THE PEDESTRIAN FEATS AND JfUjv10ROUS }nventures OF THE LATE MR. CHARLES SPIER, 1:PWARDS OF FORTY YEARS CLERK OF BASINGSTOKE CHURCH. NINTH EDITION. Hudson, Typ., HIGH STREET, IlASINGSTOKE. 18il..oA- ~._.-~ _
PEDESTRIAN FEATS, &c., &c. GP Mr. CHARLES SPIER. "HAVING spent the evening," we use Mr. Spier's own words, "at a company of mends at Mr. Maynard's, of Farleigh Park Farm, I was about to return home, it being near midnight, when the farmer cautioned me to be on my guard against an unfortunate maniac, called Mad Elton, who had broken a chain, and escaped from an out-house, or barn, in which he had been confined. This mad Elton was a lunatic, (but not, as was reported, the brother of Elton, formerly of Basingstoke, a shoemaker, and who kept the Queen's Head public house.) This poor creature, the boys were in the habit of tanta.lizing. and he was thereby rendered fierce and savage; if at liberty, he was deemed a dangerous object, and, consequently, the news that he was abroad in the neighbourhood afforded me no great pleasure.
However, I was compelled to go home, and plucked up all my courage in order to,encounter the man should he fall in my way, or I in his. The way from Farleigh to Cliddesden, by the church, is, at best, but dreary, and was rendered more so by the idea that I might meet such a man in the road. However, onward I went, whistling, like a school-boy to keep up my courage, I passed the meadows without any interruption, and began to think that my fears were in vain, when, to my great terror, on entering the church yard, I perceived, sitting on the opposite stile, a stark naked man, with a huge knife in his hand I knew it was the mad-man said to be abroad, but to avoid him was now impossible. If I drew bac~ he would follow; if I went on, it could be 110 worse-indeed it might be better, for if he saw I feared him not, he might be deteltedby my seeming bravery, but induced to attack if I appeared a coward. So I dashed to the stile, though my hair stood up, and every joint of me shook with terror, and just before I reached the fence, he rushed into a row of brushwood, and with the knife cut a tremendous stick. I sprang over the stile, and -t<) make sure of my safety, started at my utmost speed, down I'IA~I!M ll«loftll OFF1OE COl"yltll
If i, the hill. In a moment, I heard the stark naked man at my heels. and momentarily turning my head, discoycred that he was not more than six yards from IllP. Terror, yon may well suppose,.added to my flight, and down the hill I fled with the speed of light. My pursuer was equally swift of foot, and more so, for I evidently perceived that he had gained ground, and would most certainly have overtaken me, had it not been for a providential impediment in the path, and that was a whole load of bush bavins, which bad been tbrown down during the day, and oyer which I clearly leaped at one bound. Mad E~tUlltrie.1 to do the same, butfailing in the attempt, fell into the middle, and the bushes so lacerated his naked body, that he was compelled to give over the pursuit. I was not a moment in getting to the first house, which happened to be a baker's shop, and and tbey were up preparing tbe morning's batch. Here I rested for some minutes, and having been~~ supplied with a pint of good ale, got home without seeing anything more of Mad Elton. "The next morning the baker went to see the bushes over which I had leaped, and into which Elton had fallen, and e~pressed his surprise at what IHT RESEltllED I j I l i r-- Il>...-
T r 8 I had done-but what will not a man do who flie8 for his life? Koreover, the said baker, whose name was Charter, and who afterwards kept a echool at Cliddesden, measured the &trides both of Elton and myself, and decla.reethat the mark. of Elton's naked feet in the path, were twelve feet UUIlder, and the distance of mine could not be less: nor will thi. circumstance appear so wonderful when the steep Ile&l of the hill which we ran down is considered. j I I \ 'q