Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-04-13

slTlke q cnOfd or memory, ana Sh0ulu
not dare to risk it. All, this is a terrible
affliction to Mrs. Burgoyne's friends, ny
lad"
"You think, then, Doctor" he asked,
''that it would excite my mother, if she
were to see me !"
''Think9 1 know it. She might tear
you to pieces!"
81 cannot think so, Doctor,n declared
Eddy. ''Even in her madness, she would
not harm me. :"
"My judgment must decide the matter,
Master Burns" said the Doctor stiffiy.
81 beg your pardon, Doctor" said
Eddy, humbly enough; Shut l beg you to
let me look in upon her through the
grating at The door. l won't speak a
word. Only let me see her once morel"
'1t is impossible, Master Burns"
sob, don't say that" cried Eddy. 81
am all she has in the wide world, Doc
tor
''Sbe has her husband"
Eddy mad a gesture of despair.
''She don't love him as she loves me, %
he said. ''You don't know how she loves
me, sir. She has worked hard to keep me
at school since father died-she married
Mr.. BargoyGe because she thought he
would be father to me. My heart is
breaking to see herl"
81 regret, Master Burns"
''YOu refuse them" cried the boy. 81
tell you l must see her! My father left
her in my care. l am her protector"
- "a Inatnr q
her guardian now, and the only one l can
recognize. Go home to your step-father.
Your mother is in good hands, and you
can do no good in hanging about and &C .
ting in this highly improper style"
Eddy felt insulted, but he could not
abandon his project without a last en-
deavor to effect it.
81 am only boy, Doctor Bullet" he
said, ''but l know that there must be
some one in the land more powerful than
you, who can permit me TO see my
mother. will see lawyer
"That is big talk for a boy of your
sizel" sneered the Doctor. 'rYour
mother was committed to my asylum in
accordance with the law made and pro-
Ylded for such cases. Any lawyer will
tell you that no one can give you per-
NIT to see a mad woman, when her ply
sician declares she must be secluded ~
Eddy. felt the hOpelessness of his case.
He had no powerful friends-no money.
And he felt sure that Mr. Burgoyne and
DR.. Bullet were his enemies, and that
some terrible mystery was connected
with his mother.
81 am only boy, Doctor" said Eddy
at last, sorrowfully, but with brave
look shining in his eyes, "but have a
mans courage. You may hear from me
again"
He bowed graVcly and went out.
With a heavy heart, lie moved down
the gravelled walk to the gaze.
He was determined not to abandon bis
mother, let her madness be IS dangerous
as it might; but how could he compass
his object
He had nearly reached the iron gates,
aud was moving with q lettering step,
when he looked back at the grim asylum,
No one was looking out at him.
Taking advantage of the opportunity
thus afforded, Eddy slipped into by
path, and sought the shelter of some
shrubbery near the wall. Here he flung
himself upon the ground, to wait patient
" the coming of darkness.
It was now about six o'clock of the
long summer afternoon.
How the twilight lingeredl Eddy,
peering out, saw one of tie keepers lock
the great iron gates at an early hour, but
the old town clock at RiYerton hal struck
the hour of ten before the lights and the
noises died out of the asylum.
Il was nearly eleven o'clock, when Ell
dy, cTamped and tired, Crept out from his
CoHcealment.
He moved slowly around the building
again and again, scanning the upper win
dows. No light cleaned from them, no
sound of life, save now and then q moan,
came from within these dreary cells.
''Can it be she is not up thertG"
thought the boy, q cold sweat starting to
his brow. "Can they have put her into
dungeOn}"
Around and around the building he
slowly circled, wild prayer in his heart
that if his mother were in one of the up
per looms, come pr0vidential impulse
might lead her to look out.
His prayer wss answered. lie who
answers prayer directed her restless steps
to her grated window. A slender figure
suddenly appeared, pair of hands were
Clasped upon the window ledge, and g
pale face, half hidden by a mass of float
ing hair, was pressed against the iron
bars, looking upward at The glowing, star
lit sky.
Eddy's heart gave one throb, and through
his pale lips quWeTcd the words:
my mother"
The vision fingered but q moment at
the open window, then withdrawing il
self. At its disappearance, Eddy sprang
up.
"Shc did not lock dangerously mad"
he whispered. 81 must see her-speak
to her.
He dared not call to her, and bring dis
covery upon him. He must work quietly.
Marking the window at which The Wis
ion had appeared, he saw that one of the
heavy branches Of q tall pine-tree swept
close against lis bars.
He Cgep. to the tree, climbing its trunk
ike squirrel, and gaining The shelter of
its densest branches. He was soon upon
& level with the second story of the asY-
lum.
4 moment more and he was clinging to
the loves! bar of the window.
What sight it was that met his gaze
within
4 small, Ubitewashed cell, that might
have belonged to q PRISON. An open
grating in the door, and the sound Of foot
talls in the corridor, told Eddy that super
vision was exercised over the inmates by
night as well as by day.
In the narrow cell woman was kneel-
in at her prayers. The soft starlight
drifted In upon her. She looked sad,
but the fair, noble face had in it no token
of an unthroned intellect.
'Perhsps she has quiet spells" thought
Eddy, scarcely venturing to breathe.
''Mr Burgoyne and the Doctor said she
was a 1aving maniac" GLOW am to
attract her attention without alarming
the sentinel in the hall3"
ne moved upon the b,anch. The
rustling aroused the kneeling woman, and
she raised heF head The neEt moment
her head dropped again, lower than be-
fore.
Eddy, grasping the bar with one~hand,
softly taDped on the window ledge.