The sea coast echo., 1899-12-23
"a o. "a
MY EScAPE,' !
A Case of Mild, Mild EecsntTicitI.

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l. II suppose [ am eccentric" said
Dick Clavering "at least they tell me
so; at any rate there is story anent
that, if you care to hear.
go OF, go on" Was the unani-
nous vote.
4 Dick settled himself Scomsoltably--
that is to say, threw himself back in
his chair, with one leg over the back
of another.
'It was queer thing 10 do" he
began.
"What was?"
The will he made" said Dick
"but suppose be was eccentric, too. "
"You forget that you haven't yet in
troduced the gentleman one of us
reminded.
.'Wen, Ican't say j know him my
self, returned Dick, though was a
distant relation; he had none but dis
tant relations, in fact, of whom / was
the most distant. 1t was for that
reason, perhaps, or maybe because
never having seen me he disiiked me
less than the others, that he left me
all his wealth.
The cutoff relations, you may be
sure" he continue !, looked upon my
good fortune with anything but equan-
unity. They considered me a supplant-
81, a spoiler, a sort of testamentary
usurper, in short, who had robbed
them of their rights. The nearest
Of blood tried to upset the will. The
testator, they said, wasn't in his right
m1nd when he made it, and proofs
were brought up of many queer things
be had said and done.
"But the jury thought man could
be queer without being crazy, and so
found verdict establishing the dis
puted document. s
"Of course, was hated worse than
ever by the disappointed claimants,
but their spite gave me small concern.
With light heart and plenty OF
money man is apt TO be on good
terms with himself, and not to mind
much what other people think.
II went to spend a summer at an
old-fashioneI country farm. half hotel
and half farmhouse, I found comfort
able quarters and pleasant companions
among the later couple Of half
AeIged doctors, in whom the pranks
and vagaries into which exuberanee OF
spirits often led me. seemed to excite
lively interest. They were constant
Iy seeking to draw me out. They
seemed to think me amusing. to find
entertainment in their freaks, and TO
crafty themI was ever ready With
some new extravagance.
"One evening they invited me to
take a ride with them to visit friend
in the neighborhood. "A brother chip, ;
they said with whom they assured me
| would be delighted.
'It was a long iie, but we chatted
the time away, and at length, as the
night began to fall, drew up before a
large building.
. This is Dr.. Crotchett's, said one
OF my companions.
''As we alighted aud .ascended the
steps the doctor came to the door.
He received us cordially and, the cere-
mony Of Introduction over, led the
way in. He was tall. lank man, with
one of those perpetual smiles which it
would be q relief to see broken now
and then by q frown.
Show Mr.. Clavering up, Leech,
said he to one of MS friends; you
know the way, and I have a word or
two to say to brother PELLET here.
'Leech took my arm and, at the
end of long corridor on the third
floor, let me into dimly-lighted room.
I thought it strange place to conduct
guest to, but made 20 remark.
BE seated, said Leech; 4 shall
return in a moment.
$50 saying he stepped cut and
closed the door.
Though is was summer the night
air was keen, and morning aud even
ing fires were customary.
"Feeling little chilly after our
long ride / attempted to draw chair
which stood near the wall towards a
fireplace Mt the end of the room.
Judge of my surprise to find the
chair imm movable.
my Curiosity was excited-I took
a survey of the apartment. The lamp
bv which it was lighted hung from the
ceiling out of reach. The only articles
Of furniture were the stationary chair,
a small iron bedstead and bedding,
the former fastened to the wall and
a washstand simi arly secured. I ex-
a1
and guarded by thick iron bars.
"What could be the meaning of all
this? | began to feel tremor coming
over me. Beads Of perspiration stood
on my forehead | went TO the door,
essayed to-open it, but found it locked
from outside! l shook it violently,
called loudly for Leech. and then made
desperate efforts to kick down the
door; but it was too strong and heavy
and inspection revealed the fact that
it was thickly plated with iron.
"a vague feeling of horror had
driven me almost frantic, when a
slight grat ng noise attracted my atten-
tion. A PORTION of the door turned
outward as if upon an hinge, disclos-
Inga small Aperture, through which
l discerned the face of DIR. Crotchett,
with its rigid sickening smile.
''What is the meaning of this?' |
demanded fiercey.
Come, come, Mr.. Clavering, be
calm, said the doctor, in his smooth,
hvpocritical tone; e ,citement will do
you great harm, You see. We trust
YOU will soon be better.
. Better" exclaimed: why there s
nothing on earth the matter with me.
'You are scarcely the best judge
of that, was the quiet response.
But | tell yen / was never i'll in
my life, replied driven to frenzy by
such insolent mockery.
Not exactly i'll, perhaps, returned
the imperturbable doctor; but you
have not been quite yourself lately,
you see-not quite, aud he tapped
his forehead significantly.
"Ehen you take me to be crazy?' I
said, bursting into a laugh at the ab-
surdity of the thing
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