Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-03-25
The Evil Eye of Suspicion.

were secretaries of the American Home
| Missionary Society. Their office was
very near to mine, and was soon pleas
| antly acquainted with them. We were in
the daily habit of taking dinner together
| at arestaurant on the corner of Beekman
and Nassau streets, in the building which
is now the Park Hotel.
In the summer Of that year, conversing
with a friend and speaking of pleasant
persons with whom had become associ-
ated since coming to the city, / mentioned
DR.. Badger as one of them. My friend
remarked:
"What a pity it Is that he is afflicted
with such turns
81 was not aware that he was suffer
ing in any way. To what do you al
lude?"
"Perhaps I ought not to have spoken
of it." my friend replied )" but lest you
should imagine it 70 be something worse
than it really is, I may as well tell you; he
has occasional turns of arrangement, and
is obliged to leave his work and retire
for time to an asylum. They do not
last long, but they have been coming on
more and more frequently for some
years"
"This is very sad; | would not have
suspected it from anything [ have seen;
but now that you speak of it, | perceive
sadness, reticence, and almost a mel
ancholy in his expression that may we'll
haunt mind that is disordered"
eyes; it takes the form of melancholy
without cause and is temporarily relieved
by medical treatment only to return more
painfully than before"
From this time onward [ began to pay
more particular attention to the looks,
the acting, the manner and words Of my
poor unfortunate friend Badger. I OBJ
served that he and his colleague always
came to dinner together, which indicated
the Importance of his being closely
watched. He sometimes failed to notice
a remark made by another of the COM
pany at the table, which led me to think
his mind was wandering. He would now
and then cast a glance so full of pity and
sorrow / was sure that he was himself
suffering. His knife and fork began to
appear dangerous weapons in his hands,
and # he rested moment in the midst
of dinner he seemed to me meditating
an attack upon some other meat than
that on his plate. The signs Of latent
madness cropped out continually. and the
danger of being with him appeared to in
hot T Ioto 70
consultation with DIR. Hall in reference
to some decided course to be pursued
with him.
Seeking an opportunity I said to him
when we were by ourselves: at is very
sad, this trouble of DR.. Badger's don't
you think something ought to be done
about it,"
II do not understand you," said Dr.
Hall
Il beg pardon if have touched upon
anything that is secret, but supposed
it was generally known and it was in
the purest sympathy that | referred to
it."
DR.. Hall replied: II do not know
what you are speaking of and you will
have to explain yourself"
Twas still under the impression that
he was trying to divert me from my sus-
picions and | said frankly: Il am told
that he is subject to fits of arrangement,
and is often confined for treatment and
then returns to his duties"
DR.. Hall exploded with laughter, to my
astonishment and relief, and calling to
DR.. Badger, whose room adjoined his
own, he said: "Come in here and tell
us what you have been doing" He then
repeated to his associate the story | had
told him, and they made themselves as
merry over it as was becoming in two
divines
When the explanation was sought, it
was found that my informant had con-
founded Dr. Badger with another person,
of whom all the facts were correctly
stated, but they were applied to the
wrong man! For long time afterward
the incident was the occasion of pleas
antry between us and besides the amuse-
ment it afforded is the lesson it teaches
to be very cautious of awakening unjust
supicions in regard to others.
If had been called on to testify in
court of justice as to the sanity of DR..
Badger, before / went to his colleague
with my suspicious, should have been
compelled TO speak of the "look out of
his eye," the "incoherent observat. on"
the -mindedness," the sudden
movement" the apparent melancholy"
which had marked the department of
one of the most even, placid, well-bal-
anced, judicious and undisturbed men in
the world. But the evil eye of suspi-
cion with which / had regarded him had
discovered signs of incip1ent insanity,
and had perverted the suavity of Chris
tan gentleman into the lurking seeds of
mental disease.-Irentsus, IN n. 7. Oh
server.
An Animated Bouquet.
LUCY HOOPER, in a Paris letter to the
philadelphia Press, tells the following: