The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-10-19

AdventuN q 1efeAant IN sths Days
when insans People Were Chained Up.
Within the memory Of people now
living lunAtics and weak minded peo-
pie in country districts were confined
in the houses Of their relatives. some
times chained to the wall. A story Ia
volving b case Of this kind so years
ago is related BY New York mer-
chant
He made his start In lie by travel
ing through the country districts Of
Pennsylvania taking orders for and de-
livsrins goods Of various kinds from
the cities. He is now over 10 years Of
age.
"Ons fine afternoon" he said. II
called at farmhouse TO look for ord
ers for goods from stores in Philadel-
phia and knocked at the door. A voice
said come In. and pressed the latcn
and found myself In the kitchen Of the
house. l was confronted by a strange
looking man. unkept and unshorn. who
came forward from a place partitioned
of from the rest Of the kitchen, which
looked like a stall of some kind. He
told me that the master Of the house
was not In and that he was the only
person there Just then. had no idea
that l was talking to lunatic. as the
man seemed perfectly rational in spits
of his strange appearance. and before
started to go out asked for a drink
Of water.
"'Certainly,' said the man, but II
you have no objection to cream you
can have IT,
4 accepted the proposal with thanks,
and the men said: Please hand me the
key OF the dairy. 1t Is SH that nail
above the door and you are taller than
T. Without suspecting anything !
handed him the key. remarking that 1t
was very small one He instantly
brought into view a chain by which
he was secured to the wall and re-
leased himself by unlocking the pad
lock in less time than 1t takes me to
tell it. had previously noticed that he
kept his hands behind his back while
he talked. Then realized that ! was
In the presence OF mailman. | began
to back to the door, but he caught my
arm saying: Come with me for tho
cream
II first thought Of breaking away,
but on second thought decided that il
was safer to humor him a little, es-
pscially as he was between me and the
door. I went with him to the dairy, the
door OF which was open. There he
filled a bowl with cream and desired
me to drink It. I drank part of 1t and
made a move to get away, but his grasp
tightened. and muttering something
hD, ,rt hnfn
he brought me back to the kitchen,
where he stirred some kind of meal in
to the cream and handing me a spoon
told me to sup II. hesitated. when he
seized a cudgel, which l suppose had
been provided to keep him In subjec-
tion and holding It up menacingly.
said: Sup it
II made an attempt to eat the stun
and after few mouthfuls said had
enough. He raised the cudgel again
and ordered me to finish II. A happy
thought struck me.
"If you bring me more cream / can
finish it, I said. without daring to look
round at the door, as he was watching
me.
The madman was taken OF his
guard and went back to the dairy for
the cream. I Immediately darted out.
and the lunatic, hearing me open the
door, came after me with the cudgel. 1t
was now a race for life with me. ran
my very hardest, not even daring to
use my breath In shouting for help,
but after had gone about a quarter OF
a mile I saw that the lunatic was gain
ing on me. Not soul could l see along
the road and though l kept my wits
about me could not find any lane or
think OF any way OF doubling on my
pursuer. When he was within about 20
yards OF me I saw he was bound TO
overtake me, and gave cry for help.
Just at that moment several men ap-
peared. They came up In time to In
tercept the lunatic One Of them hap
pened to be his brother and the mad
man covered and dropped the cudgel
at the sight OF him. The brother
apologized to me for his carelessness
and invited me to turn back to the
house and get some refreshment. but
I had enough of 1t and declined the in
yitation. After that while / continued
at the business | was always chary OF
entering a house where there was only
a single occupant.