Year: 1866

Thank you"


"Thus, for a time, our conversation en-
ded; but We often renewed it again, and
began to regard my companion as a
clever, kind-hearted, though rather en-
centric old man.


Some time after we had passed NJ,
my encentric friend composed him self for
q sleep, and was soon snoring, and it was
not long before l followed his example ;
but my dreams were troubled. First of
all, l dreamed that was being hung
then, that 1 was being hand cuffsd and,
last Of all, that q great weight was upon
me, and that something was pressing
heavily upon my chest. then woke with
a start, to find myself bound hand and
foot, with rope passed round my neck,
and fastened to.the umbrella rack behind
in such manner that if struggled in
the least, should inevitably choke my
self and my fellow traveller was standing
over me, with one knee on my chest.


"What are you doing said I; but my
sentence was cut short by gag, which
my eccentric friend thrust into my m mou,h
and tied behind my head. He then stood
away to look at his handiwork, with eyes
glazing like those Of a wild beast, and bis
whole frame trembling with the excite
ment.


"Now," he said, with a wild laugh,
"now l shall be able to try my grand ex
pertinent now l shall be able to fnd out
whether the heart can be extracted while
a man is alive, without killing him -
Twice have failed, bu. the stars have
tod me that third time / shall not fail.
0, fame, glory, Immortality, l have you
in my grasp! What pi,itul fool, do you
turn pale and tremble? If you do die,
you will die glorious martyr to science
And if you live, you and will share
the glory of :his grand discovery T.


From this ridiculous rhodomontade,
perceived that my pleasant, eccentric
travelling companion was a raving mani
&C. What was to do l could not move
hand or foot, or even speak, and the mad.
man was arranging bis steel instruments. i.
which he took from the mahogan box
which l have mentioned before. Was
there any hope for me? tried to re-.
member how long it was after we left
NJ, only went to sleep, as thought
that if We only got to r, the maniac
would be discovered, and should be re-
leved from the horrible death which now
seemed imminent, but as | had been doz
ing sometime before, went regularly off
to sleep, | found that could not in the
least remember what time had passed.


After somo time spent in preparing his
instrument, my prosecutor began to pre-
pare me BY unbu,toniug my waistcoat = nd
barring my breast. A. length everything
seemed to be to his satisfaction, and be
took up sharp, keeu-bladed knife. |
shall never forget my sensations when |
saw that little gli,tering instrument, 20
soon to be dyed with NY blood. 1 felt a
cold shudder run all through my body,
and l longed to close my eyes, but they
seemed to keep open by sort Of horrible
fascination. Alter trying the edge of the
knife, and preparing cloth, and giving
one final look to his. instruments, my &C.
centric friend pressed his fingers close
above my heart, and said


"This is how l am going to manage it,
my friend, am going to cut circle in
the flesh, about the heart, with this knife
it will not hurt much, as | shall only jus,
cut through the skin, and the knife is ex-
ceedingly sharp / shall then proceed to
dig deeper wit It's instrument, and finally
extract the heart with this ''


The reader may imagine my sensations
during this cold blooded recital for | am
utterly unable to describe them bu,
when the sharp steel first pierced my
flesh, and felt the warm blood flowing
out, all my pasl life seemed to pass be.
fore my mind in moment of time, only
to make my desire of still li,ing, and
tie horror of an ignominious death, ten,
fold.


Slowly the sharp knife plowed into my
flesh, making my blood freeze in the
veins, and my eyeballs burn and feel read )
to burst from their sockets: aud now
felt my reason gradually leaving me; the
strain upon my nerves was too much
they must give way; but | considered
thai, il they did, my only hope would be
gone for il moved, | should be che oksd
with the rope round ny neck.


Slowly the sharp knife, impelled by the
steady hand, continued its deadly course,
and now The circle was nearly accom-