Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-04-14
g'n9lMEMPHIS TENN: FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL il, 1871

'I tEH fNf lNIT-TITT -IHTIITT TI|T I
I f'Well, come back after you have seer
her, said Mr. Burgoyne, But be sure
to be back by six, our supper time
/ Eddy took his leave. ~ s.s'3it n'
There is some mystery in all this,
\ he whispered. 4 Some dreadful mystery
And | must know what it isl Now fol
| Dr. Bullet'sl"
About mile from the village of River
ton, upon a lonely country road, stood
DR.. Bullets private asylum for the in.
sane. .ff0 EUiFfH0lNG
The grounds were separated from the
road by a high stone wall The house
square, three stories in hight, built oil
| red brick, and lighted within by narrow
grated windows = was some distance
from the road in the midst of small
Ipine grove, which screened the asylum
from the curious glances of casual
passers-by. y.ae8ss s..-e-,, ~ dii,,
4 The double iron gates were open upon
| this bright June afternoon, and Eddy
4 passed unchallenged into the grounds,
and, with a sinking heart, he ascended
the, steps Of the high porch and rang
the door-bell loudly.
Presently the bolts securing the door
Iupon the inner side were withdrawn,
and coarse looking fellow, one of the
keepers of the institution evidently,
presented himself. .,..
| Well, what's wanted?" demanded
this person roughly. y.2qlf itHo' 'A 'nf
II wishnto see DIR. Bullet, replied
Eddy liz n, as8s, II III
To see DR., Bullet, eh2 The Doctor
busy. He's got no time to waste on
The keeper made movement to shut
the door in Eddy's face. AS quick as a
fash, the boy slipped across the threshold
and into the hall. aHffga7I ln {ii /
Tell Doctor Bullet l desire to see
him, he said coolly. '"I shall stay
here until do see him. You can give
him my namei@Edward Burns" ahnl
Burns y repeated the dscomfited
keeper. ;" Burns, eh2 We'll, Ill tell
the Doctor. Seeing you re inside, you
can step into the reception room.
He closed, bolted and barred the outer
door, and sullenly ushered Eddy into q
small, dreary waiting-room at one side
of the hall. He then hurried away in
|
Nearly half an hour elapsed before
any one appeared. Now and then a
mufiled shrek or long-drawn moan
reached his ears. a;....f atsI "A,
Unable to bear longer the suspense Of
waiting, he touched a bell-pull and rang
loud peal, the jangle of which reached
even his ears. t 'a rr 1anafl
The noise had scarcely died away
when a pompous, portly parsonage en-
tered the waiting-room.
Eddy recognized him at first glance as
DR.. Bullet.
He was a hard-faced man, past mid
dle-age, with keeneyes, a low forehead,
a cleanly shaven face, rendered peculi-
arly unpleasant by sanctimonious ex-
preston which contrasted strangely with
his sinister features. The Doctor had
formerly kept private insane asylum
in New Jersey, but he had fallen into an
ill-repute, and it having been proved
against him that sane people had been
incarcerated in his gloomy cells, he had
been obliged to abandon that field Of
operations, and had re-established his
asylum at Riverton on the Hudson. He
had now been at Riverton some years,
and was regarded in the village as an
upright and honorable man, having, it
seemed, left his former reputation be-
hind him when he changed his residence.
"Ah, Eddy Burns! exclaimed the
Doctor, in his mild, bland voice, extend
ing his hand. How do you do, Eddy2
How you growl Glad to see you, my
fine fellow.1ta aitanH
But Eddy did not seem to see the out
stretched hand. He certainly did not
offer to take it. There was frown on
his brows, and his lips were set together
in an expression which would have rem
dered the smiling Doctor uneasy had he
seen it upon an older face.
81 have heard from Mr.. Bnrgoyne that
my mother is here, the boy said calmly.
II have come to see her, DIR. Bullet" i
The expression on the Doctors face
changed to one of uneasiness, which,
swiftly as it passed, was not unnoticed
by Eddy.
'"Yes, ah, yes" said the Doctor
smoothly. "You have come to see your
mother? Very laudable-yery. / am |
sorry though, Master Burns, that ] must |
refuse your request. Mrs. Burgoyne is
in o critical stale. The least excitepent,
such as the sight of you might occasion
her, might prove fatal.
Would she know me2 asked Eddy. /
81 think not. She is raying maniac |
knows no one-has attempted 10 com
NIT suicide. But the sight Of you might
strike a chord Of memory, and / should
not dare to risk it. All, this is a terrible
affliction to Mrs Burgoynes friends, my
lad l-o' iii'i lal s7'it
You think, then, Doctor" he asked,
that it would excite my mother, if she
were to see met
Think ! know it. She might tear
you to piecesI..
II cannot think so, Doctcr,i declared
Eddy. Even in her madness, she
would not harm me- la .sis-'t T.
Ny Judgment must decide the mat
ter, Master Burns said the Doctor stiff /
beg your pardon, Doctor" said
Eddy, humbly eRonghIi but ! beg you
to let me look in upon her through the
grating at her door ! won't speak al
word. Only let me see her once morep
II is impossible, Master Burns -"
"Oh, don't say that" cried Eddy. "I ]
am all she has in the wide world, Doc
tor ="
"She has her husbandr' 4
Eddy made n posture nf dasna;r