Year: 1872

But 1t was no use; could not stir


and | was obliged to wait for hi,


next move. As he came up ] could


see that he bad nothing on but Q


shirt OF loose wrapper thrown


around shoulders; his feet wert


bare, and take him all in all he was


as wild a looking specimen of a hn


man being as one would be apt to


meet in a lifetime. About this


time | began to recofiect that | had


heard somebody say, some days be.


fore, that there was q crazy man


somewhere in that section Of coun.


try, and as this idea struck me il


made me creep all oyer--for if there


was anything in the world that


feared it was a mailman, for | had


often listened to my father relating
tales in connection with them, how


strong they were, and how in one


particular case t took five men to
do anything with a crazy man. |


had also heard him say that at
times they could talk as nationally
as anybody, and then again a spell
would come over them.


Again he wanted to know where
| had been. | told him that had
been down town to hear the music
and see the torchlight procession,
and also that there was going to be
big supper, and everybody was
invited to attend. | grew eloquent
in describing the performances Of
the night, hoping he would like to
see some Of it himself. My descrip-
tion of affairs seemed todelight him
hugely, and he commenced to dance
around and clap his hands in high
glee.


lie then proposed that | should
go back with him. told him that
| was just going home to get a light
so that could march in the pro-
cesSion, and that he might go down
there and that I would soon be
back again, and overtake him. All
this time he was daucing around
me, and | could see his eyes glisten-
ing through the darkness, and he
would hold his hands up before
him, apparently feeling for some
thing, then he would laugh in a
wild way, and clap his hands.


l had almost despaired getting
rid OF him, when all at once eturn-
ed and told me to make haste and
hurry back, all ofwhich promised
faithfully to do; he then startedup
the hill on a kind of a leap. | stood
for a moment and watched him,
thinking | had plenty Of time to
contemplate the situation, and at
the.saue time thanking my stars
for my escape. AS he passed out
into the darkness, turned and re-
sumed my way. | crossed the
bridge in a smart walk and hur-
ried up the rise just ahead, and
when | had reached the top | turn
ed aud looked back, but could not
see anything. | then started on a
kind Of a jog-trot, and had ran
abouta quarter Of a mile when
heard something blow behind me.
quickly turned and like to have fell
down with terror, for there, not six
feet from me, was this maniac,
Irothng at the mouth; and when |
turned he yelled like tend. !
,ould see him reaching for me with
lis long arms. Now he would
augh, then chuckle to himself, flat
eriug himself that ! would soon
all into his hands. After the first
care was over, | soon recovered
myself, and settled down to hard
FORK, for | knew | had it to do for {
ny life. Now he would scream and
hoop; then lie would clap his i
ands, and occasionally he would =
lb me very close, especially on lev :
ground. But was very fast, .
inner, and | had practiced run d
ing long distances, and l was sat- 4
fed that on a clear road that no. :
ody could catch me. BY this timO
had gained very little on him; ! I
as n0t doing nay beat /; E,had Savpa | 4