Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-09-20

Il
| We conversed for a few minutes longer-bs
| expressing himself delighted with the buildins
and grounds, and remarking that he would
hand me the necessary papers when he came
with his patient; and then, with the hope tbal
ne sho1id soon have the pleasure of seeing Inc
again, he took his leave. -
1T was, think, the third dsy after this
tnat Dr- Williams again appeared, bringing
ms patient with him-s small nervous, rather
| Intelligent looking man, with nothing aboni
him to indicate his disorder, except a restless.
ness IN the eye, which, being close observer,
L Immediately detected. The doctor at once
gave me look, which construed into a sign
that L was not to appear to know him, and
then watching his opportunity when his pa-
tient was looking another way, he said, in a
whisper:
Please bumor him, Doctor, and not LET
| him suspect that we have conversed before. n
he should assert himself DIR. Williams, and
call me Mr.. Hubbard, You understand it is all
Perfectly-perfsctly, Doctor, L replied.
Scarce had these words been exchanged
when the patient observed:
am DIR. Williams of -, and have called
here with my friend, Mr.. Hubbard, to look
over your premises :
And then watching hrs opportunity, he
added in whisper, also:
tie is little touched on one point, and if
Z.
to lock him in some one Of your apartments, /
would like TO leave him awhile in your care
Certainly, Doctor, 1 replied, addressing
tie patient, and humoring his conceit we
understand such things here nod is as good
as wink to blind man.
Then politely requesting the gentlemen to
take look over the establishments I myself
led the way from one apartment to anotber
TIL came to the right one. Here called
Mr.. Hubbard's attention to a very beautiful
view from one of the windows and while he
stood admiring it, the Doctor and exchanged
glances, and then both Of US slipping quietly
out, turned the key
"'Halloo| exclaimed the cntrapped pa
tient, as he heard the lock turn upon him :;
you have made slight mistake, Doctor
All right! said / I'm rectify it soon,
Mr. Hubbard ''
"' But it is me you have locked in-Dr. vii.
liams-and not Mr. Hubbard
90 An right" returned again; 1 under
stand the matter perfectly
:" But open the door, called the patient in
loud voice tell you you have made n
mistake. L am DIR. Willisms-the insane man
stands by your side-snd unless YOU can COM
prehend this soon, shall be under the disa
greea6le necessity of supposing you fool -
All right l repeated, for the third time.
Perfectly right joined in the doctor by
my side. And then he added 1T is most
capitally done, DIR. Maxwell, and am really
much obliged to you! L feared we should
have met with difficulty. He may be little
troublesome at first, but if he is, no dou BIT Won
know how to manage him n straight Jacket. /
think, would soon quiet him.
"'Oh, let US alone for that - said, we ara
never at a loss here how to manage refractory
patients.
By this time the entrapped man was yipor.
ously trying the lock OF the door, and shouting
at the top Of his voice
"'YOu are a confounded fool, DR.. Maxwell
"a confOunded fool, tell you, sir Have YOU
not sense enough to distinguish between sane
man and a lunatic p
80 Unfortunately for you, Mr.. Hubbard T
have | retorted
- tell you, for the twentieth time more or
less, he went on, that lam DR.. Williams
-f and that yOU, n fool are being
played upon By a lunatic Let Inc out. Lei
Ine cut, say-this minute-Or will prosecute
you Tor false imprisonment! Such an outrage
L never heard OF before,
Keep quiet, my friend - said L, looking
through the wicket in the door, and observing
my patient in perfect fury, his eyes glarine
with all the peculiar FIRE of an enraged maniac:
keep quiet OF shall be compelled to call one
OF the Keepers to put you in closer limbo than
you are now
=" then shut the wicket in his face: and
taking the arm of DIR. Williams, we walked
back to the office, laughing at the success of
our scheme.
"'Most capitslly done, indeed he said
and added several compliments which need
not repeat.
He then thanked me heartily-said he
would recommend my institution to all his
friends-shook my hand warmly-was proud
that he knew me-and, getting into his car
r.age, drove off
:. My patient, instead Of quieting down, as
had hoped, grew more refractory than ever,
and at last, in self-defenee as it were, | was
obliged to order some of the under keepers to
place him in the straight jacket-he pers sting
all the while that he was Dr. Williams and not
Mr.. Hubbard, and that was fool and he not
an insane man-though l fancied that if ever
L saw clear case of insanity, saw il in him.
After we fairly got him into the straight
jacket, however, he became much more tracta-
bic; and finally said, if we would release him,
be would behave himself until such time as his
friends could come to his relief. Under this
promise We did release him; and the rest of the
day and night passed of without any further
disturbance, fattering myself that the straight
jacket could do wonders
About daylight on the following morning,
the porter was awakened by n tremendous
humping at the gate; and on opening it, in
rushed half distracted party, Inquiring for
me, and to know if anything had beon seen of
certain DIR. Williams, who had ridden out
with an insane man the day before, for the
purpose Of taking him to our Institution, and
had not been heard of since.
On meeting them, Uniformed them what had
occurred-how / had locked up Mr. Hubbard
at DIR. Williams request, who had taken his
leave shortly after, and ridden off alone. They
demanded to see the patient, and at once
conducted them to him, cautioning them not to
venture into his apartmen too suddenly as he
had proved much more wild and turbulent
than L had been led to expect The moment
they saw him, however, they all burst into a
hearty laugh, and assured me that had actu-
ally locked up the doctor himself and let the
ldnatic escape
"And so itindeed proved. 1t was the madman
who bad come TO me and made all the arrange
ments for entrappiDg the doctor He had over
heard the latter planning with his friends how
best to get him into the Asylum; and with won
dertul cunning and sagacity, he had counter
plotted and played his ruse upon the whole of
US.
"0n being released and made acquainted
with the facts, the worthy doctor laughed as
heartily as any of US, and said he was only too
glad to escape by any means; for he had never