Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-06-17
MAN HAD BEE IN HIS BONNET
CREATED FURORE AT THE
STATE HOUSE.
Imaeines Admiral Dickens Fleet
Is Going to Bombard The
Ancient CITY.

fear FASTENED footsteps and terror writ
ten on his dust aud sweat begrimed
countenance. With one jump he clear
ed the first tier of stone steps and ap-
proached the main entrance 70 the
State House.
John r. Sullivan, a. Il. Burbage
and others were standing on the por-
tic .obut drew back frightened at the
wild object which was bearing down
upon them. The man did not change
his course a particle TO bring himself
into line with the steps TO the portico.
but in one upward spring, from legs
that seemed provided with steel rods,
ne cleared the portico railing full
eight feet in height. None WAS there
brave enough TO stop his progress. His
green shining malevOlent eyes CLINT
| ing like those of a basilisk sent the
crowd pressing back against the stone
coping and had il not been there they
would have gone still farther. he
motioned them back with a movement
that was not needed. He moistened
his lips to speak, but from between
their cracked and Scared surfaces,
scared from the fever that was burn
ing within him, came no sounds.
At last he found his voice; where 1t
had been is not known no one had II,
as all had agreed TO be searched The
ships. the ships, - he cried i'll terror.
"They are coming into the harbor.
They are training their guns upon us.
We are lost. Admiral Dickins will
blow us to hell and back and the an
cient city will be in ruins. His long
flowing beard trembled and swayed
as he uttered these words and turned
and looked back, back toward the har-
Dor where, to his frightened imagina-
|tion. there lurked horrible terror.
With a shrek of terror he dashed
into the building Like a wounded
animal which had received its death
wound, he gave vent TO narrowing
sounds, nerve hacking outbursts and
fiendish> laughter. Secretary of State
Tilghman, upstairs engaged in works
of state, sprang TO the door and closed
il against threatened invasion.
Downstairs the mad man was crossing
the corridor in wild jumps. His hob
nailed shoes cut and ground into iron
like marble tiling and echoed ana re-
echoed reveI berated and resounded
throughout the building. Like a To-
connective to which has been given TOO
much steam in starting, his feet slld
about until he managed To overcome
his inertia. Then he struck the foot
of the long temporary wooden stairs
leading upward
ITO the dome, he cried. There
all will end The triumph of mind
over matter, the strength OF reason
over the power of darkness will have
yindicatiOn. " AS ne spoke the boom
ing guns of the ships Of war in the
harbor were heard. The mutfled roar,
the deadened detonations and the long
drawn-out roar gave evidence that
the battle was on. He OF the wild
ewes and disheveled appearance turned
pale: CHASTITY, horrible saffron hue
overspread his countenance, turned
yellow, then white and at last clear
chalk white that stood ont in bold
prominence from the white pillars
about him. The temporary paper
wrapnings about the statue of Admiral
Schley cracked and it was seen he
was turning his head and gazing in
the direction of the mad man
Shrek upon shrek rent the air, the
wild cries that emanate from strange
animals filled the air and the satur-
MALTA and bedlam of sound swelled up
in waves throughout the vast opening
beneath the dome. The stoutest heart
quailed and grew sick as the man, all
gaunt and cadaverous let his ayes roam
about the open space, lifted ms spec
trail arms and hurled down mhledlc-
tions ON those who stood below. Then
he started upward with steps that
shook and Jared the temporary struc
ture, sent bits of wood and plaster rail-
ing in n shower into the upturned
rfnnd hnInNu and
added TO the din of the reverberations
which were still echoing through the
corridors. ITO the dome, was the
cry he kept repeating and in a moment
ne was at the door which guards its
steps. 1t was locked and barred and
was calculated to Withstand the strong
est onslaught that could ever be made
upon ii.
With one blow of his huge fists he
Wrenched il from its fastenings and 1t
fell crashing to the corridor below,
narrowly escaped those who stood be-
meath and went Gathering out into
the corridor Not besitating moment
he sprang up the winding steps of the
dome. His heavy tread, his quick
Jumps and mercural movements mark
ed his progress. The dome shook and
trembled. swayed to and fro as though
in the grip of a mighty blast and seem
ed in imminent danger of collapsing
and making still more difficult the
work of restoration being carried ON
by Governor Warfeld. 1t creaked and
groaned, twisted and turned, reeled
and staggered, now~this way and now
that like hinge pendulum seeking
some point at which it might come to
rest.
q Hundreds of pigeons roosting in the
various openings of the dome, with
cries of fright, launched themselves
in space and went circling about the
structure. Those who were huddled
about the foot of the stairway rushed
out of doors to gaze upward where
three hundred feet above them, sill
houested against the sky stood out
clear and distinct the dome about
which ran small balcony surmount-
ed by a rail of spider like manufacture.
Others seeing the eyes bent heaven
ward Joined the throng, too brighten
ed to speak AT last the man appeared
He burst through the small door OF
the dome and stood ON the platform.
The booming guns in the harbor had
ceased as they had begun and brood
ing silence and settled over all. The
foe had been vanquished, silenced and
annihilated. Faces blanced and eyes
ucara clos al rs the man clambored TO