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

lne DuIgOyne VIVA "ae eituoSo''
The house stood back from the street.
Eddy opened the small iron gate and
passed into the shaded recesses of the
lawn, hurrying to the house. He as
cended the steps, when he disceined q
man seated upon the Veranda.
Eddy recognized Hart Burgoyne, and
made his way to him without causing
himself to be announced.
Mr.. Burgoyne was smoking cigar,
but at Eddy's approach, started, and
arose, his face changing color.
ErYou here9" he calculated.
'eYes, l am here" responded Eddy
coolly.
The man and the boy faced each other
in mute antagonism.
Hart Burgoyne was tall, well-propOr
toned, portly man, forty years of age,
with florid complexion, and a promi-
nent Roman nose, who bore the reputa-
ton of an honest upright gentleman Of
great wealth.
81 told you to remain at Poughkeepsie
till your school term closed, began Mr.,
Burgoyne irritably.
81 know you did, SIR" returned Eddy
respectfully. ''Bat my mother is in
trouble
''Sit down, boy. l can see that the
news has been shock to you," said Mr..
Burgoyne in a more affable tone. ''You
can not imagine how have suffereda"
Eddy's heart softened toward him.
SIS mother, really so bad off, sir, as
| you stated in your letter." he asked, in
faltering voice.
'Bad off, my poor Eddy! She is raving
mad"
Eddy shivered.
''Don't you know what made her era
zy2" he asked.
'rNo. l wish l did. We were mar
ried in the morning, and she came home
with me. We talked together, spending
the day very pleasantly on the yerandas.
In the evening was called out on bust
ness. Julia went into the library. The
housekeeper says that no one called dur
ing my absence, and that Julia saw no
one. Yet when l came in, an hour later,
my wife flew at me like wildcat. She
tried to kill me. The truth is, she did
not know me"
''Not know you, sir2"
'ENo. And she flew at DR.. Bullet
Also"
Then there was no positive cause for
this sudden attack, su2n
''NOne, unless the sight of the house
TO which she came as bride sixteen years
ago. Everything is as Burns arranged It.
The sight of her old home where she had
been 50 happy was, no doubt, too much
for her sensitive soul"
'Mother is at the private mad -hOuse?"
asked Eddy, after pause.
eyes, had to send her there
81 suppose l can see herr" asked
Eddy.
"You must ask DR.. Bullet, my boy.
He can judge best of the effect your
presence would have on his patient"
'Then l will walk out to the asylum,
declared Eddy. 81 can neither eat nor
sleep till have seen my mother
''Weli, come back after you have seen
her, said Mr.. Burgoyne. ''But be sure
to be back by six, our supper time"
Eddy took his leave.
"There is some mystery in al this"
he Whispered. "Some dreadful mystery.
And l must know what it is! Now for
Doctor Bullet's!n
About mile from the villsgeof River
ton, upon a lonely country road, stood
Doctor Bullets private asylum for the
insane.
The grounds were separated from the
road by high stone wall. The house
square, three stories in height, built Of
red brick, and lighted within by narrow,
grated windows-was some distance from
the road, in the midst of small pine
grove, which feTeened the asylum from
the curious glances of casual passers by.
The double iron gates were open upon
this bright June afternoon, and Eddy
passed unchallenged into the grounds,
and, with sinking heart, he assembled
the steps of the high porch and rang The
door-bell loudly.
Presently the bolts securing the door
upon the inner side were withdrawn, and
a coarse looking fellow, one of the keep
ers of the institution evidently, presented
himself.
"Wen, what's wanted ?" demanded this
person roughly.
Il wish to see DR.. Bullet" replied
Eddy.
TO see Dr.. Bullet, chG The doctors
busy. He's got no time 10 vase on
boys"
The keeper maze movement TO shut
the door in Eddy's face. As quick as g
flash, the boy slipped across the threshold
aud into the hall.
Tell DR.. Bullet l desire to see him."
he said coolly. 81 shall stay here until l
do see him. You can give him my name
-Fdward Burns"
"Burns repeated the discounted
keeper. "Burns, eh2 Well, HI tell the
doctor. Seeing you're inside, you can
step into the reception ROOM"
He closed, boiled and barred the outer
door, and sullenly ushered Eddy into
small, dreary waiIing-:oom at one side
OF tho hail. lie then hurried awqy IN
quest of the Doctor.
Merry half an hour elapsed before any
one appeared. Now and then mufilei
shrieA or long drawn moan reached his
ears.
Unable to bear longer the suspense of
waiting, he touched a bell-pull and rang
. loud peel, the i4ngle of which reached
even lis ears,
The noise hal scarcely died away when
G pOnpous, pOrtiy parsonage entered the
waiting room.
Eddy recognized him at first glance as
DR.. Bullet.
He was q hacd faced man, past middle
age, with keen eyes, a low forehead, a
Clearly shaver face, rendered peculiarly
unpleasant by a ssnctimoniOus expression
which contrastsd strangely with his SIMS
| ter features. The Doctor had formerly
kept private insane asylum in New Jer-
sey, but lie had fallen into al ill-Tepute,
and it having been proved against him
that sane people had been Incorporated in
! his gloomy cells, he had been obliged to
abandon that field of operations, and had
reestablished his asylum at Riverton on
the Hudson. He had now been at River
ton some years, and was REGARDED in the
village as an upright and honorable mau,
having, it seemed, left his former Teputa-
ton bshind him when he changed his
residence.
"Ah, Eddy Burns!" exclaimed the Doc
tor, in his mild, bland voice, extending
his hand. GLOW do you do, Eddy2
How yoh growl Glad to see you, my
| fine fellow"
But Eddy did not seem to see the out
stretched hand. He certainly did not