The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-03-28
Prom the Temple Bar
LOST FROM THE RESCUE.

II have q sad story TO tell, and though L do not
l with II. I cannot but feel indignant. When SO
| lovely vessel was rescued from the devouring
| waters, who would not feel grateful! and when
| The oversight Of the savior, or the unlocked for
rush OF the waves. hurled her back into the gull,
| who would not feels addened and angered!
The most terrible Of all words to Q thinking be-
| ing is the word mad and OF all institutions
| Gad.house is the most awful. The idea OF that
l one sense, the human reason, which separates
| usn from beast, having departed OF human
bodies endowed with every other GIT save that OF
| souI-nstursy entails the most dreary, the most
/ ioaths0me consequences. 4 could never even
| think Of a mad house without shudderng, and
the idea of entering oae would almost have terri
| fed me into fitness to be an inmate OF II. Per-
| hsps the fearful stories / heard OF strocious
| cTuelties pTacticed by keepers had aggravated my
| feelings; yet the natural human awe was upper
| most. Therefore, when l was invited by friend
| to visit the mad. house at -, shrank from the
experiment, nor was it till after repeated socita-
ions that could make mp my mind to accompany
| him. -rrr t-
| In the external appearance OF the large build
ing. even in the internal arrangements, there was
| nothing to keep up my horror. The size of the
place. OF course, effectuslly prevented its being
private dwelling, but it had no air Of prison; II
| might have been an improved school-house
| Every thing was studiously cheerful, and the
| friendly expression of the faces we encountered
| met nv anxious look with reinsurance. The
chief physician of the establishment, who had in
vited my friends visit. came himself to show us
NY risnd insrod8Ssd %s with some express
| The physician, one OF those humane men you
sometimes meet in profession so much requiring
tenderness-a man, too, of fine presence, an in
tellectusl head, tempered by quick ana gen.le
you ever studied the subject of insanity, may
ssk!n sazay -
mo, have never ventured beyond its ont
skirts, ;" replied. II is q subject which fssci.
mates me and terrifes me together. The little
have read of IL has generally had such an eject
on me that have resolved never to approach IL
again but whenever get near 1t. 10 spite OF my
| resolve, II am drawn into the circle. You, OF
course have mastered its terrors."
| But before the physician could answer one OF
the wsrders came up TO him on evidently import
ant business, with the words: p" she Is going ina.
| way now, sir.n The physician turned TO us and
| said would you mind accompanying me to
| see very curious case ~ We assented readily,
and he led Us through the pleasantly arranged
garden, with its tasteful disposition of hower.be
| and rose-trees, toward wilder and more solitary
| region, planted with shrubs and few large trees
| The taste of some of the more gloomy led them
hitner for time, till by gradual care their minds
| we're wesned from solitude, and they enterea
| more human phase in enjoying the garden. But
| our steps led US even beyond the part chosen by
| the most missnthropical hermits; We seemed
| gradually pluDging into forest, such as that In
which Spenser imagined the Cave OF Despair
Yews and Expresses growing around stiaed out
| the wholesome light, and was beginning TO mar
| vel that so skillful physician should allow such
| an abode Of gloom In the grounds which were
wisely devoted to cheerfulness, when he explained
| the cause.
ss"Here,n he said, els pitch darkness. have
had some patients who reveled eagerly In this
atmosphere the first few days of their stay; but
| although you seem alarmed at my allowing any
thing so conducive to discomfort, found IL worked
| efectuay. Nothing tires a feeling so much as
humoring il. and after few days indulgence,
they were glad to get into the comparative cheer
fulness of the shrHbbery, and on to the garden.
Ia! there abe is he exclaimed. as We caught
sight Of female dress a little before us. "fhs
is the case" be continued, that invited you TO
witness. The patient is young lady OF respects'
BILE partntage, who has been here some time with
out showing one gliInmer OF any kind. have
long been puzzing how TO treat her, for not one
single experiment moved her. Look at her and
| Judge for yourself" a- 8. .
and as we passed stole glance at her. Her
| attitude and air were those OF nuu-tne nun OF
} | the Penseroso. Her eyes were on the ground,
expressionless. eightless and the robe OF darkest
| grain seemed to surround her with An atmosphere
| of melancholy. There was no absence OF p1-pose
| in her walk, as often characterizes madness.
She seemed more Ike q sleep; walker tending
prevented her from clearly distinguishing 1t, or
| discerning that she was approaching 1t. just as
we passed, the sounds of flute were heard IN the
distance she Quickened her step and passed Us IN
e turn, taking the direction of the music.
. 1.-The music entices her." said the physician.
4 Every day. about the same hour. some one plays
the flute just outside the wall, and regularly every
q day she listens. slight Improvement has been
observed since the frat time she came TO hear II
= but have been unable TO take advantage OF II.
9 have had other flute players TO play TO her with
? out her needing. You will see how she values
this"
e We followed her again till we came to the wal
& bounding the grounds Of the establishment. Here
q she sat down IS close TO the sound as possible
u listening intently. Each moment her face grew
more Invested Of its dreary void little lines Of ex
/ | preston came dawnlDg one by one where before
= was utter blank, her eyes seemed to search for
e meaning and you fancied you could see the min.
g within rused from long disuse, striving TO worl
9 its springs and move its machinery in consonsn
| order. II was like the movement within tree
u the first breath Of spring. II you could imagine
tree in which the vital principle had almost ned
in which the sap was frozen by long winter, put
II ting forth all is energies to master the numbnes
1t of its limbs, and send the blood coursing, as
81 used to course, through impeded veins.
Looking at her STILL and speaking In gentl
whisper. so as not TO divert her attention frol
q the healing influence. l asked the physician
u who is it that plays!
a 81 cannot tell you" he answered. otis lon
way round 10 the nearest gate, aad he would b
II gone before we could get there" This was adde
e rather apelogeticsly. as he perceived my meal
Is lis there no other way, then, ~ asked rattle
e loudly and impstienty, for the girl started at tn
IL sound of my voice and seemed 10 lose the notei
le The physician thought for q moment, and then n
Piled there was a secret posterD near, known onl
n TO himself and the higher attendants. by which
70 would let rs out. My friend remained to wstc
the patient, while the physician and issued car
tiousy through the low, concealed doorway. w
10 got out into little lane running between the wal
and an orchard.
re In this orchard was q small arbor, with rud
re chair, on which the fute-player was seated.
Sc got close up without his hearing, and then th
| physician spoke to him: - Would you oblige M
OF sir by not stopping, if you can conveniently pls
OF and listen at the same time ~ The earnestness
40 tone carried conviction With t. The player part
i | removed some of the branches as TO get pee
We at u.s. bnf he showed his acquiescence by contni
| ing to play. It does not Inconvenience you,
trust ?" the physician continued. The flute plsyt
shook his head and played on. So far as cool
IN examine bis face through the screen OF branches
We Was pleased witfftt nwas qute young FAC
ne though it had premature lines OF study ar
ag thought in a very high degree. An amount
dc hearty and honest merriment beamed stthe san
time from the eyes. and though there was n
m mental power in the face to make US over-hopef
Of his skill as q charmer, he was evidently goo
sample of q young man, and one to whom yC
q -. had nat aim