Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1875-12-18
A "REMINISCENCES.
BY r. d.
Written for the Northern T,ibure.

wis one OF the actors:
Iknew Clara s. as a bright and beau
tiful girl at the age of ten. She was the
only child of Col. John s., wealthy
neighbor Of ours, when I lived in the
state of New York. Clara was the idol
of her parents, the pet of the house, and
loved by everybody who knew her. Her
pleasing and winning ways always at
tracted the attention of strangers and
made for her many friends. L can see
her now as she used to come dancing into
my room just for little call" she used
to say, telling me of all her pleasures and
happiness, never thinking of sadness or
sorrow t9 en~ 'a
ID 81 go ~
Years rolled on. had been appoint
ed to and had charge of an institution
devoted to the care of the poor and un-
fortunate who, in sickness. without home
or friends, are sometimes thrown upon
the cold charities of the world. h
One evening, while sitting in my OF
flee, a man was brought in to become an
inmate of our Institution. He had the
appearance of being about twenty-five.
1t was customary when persons were as
signed to our care for us to make a record
of their age, former condition, and the
cause of their being brought to us to re-
ceive our charity and care. fi.h8
asked the usual questions of this
young man, but could get no intelligle
answer. / soon discovered that he was
laboring under an attack of mania a potu.
The only information | got at all was
from the commitment; which informed
me that his name was Charles Wayland
/ entered his name upon the records and
assigned him to ward five in the hospital.
The next morning the nurse i'm charge
reported that Wayland passed terrible
might. He fancied that Indians were af-
ter him. He would start from his bed,
screaming Z" See them! see them, They
want to catch me, but they shan't do it.
FL beat them yet Ali the persuasion
of the nurse, and finally all his power,
would not nor could not keep him i'm bed.
He was determined to get away from the
Indians. He was finally put IN a small
room prepared for such cases, and there
he rayed and rushed up and down, claw
ing his nails into the wall, screaming AMI
trying to get out. The physician tried
to get him under the influence of OPT
atcs, but could not succeed.
THIS matters went on from day to
day. the patient becoming weaker and
weaker, until finally he died the drunk
ards death. We placed the body in the
dead house connected with the institu-
ton and waited the usual time before
burial, When it WAS taken to the Potter's
Field ami buried, only the little pine
board AZ the head of his grave, with the
number 725 upon it, indicated that pa
tient No. 795. Charles Wayland. lay
mouitsering beneath the mound heaped
| there. a
Such events. TRANSPORTING as they did
in rapid succession, did not make much OF
an impression upon me, except, perhaps,
to call to mind that another had been
tempted by the intoxicating cup, had
gone on from bad to worse. until at last
| had died the s.ddest as we'll as the most
horrible of deaths. 80 -ta >
This case was as rapidly passing from
mind, and had been an event of the past
tor more than a month perhaps, when
one day ayOung woman called at the Of
fee and inquired for Charles Wayland.
l noticed that she was thinly clad in a
Emuch-worn suit of gray, and that,
Though young, she appeared to be pre-
maturely old. Il thought Inoticed IA
miliar look or expression in her counte-
nance as she talked. bz,4
1t WaSa daily occurrence for strangers
/ to come and inquire for their friends. L
remembered the name but had forgotie en-
the man. l turned to the register and
read aloud the name and date Of his
death. turned just in time to see her
reel in fainting fit. caught heras she
was about to fall, AMI assisted her to a
chair. She soon recovered her conscious
ness, and staring me in the face said, in q
strange, husky voice: Dead! Did you
say he was. dead ?" is 3Bk
/ assured her such was the fact.
'.And have come all this long, long
way, to find him dead?. Where is he?
Oh! take me to him. 1 must see him.n
| i told her it was not possible, as; he had
been buried more than four weeks. She
stared at ne with vacant, far off look
lin her, eyes. Said she: /" Dead. anJ
buried! and no wife at his dying bed
lOh. where was /. Why didn't you tel
me? But you couldn't, because you
didn't know l was his wife, did you p
and she sobbed hysterically. Becoming
calmer, she said: 81 would like to SCI
his grave. May | go. to it2 Will you
show me where it is ?"s &
/ assented, and together we waikedou
to the Potter's Field. pointed out thu
. grave to her, and i thought her hear
would break. 1. hope may never. SET
such5a sight again. . Kneeling at !. th'
grave, with her hantis clasped, she wa
tered with her tears the mound that eov
J cred the form of her drunkard husband
Iwas familiar with hard scenes in tht
life l was living, but none touched M
1 as this scene did, Never before had
\ g.
. 'tz oatiif s;-s a