THE VALUE OF PRESENCE OF MIND.
SIR ANDREW CLARKE, while traveling in Italy, says a medical journal, ascended a high tower one evening, and found at the top another tourist, an Englishman. They chatted pleasantly for a few minutes, when suddenly the stranger seized Sir Andrew by the shoulders, and said quietly, “I am going to throw you over.” The man was a maniac. The physician had only a moment in which to gather his thoughts, but that moment saved him. “Pooh,” he replied unconcernedly, “anybody can throw a man off the tower. If we were on the ground, you could not throw me up. That would be too difficult.” “Yes, I could,” retorted the maniac, “I could easily throw you up here from the ground. Let us go down and I will do it.” The descent was accordingly made, during which Sir Andrew managed to secure help, and released himself from his perilous situation.