Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-03-24

cal readers if it have lain at all IN tie tract ~
insanity. must have presented such cases 70 ,b.
notice not uufrequently. However netanhv'
cal ingenuity NAV set US Specializing aboa, H.
8. why and wherefore" ofIt-the fact is updso;.
bile. il was thus with Mr.. Nj. Heh,J smI
into the ,leplorable condition Of simple. harm
less. melancholy idiot. and WAS released from e..
NAL constraint; but suddenly, one morning WIFI,
at breakfast, he sprung upon the person Who i
WAYS attended him-and had not the man le.,
very muscular, and praclsed IN such matter, h,
must have been soon Overpowered. and pcrb,n.
between them. Thrice they threw each o,ber>
and the keeper saw that the madman several time,
cast longing eve towards knife which lay a,
the breakfast table. and underworld to svirn Ii,
antagonist So rs to get himself within its re3rI
Both were getting exhausted with tie proloneoI
strugele-and the Keeper. really afraid for H,
lie, determined 10 settle matters as soon a, ro
sibie. The instant therefore. tina. he could %,
his right arm disengaged, he hit poor Mr. NJ
cruel blow on the side Of the head, which felal
him. and he lay senscCss on the floor, the Eo,i
pouring fast from his ears. nose. and mouth. u.
was again confined III strait waistcoat. and cm
yeyed 10 bed hen, what with exhaustion. and
! the effect of the medicines which had been adm,
istereti. he fell into profound Sleep which cnnir.
ued all lay, AMI, HItl little intermissiun l5rory
the night When he Awoke in the morning. b.
! he va. in his RIGHT mind. His calm tranoui,s,
features. and the sobered expression Of his eve.
showed that the son OF reason had really ono.
nj ore davEed upon lis Ion. bcnstcl hCutis.
Aye---he was
-" ilim,e'f gain"
| heard of the gnnd news before saw him. and
Oh hastening o his room. found i; was indeed
s0--bs altered appearance II first sight ampIv
co.rohorated il! How different the mild, sd
SIN lie now bcaming On his p.,lld faded feature:
from the vacant s:are--ihe uhmeanlning laughed
diotcy-or the !ieudish glare Of madness.--lis
contrast was strong as that between the ,Oi,
stealing. expansive twilight, and The bumia.
blaze of MONDAY. lie spoke IN very feeble,
almost inariculate yoce, complained OF dreadful
exhaustion. and whispered something ndl,Inc;
! ", about "wakine from lors and dNsr
ii ream;'' and said tat he felt. as it were, c-,r
| half awakc--or alive. All was new-,tranr-
startling! Fearful of taxing too much his Hs1.
born powers, ielened an excuse. and took ny
leave, recommended him co0ing and qp'et,.
medicines. and pertect sec.usIn from visitor.
How exhirated felt my own spirits all that day.
lie gradually, very gradually. but surely, re
covered 0lr of tie earliest indications Of h.
revi,ins interest i'll lie.
".all ali il busy, ilrorging scenes"
was an abrupt inquiry whether Trinity term ho
commenced. and whether OF not he was nov eli
gibe to be called 20 the bar. He was utIr
UNCONSCIOUS that h5ee terms had fitted over 5a |
while he lay in the gloomy wilderness Of nAEI
": and when | satisfied him Of this fact he a.
!lded with a sigh to the beautiful thought Of %; |
Of our old d.amatists, who illustrating the uncol'
scious lapse Of years over "EsdymioA', maSr
one tell linn
Lo, the twig against which thou 'eanestw'''
thou dihst fall asleep, is now become tree WO'i
! thDu awskest!'
II was not till several days after lis restOi
ton 70 reason, that ventured to enter INTO any
thing like detailed conversation with IIm or d
make particular illusions TO his late illness lnl
on this occasion il was that he related TO me .s
rencontre with the fearful object which hada'
| turned his reason. adding with intense lee.A:
| that not ten thouaDd a-ycar should induce Oh
| to live i'm the same chambers any more
During the course OF his progress 'o"afN
complete recovery. memory shot Its strengthen!
RAYS further and further back into the InspI'@.'
gloom IN which the long interval OF ln'aMH ''a
shrouded his mind; but it was too d'n'e--W
.spalpable and obscure" to be ever cOmpe'si
aud thoroughly Illuminated. The ray oil rec"
lection, however. settled distinctly on some
the more prominent points: ana wa seven
times astonished by his sudden reference
things which he had said aud done, dunn!
"depth of his disorder" lie asked me 'H''
Tor instance. whether he bad not made an a'eH
on his life, and with razor. and hos tN%
he did not succeed He had no recoI'e'N
however, of his long and deadly strug-s
his keeper. at least he never made me ~
alluson to it, nor of course did any one e.''
81 don't much mind talking these '"
thugs over with YOU. Doctor: for you NOV
the ms and outs of the whole aifa'r; but
of nv friends Or relatives presume
ture me with any illusions or enquiries "
sort. III fight them! they'll drive me mao I:,
Thereafter may suppose the hint was ~, ~,
garded. All recovered maniac' nave
an absolute horror, of any retefeHte o'-
20 their madness. or any thing they n'''
done during the course Of 1t; and l. II u''.-
accounted for? ,
ibid the horrible spectre winch 90. -
your illness. in the first instance e'' n
! itself to you afterwards" | once eA4I''
! 4