Dining With Madmen.

Hastings Standard, Issue 161, 2 November 1896, Page 4

Dining With Madmen.

The following mo t extraordinary

event happened in Lincolnshire : The violence of a f.'ll from a horse deprived Sir Ilenry F. of his faculties. and he lay in a comatose condition for several hours. At length his recollection returned ; and he faintly asked, " Where ;mi I and looking up lie found himself in the sirms of a venerable old man. " l'Var not," said the latter ! yonder house is mine. I will support you to it there vou shall lie comforted." The stricken man expressed his gratitude, and they walked slowly to the house. The friendly assistance of the old gentleman and his servants soon restored the victim of the accident to his rea-on. ] >inner being announced, the good old man entreated the gentleman to join the party. He accepted the invitation, and was shown into a large hall, where he found sixteen covers, the party consisting of as many pers )tis —110 ladies being present. The old man took the head of the table ; an excellent dinner was served, and rational conversation gave a zest to the repast. The gentleman on the left of Sir 11. asked him to drink a glass of wine, when the old man in a dignified and authoritative tone, at the same time extending his hand, said, "No ! " Sir Henry was astonished at the singularity of the check, yet unwilling to offend, remained silent. The instant dinner was over the obi man left the room, when one of the company addressed the newcomer in the following words :—" J>y what misfortune have you been unhappily brought here by that unfeeling man who has just quitted the room ? Oh, sir, you will have ample cau.se to curse the hour that put you in his power, for you have no prospect in this w;rll but misery and oppression, perpetually subject to the capriciors humor cf that old man. Yon will remain in this mansion Tor the rem,'under of your days. Your life, as mine is, will become burdensome, and, driven to despair, your life, will glide on wit h regret and melancholy reflection, Vcv one cold and miserable samenessThis, alas," said the speaker, " has been my lot for fifteen year; and not mine only, but the lot of everyone you see here siucc iheir arrival in this cursed cbode! " The pathetic manner that accompanied this cheerless declaration, and the singular behaviour of the old man at dinner, aroused in Mr Jl.'s breast a sentiment- of horror, and lie was lost in thou;, lit for some minutes. Then he said : "By what

authority can any man detain mo against iny will ? I will not submit. I will oppose him —fore to force — if necessary! " Ah, ?s'\" exclaimed another of the gticsirf, "your argument i.s just, but your threats are vain. The old man, sir, is a magician ; we know it by fatal experience. Your attempt would prove futile, and your punishmeut would be dreadful." " I will endeavor to escape," said Sir Henry, " Your hopes are groundless," rejoined a third gentleman, " for it was but three months ago that in an attempt to escape I broke my leg." Another said he had broken his arm, and that many had been killed by falls in their endeavor to escape. Others had suddenly disappeared, and had never been heard of. Sir Henry was about to reply when a servant entered the room and said his master wished to see him. ••Do not go," said one. "Take my advice, and for God's sake don't go." The servant told Sir Henry he had nothing to fear, and begged he would follow him to his master. This he did, and found the old man seated ; at a table covered with a dessert and wine. He arose when Sir Henry 1 entered the room, and asked pardon ! for the apparent rudeness he was I under necessity of committing at dini nor ; " for," said he, " I am I)r. Willis. | Y"ou must have heard of me. I coni fine my practice entirely to cases of insanity ; and. as I board and lodge insane patients, mine is vulgarly called a madhouse, The persons you

dined with were lunatics. I was unwilling to tell yo.i this before dinner, fearing it wo • i.make you uneasy ; for, although I know them to he perfectly harmless, you very iuittirally might have had apprehension-." The surprise of Sir llenry on hearing this was very great, and liis fears being thus allayed, he spent a pleasant evening with the doctor.