Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-04-17
BERLAPSADES.

No one could explain 1t And, II 1t
had the street-sweeper's son or rag
picker's brother, very hkelp no one would
have cared to explain it But Bonbon
Berlaps that was quite another affair.
It was in the year $500 The world
had steadily advanced Even society"
had been discovered to be not altogether
idea-proof ! Consequently there were
many social changes. 1t was regarded
as an axiom, that the simplicity of a
thing was in direct proportion to its
truth and strength. People spoke very
much as they felt, and often acted with
reference to what they believed. Firta-
tions, for example, were comparatively
unknown. Young men and women fell
in love with each other, and married in
Arcadian fashion Extremes met. The
fresh simplicity of the young world, and
the drilled, trained, and organized COM
mon sense of the highly-advanced world
were, on mary points, identical. The
writings of Tronope and Thackeray,
found in the possession of lovers of the
antique, were quoted as burlesques, and
the few who maintained that these books
were the copies and not the caricatures
of their day were ridiculed into silence.
In such a phase of existence Bonbon
Berlaps' complaints excited very much
such scientific interest and curiosity as
did. the first case of diphtheria or
neuralgia.
Bonbon Berlaps was person of i'm
portance. Republican forms obtained
everywhere, but neither legislation nor
culture could do away with the natural
inequality of men, although their vary
ing gifts were turned to better advan-
tage. There were still the masses and
men of distinction. In right, both of
his birth and talents, Berlaps was ranked
among the latter. He had also fine
presence He also inherited money |
And, although thirty years old, he was
unmarried, and likely to remain unmar-
ned A great many points of interest
to center in one man, even in the re-
modelled society of the year $500
His bachelor condition was not due,
female society. On the contrary, his
normal condition was this sort of inter
est-his liking for an agreeable woman
came as readily as a mushroom-but just
as surely, when everybody settled HIM
self comfortably, and said, with sigh
of relief, cat last Berlaps is really going
to make match of it p' the 'sinterest" was
suddenly succeeded by blank sense of
WEAKNESS, and puff ardor, admiration,
and affection, were gone like the snuff of
a candle He cared nothing more for
bno laQy! NO one could explain IL. Ihe
cause of these seizures, as unaccountable
and inconyenient as those of Tennyson's g
Prince, remained mystery, but here
were the facts. The blank and weari-
ness followed the interest" as surely
as shadow does its substance. There
was no getting over that !; and Berlaps,
who could make nothing of his case him
self, by the advice of his friends, finally
had recourse to the doctors.
In 1873 man, who should have con-
suited a physician on such grounds,
would very likely have taken his first
step toward a 1unatic asylum. But,
what 1873 must let slip perforce as too
subtle and intangible to hold, the year
2500 could grasp firmly, and analyze OF
dissect. Doctors were called, and pre-
seribed successfully for sulks, want Of
stability, speculating manias, scandal
mongering, extravaganza, and similar
complaints, and Berlaps' case received
immediate attention from the most learn
ed practitioners.
Here arose a. difficulty. Berlaps' dis
ease had no precedent, and what are the
most learned practitioners without pre-
cedent? Cripples caught without theil
crutches They looked wise, and talked
vaguely, but Berlaps' case stood where
they found it, till one of their number
who, being less distinguished, was still
obliged to do little thinking, suggested
that Berlaps should keep diary, not