The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-12-31

IL NGIY Sd0 Dub Vi a NCl1 DOA-
sonable figure She is useful in the
kitchen, and employment seems to
benefit her. She is so taciturn, we
could learn nothing of her history.
PETER BUZZARD
Is 1.-The oldest inhabitant within the
walls. 1t viii be remembered that
it was he who slew George Bates, a
former Superintendent of the Asylum
Peter never cuts his hair, hence it is
of great length. His most pleasure bic
employment is to comb it, and weave
it into small plaits. This he does
every day. Since he killed Bates, he
has manifested no desire to kill any
other person His temper is satur-
nine, and deep melancholy seems to
brood over his mind He loves soh-
fairness, seldom speaks, and passes
much Of his time in bed. He enjoys
good health. except that about once a
month he has an emission of blood
from the nostrils, and his mind then
appears to be much more disturbed.
Like all insane persons, be has an I'M
conquerable aversion TO medicine, aud
will not take it. He bids fair to reach
good old age.
BERNARD, JOHN AND FELIX
Are three Germans who have lived in
the Asylum for years. They are stout
and hearty, but altogether disqualified
for taking care of and supporting
themselves. They are tractable, and
Of some use in working the farm, but
require much looking after, a tire
some task.
ED,
For short, is the name of another un-
fortunate. He is a Tennesseean,
young and good looking. When sane,
he was good fiddler, and now he
amuses himself with two sticks, one
held as fiddle and the other as the
bow, while, as he scrapes one across
the other, he moves the fBg rs of the
left hand as though he had the strings
of the fiddle beneath them, and he
was playing the tune. He has an IT.
resistible inclination for running
on his movements. He is gentle, quiet
and silent, processes entire ignorance
of everything, when questioned, and
has strong dislike for rats. Occa-
sionally he is heard saying. Bully
Ed! Bully Ed! Kill EN- Kill 'em."
" Kill what Ed?" Rats"
$1,000, JEM,
Another old stand by. He is much
given to astronomical observations,
and when unemployed has his eyes
always cast upward. In Summer
time, if left by himself, he will stand
for hours, perfectly erect, his head
thrown back on his shoulders, gazing
wide-eyed at the blazing sun. IF set
to do anything alone, it is never done,
as a fit of abstraction Immediately
seizes him, and he loses all thoughts
of the work he set about to perform.
He was an inveterate tobacco chewer,
but now he fills both cheeks with old
rags, corn-shucks, and other trash,
and supposes mis- mouth to be filed
with choice Virginia.
JOHN w. MATTHIAS
Is battle Scared veteran of Co. "A
Forty second Ind. Vol. Infantry; was
wounded at Perryville, KY, and Re-
SAGA, GA. He is a confirmed hypo-
condriac. His idiosyncracy consists
in imagining he has no stomqch. He
firmly believes that after his return
from the war, his astronomical re-
pository burst, and in time rOtted
away The remainder of his abdom-
inal viscera he believes to be intact,
but useless. His appetite is ravenous.
and were the eatables given to him,
he could eat from morning to night.
He has a singular and extraordinary
facility of emptying his stomach, and
this he invariably does few minutes
after he has made repast. He is
then ready and eager for another
meal. The sight of food when in a
state of hamilton, is to him irresist-
ably tempting, and he must snatch it,
hence he is forbidden access to the
kitchen, he then has recourse to the
swin tub, and like the Prodigal son,
he regales upon . the husks the
swine did eat. We had a talk with
him somewhat as follows:
" Well, Matthias, how are your"
" Mine Got! Krank Ich got nix
blud Ich got nix stomach! Ich got
nix operationl'
The expression of his countenance
and the tone of his voice exceedingly
lugubrious. He continued
= eat some mush and milk, and it
was 50 good to my taste, but och! I
had to give it back. I wish | was
ike Others, who, when they eat are
satisfied with their food, and nourish-
ed by it. I eat and swallow my food,
but have no place to put it, and it
must not remain, for then it would
kill me. L would like not to eat, but
when the victuals are placed before
me, must gake them, [ cannot help
it."
And much more of the same tenor.
1t was useless to argue with him, as