
of his fine intellectual gifts. He car
ried on extensive mathematical studies;
he even sent to the Academy of Sci
ences the solution Of several difficult
equations. Absorbed in these and
kindred subjects, he rarely found time
to write me. His letters were clear,
friendly, we'll composed; nothing
could be found in them to attract the
attention of the most suspicious neu-
rologist. Soon, however, our corre-
spondence came to an end, and for ten
years did not get word from him.
l was greatly surprised last year
when my servant handed me Alexan-
Dire Mansel's card, saying that the
gentleman was waiting for me in The
antechamber. was in my Office dis
cussing professional question Of
some importance with a colleague.
Excusing myself for moment, has
tened to greet my old school-fellow.
found him much aged, bald, haggard,
fearfully emaciated. L took him by
the arm and led him into the drawing
room.
81 am delighted to see you once
more" he said, ''and L have a great
deal to tell you. am victim of un.
heard of prosecutions. But I am
brave, [ shall fight to the end, L shall
triumph over my enemiesl'
These words alarmed me, as they
would have alarmed any neurologist.
In them I traced symptom of the af.
fection by which my friend was threat
ened according to every law of hered-
ity and which had appeared dormant
till now.
"My dear fellow" I said to him,
''you shall tell me all this later. Stay
here a moment. am settling little
matter in my Office. Take book to
kill time till I join YOU"
l have great many books in my
drawing room-there must be 5000
volumes in the three bookcases. Why
was it that my unlucky friend picked
up the very one that could harm him
and opened it at the fatal page? I
talked for about 20 minutes longer
with my colleague; having ushered
him out I returned to the drawing
room where 7 had left Mansel. |
found the unfortunate fellow in an
alarming state. He was showering
! blows on a boolse open before him that
/ at once recognized as a transl
of the "History of Augustus" ln
loud voice he kept repeating this SEN
tence of Lamprides: con the day
when Alexander Severus was born, a
hen belonging to the father of the
babe laid a red egg, a presage of the
imperial purple which the child was tc
assume"
His excitement rose to fury. He
foamed at the mouth. He shouted:
"The egg, the egg that was laid on
my birthday [ am an emperor! /
know you want to kill me! Don't
come near me, wretch!'
He paced rapidly up and down.
Then coming back toward me, with
his arms spread wide, he said: "My
friend, my old comrade, what do you
want me to give you? Emperor
emperor!-my father was right the
purple egg-emperor shall and must
scoundrell why did you hide
that book from me? / will punish
you for high treason-emperor!-em.
perorl-I must be itl-yes, it is my
dutyl"
He rushed out I vainly tried tc
stop him. He escaped from me. The
rest is well known. All the papers
told how on leaving my house ht
bought a revolver and blew out the
brains of the sentinel who barred th,
gate of the Elysee palace against him
Thus a phrase written in the fourtl
century by Latin historian causes
1900 years later the death of an un
lucky French soldier. Who viii
ever unravel the skein of caus
and effect? Who can be sur
of saying, 81 know what l an
doing" as he performs some trifin!
act? This is all there is to tell. Tn
rest concerns only medical statistic
and eau be summed up in a few
words. Mansel, placed in privat
asylum, remained there fortnight il
state of violent madness. Then h
lapsed into utter imbecility, during
which his gluttony led him to eatini
the wax used for polishing the floors
He choked to death, three months ago
swallowing sponge.-Argonaut.
Killed Vampire.
The other morning Mr.. E. M. Rile,
killed vampire in his room on Lama