The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-08-09
The Madness Of Prince Max.
BY Albert w. ToIman.


| door, drowning my words AS we roll
ed across the road we underwent a
/ deafening bombardment | don't be-
lieve that there was a square inch that
missed its share of the fusillade
Had the boys known what the car
contained, | am certain they would
have been more chary of their atten-
tons But to them it was loaded with
| goods, like any other How could they
guess what was behind that bright
green wall?
Prince Max was almost fright-craz-
ed. The long journey in the hot, I'M
comfortable car had tried him sore
ly, and this sudden, unseen, furious
outburst capped the climax. With eyes
bullying CLASSIFY, he covered in the
farthest corner. But the worst was
over. We were passing out of range.
A few scattered parting shots, and
the crowd transferred its compliments
TO the next car | tried to soothe the
stallion, but he stood sweat-beaded,
shiyering as with the ague
We stopped From in front |
could hear the buffers coming together
--clank rattle! bang! The engine had
been reversed. Slowly we trundled
back, Were we to receive another
hail Of torpedoes? But all was quiet
Apparently the boys had exhausted
their ammunition. We stopped again,
directly across the street. Outside rose
confused voices. 1t made me uneasy
What fresh mischief was Matching
now? | soon found out.
Once more the train started To
me the grinding of the wheels was
welcome. | had had quite enough of
that town.
Then without warning, right be-
meath us, came a crash that seemed to
lift the car from the track! The boys
had put giant cartridge on the rail.
This completed the mischief begun by
the torpedoes.
Prince Max shrieked like a tortured
human being, and sprang straight up
ward. A beam struck him across the
ears with shock almost heavy enough
to crack his skull Half-stunned, he
tottered. shaking his head. Then, be-
fore | could guess at his intentions or
or prepare to guard against them, he
came at me furiously, ears laid back,
lips raised from his long white teeth.
nostrils inflated, and eyes like blazing
Goals
i jumped to the right, and shooting
by me, he crashed against the end of
the car. His head grazed my shoulder;
his teeth snapped close to my left ear.
My foot struck a metal water-pail, still
half-full picked it up, and as he
turned, gave him the contents square
ly in the face, Sobered, he retreated,
dripping, into the opposite corner.
"A tiger is lamblike compared with
a mad horse. If Max was really 60
ing crazy, was in fearful peril. The
pail was the nearest apology to
weapon. Worst of all, l was hopeless
ly trapped, with one door closed tight.
and both barred by gratings which it
would require some time to remove.
| Meanwhile one snap of the stations
powerful jaws or a single stroke from
a steel-shod hoof might seal my fate.
I spoke to him, at first gently, then
IN tones of command, but to no effect.
HIS eyes glared; his teeth ground to-
gether, foam dripped from his lips.
Poor fellow, he was suffering horri-
bly,! But l had no time for pity. With
q sudden wild scream of fury he rushed
on me again
Il retreated behind my hammock
swinging the empty bucket over my
head; the bail came out in my hand.
and the pail clattered on the floor.
Fortunately, at that instant the car
swerved sharply, hurting Max against
the right grating. That disconnected
him, and he backed into his corner.
His tanks heaved, his ears pricked
forward, his nostrils expanded. The
membrane of his dilating eye grew red
as blood, contrasting sharply with the
CLASSY clearness Of the cornea. He
grasped a fold of stout padding with
his teeth, and shredded it from the
wall like tissue-paper. He tore and,
champed at the backing Of excelsior
until the car was threwn with curling
ibers. Heart-sick and terrified
realized that he was stricken with
phrenitis, or, as it is more commonly
called, the mad staggers.
"A horse suffering from that afiic-
ton does not attack man mahciouslv
re simply flies at him blindly. as at