Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-02-28

Ha, The mouse. Like a fash came
the recollection of the mouse in the
chest. Immediately | set to work "a
capture it. This proved more diff
cult feat than | anticipated. | sim
ply could not lay hold upon the rimble
fellow: and when finally it ran up my
arm and leaped 10 the floor my eXas.
peration burst all restraint II would
have been a ludicrous sight. | doubt
not. could any one have witnessed IT.
to see me. an aged college professor
with my whole soul intent upon the
capture of a mouse: but then. TO on:
could have understood the terrible ne
cessity of the case | moved every ar
ticle of furniture in the room. ]
hurled book after book at the objec'
of my wrath. perspiration ran from my
face, while time was flying. flying: and
that imagined voice. il was now shrek
ing and bowling like a doomed SOU
suspended over the tabled pit of Ache
ron.
Victory was mine at last: a boob
hit the mouse and before it could re
cover had set my foot upon il. New
ertheless. was sorry the next mo
ment. for now the tiny creature wa:
mortally hurt: its side was crushed
But there was no time TO waste upor
sentiment: the hour of midnight was
drawing on apace. | laid the wounded
creature on the table beside me. and
al Of
about breaking the seal of the bronze
box
With file and pincers cut and twist.
ed with feverish hate. and at length
the tough seal parted. when-my God.
how shall | tell it? The instant the
seal was broken that mouse became
man. his weight overturning the table
and he falling with it 10 the floor.
could scarcely believe the evidence OF
my own eyes: but it was true: horri'
bly,. frightfully true! He was man
of great stature with a strong frame
and fierce face. but he was MORALLY
wounded. his left side being frightfully
crushed.
Oh, the horror of that moment. I
would have screamed aloud, but my
tongue clave and was powerless &c
utter a sound. The man glared at me
fiercely. striving to rise. and shook his
fist at me. clamoring in a language
quite unintelligible. while | could only
stand and stare with very horror. Sud
denly he caught up the bronze box
a will oil ho
strength he could exert; but it missed
me and went through the open window,
falling into the river.
In a few moments more the man
expired. And / was-his murderer?
No no: not that. not that. 1t was
know the bronze box contained the
soul of a mana soul of that name.
less foe of Godfrey. my ancestor. here
confined for 500 years. do not know,
how could | have known?
| must have tainted. for | knew no
more till the sun was high in the
heavens. when | awoke to find the
rooms filled with the faculty and stu
dents of the institution. | endeavored
to explain. but they would not hear
me. They looked upon me with COM
mingled awe and pity. adjudging me
insane. wanted TO convince them
otherwise, but they only tried to paci-
fly me as they might a willful child.
The sad plight my room was in was
plain enough: it was what they had
been expecting. they said.
became enraged and stormed at
them. but they fell upon me and mad.
me a prisoner: and here | am, con-
fined in a madhouse. unheard. The
body was regarded simply as cruel
joke played upon me by some of the
students. subject" procured some
where and placed in my room.
All. the fools.-New York News.