Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-09-20
THE COLLECTOR.
A TRUE STORY.


There are perhaps no scenes which excite
more commisseration or more sympathy than
madness. We enquire with peculiar interest
into the causes which have deprived our fellow
men of reason, that prerogative of humanity,
that characteristic Of his pre-eininence over the
rest of animal creation, that which assimilates
him, in some degree 10 the first cause of his ex-
iStence
During my travels in the north of Europe, |
visited, frequently, those receptacles ofderange-
ment which man has erected for his less fortu-
nate brethren Actuated by curiosity, enter
ed one day the Hospital of Berlin, where be-
held an object, the impression of which on my.
mind six years have not been able to obliterate;
often does this scene recur to my Imagination,
and dwell on it when should be sad.
It was man whose exterior was very strik-
ing; his figure, tall and commanding, was in
.,lined partly by age, but still more by sorrow;
the few scattered hairs which remained on his
temples, rivaled in whiteness the driven snow;
and, in the lines Of his strongly marked coun-
renance, the deepest melancholy was visiby de-
picted. He Immediately arrested my attention,
and enquired with eager curiosity who he
was, and what brought him there? Startled at
the sound of my voice, the object which had ex-
cited my interest seemed to awaken as from a
reverie; he looked around him without much
seeming speculation, and then began with slow
and measurable steps to stride the hall, where
the more peaceable inmates of this gloomy man
sion were permitted TO take the air, repeating
in low but audible voice, " once one is two;
once one is two" Now and then he would stop
and remain with his arms contemplatively fold
ed on his breast for some minutes, then again
resuming his walk, he continued to repeat,
"once one is two; once one is two
His story as l received il from the superior
of the hospital, is as follows:-Conrad Lange,
collector of the city of Berlin, had long been
known as man whom nothing could divert
from the paths Of honesty: scrupulously exact
in all his dealings, and assiduous in the dis
charge of his official duties, he had acquired
the good will and esteem of all who knew him,
and the confidence of the minister of finance,
whose duty it is TO inspect the accounts. OF all
officers connected with the revenue. On cast
ing up his accounts at the close of a particular
year, he found deficit of 10000 ducats. A
Harmed at this discovery, he went to the minis
ter, presented his accounts, and informed him
that he did not know how it had arisen, and that
he had been robbed by some person bent on his
ruin. The minister received his accounts, but
thinking it his duty to secure person who
might probably be defaulter, he caused him
to be arrested, and put his accounts into the
hands of one of his secretaries for inspection,
who returned them the day after with the infor-
nation that the deficiency arose from miscal-
culation; that in multiplying, Mr.. LANCE had
said once one is t,co, instead of one is one.
The poor man was immediately released from
his confinement, his accounts returned, and the
mistake pointed out During his imprisonment,
which lasted but two days, he had neither eat
en-, drank, nor taken any repose-and when he
appeared, his coun.enance was as pale as death.
On receiving his accounts, he was long time
silent, then suddenly awaking as if from a
trance, he repeated "once one is two %
He appeared to be entirely insensble of his
situation; would neithef eat nor drink, unless
solicited and took notice of nothing that pass
ed around him Whilst repeating his accus-
toned phrase, if any one corrected him by say
ing "once one is one," he was recalled for mo-
ment, aud said, sab, right! once one as one;
and then again resuming his walk, he continu-
ed to repeat "once one is two" He died short
ly after my leaving Berlin.