Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-09-06
What Made Walter Grey Insane

JOnn ana fannie CarfOll were play
ing very busily In one corner of theil
fathers garden, within the shade ol
the willows that grew by the old
stone wall. A very pleasant place il
was, certainly, this warm July after
noon, with the sunbeams playing "hide
and seek'' through the boughs, and
the birds grooming drowsily in the
tree-tops, as if only half awake. But
John and Fannie didn't care bit how
sleepy the birds were, SO long as their
own blue eyes were wide open. They
were engaged in more important bus
mess than listening to bird songs.
John was digging a wonderful well.
whiyh, he informed his sister, he
should fill from the kitchen pump, il
Bridget was willing; and Fannie was
building a block house for her favor
ite doll and family. Dolly, seated
with her children around her, under a
syringa bush, watched the proceedings
very demurely, but paid little heed to
the remarks addressed to her by Fan
ME from time to time. For while,
little was heard save the birds above,
and the buzzing of hive of bees near
by; but, at last, as John was coming
down the walk with dish of water
| from the pump, a quick cry of alarm
from his sister, caused him to drop
his load and run in her direction.
He found her standing in All attitude
of terror, and gazing with dilated
eyes, into the bush before her.
30, Johnny! such an awful snake p
she gasped.
Where? W here?" cried her
brother, rolling up his sleeves.
Right there under the rose bush.
| was digging dirt for my dolls gar.
den, and almost put my hand on it. .
John pitched into the bush valiant.
ly, but after banging about while
and severely scratching his face and
| udHuS, uG gave III up
Are you sure you saw snake
he asked, looking ruefully at his
bleeding fingers.
Yes" said Fannie, with a decided
shake of her curls, "a great long one
all green and black, and OH suct
awful eyes! He frightened me al
most to DEATH
Well, never mind now," saiC
John, soothingly. "He has run off
After all, he would not have hurt you
for father says the snakes round here
never bite"
Fannie looked incredulous. Ye;
they do. | heard mother say that i
was a snake or serpent, and tina
means the same thing, you know, tina
made Walter Grey crazy"
Did she say so really?" asked
John.
Yes she did, really; l heard he
tell father so and if you don't believe
it, you may ask her."
=" | don't see how it could be-" re
piled her brother, doubtfully, " an,
: way, we won't quarrel over what W
don't understand. Let's 90 and asI
mother about it" So, leaving thei
, playthings as they were, the children
went hand in hand up to the house.
Mrs Carroll was reading in the re
cess OF the bay window, but laid dow
her book as they entered.
Well, children" said she, I'd,
you wish me to help about anything2
=" Yes mother" said John, "we wan
you to settle question for US. Fan
ME got frightened at snake dow
in the garden, and when | told her i
wouldn't hurt her, she didn't believ
, it, for she said that she heard yo
2 say it was a snake that made Waite
Grey insane. | don't understan,
how that could be; so we've come t.
} ask you about il"
Their mother smiled at this expla
nation. "Ah! | understand. Johr
reach me the Bible; then both of yo
sit down by me and | will explain.
The children did as they were bic
t den. Mrs. Carroll turned the leave
1 of the book a moment, then gave
} to John, and pointing to particnla
2 verse, bade him read it aloud. TIL
: verse was:
e Look not thou upon the wine whe
r it is red; when it Siveth its color i
r the cup, when it moveth itself Alright
> at the last it biteth like a serpent,an
: stingeth like an adder"
: +" Persons often, while explaining
thing" said their mother, after job
finished reading, " liken it to some
4 thing more familiar, which it resen
$ bles, that their meaning may be bette
$ understood. In this case, wine
t likened to a snake. Snakes, as yo
e know, crawl about in the grass, an
s persons often run upon them withor
l. seeing them. In the countries wher
serpents are dangerous, when peopl
thus come unwittingly near them, the
! suddenly raise their heads and Bit
and their bite is deadly. Those wh
3 drink wine, likewise, for while d
I" not perceive their danger but at las
: the appetite for strong drink become
!; so firmly fixed that they can not thro
/ it off, and they become bloated, blea
, eyed drunkards. Thus We often spea
OF serpent in the wine-cup. 1t ";
an expression like this, in reference
: Walter Grey, which Fannie overhear
u and, to make my meaning clearer,
: will tell you his story.
"You, childreD, know Walter Gre
Il only as a feeble, broken-down ma
: gray haired before his time; but | ca
;, remember when he was a fnc-lookir
d Young fellow, tall ard handsome, wi