Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-07-13

that Charles Reade tells US of, and which We
read of in the old chronicles of the mad houses
of ancient times. Here we're no irons ano
blinking chains, 90 cruel whip, 90 CORDS none
of those appliances to torture poor humanlCy'
| THERE is NO PUNISHMENT WHATEVER,
onlv when q patient was sulcldedly lucllneu OF
dangerous. he was put 10 dalkened Toon Sc
that he could not hurt himself or others. we
onened the door of several rooms where these
dang srous ones were, and the way inc oro"o
of patients scattered showed how much tney
stood 10 fear of them. % every Il 'or there
was bath room with shower and upge oath'
These were accessible to the paoen's' anu lucy
are compelled to take bath at least once
week and to change their clothing also. The
dining rooms are we'll swept and ia ken care OF
bv 81 me of the inmates, supervised by 40 at
tepdaut. notioed carefully the physical con
dition of the patients, and must confess that
thew were unusually plump, and looked IKE
men always do wheu they are underWorked
aud overted.
1t was specially requested by some OF the
s'nress" to have a personal interview II could
obtain it with
pAyMAsrER HIGGINS OF THE o. S. N.
and Miss Mary Harris, VINO were oe!leved TO De
| illegally detained. I asked for and saw Hg
gins, aud had long and private talk with olm.
| believe him to be great RASCAL but entirely
| sane and his desire for an examination before
| the investigating committee, and 10 the pres
euce of DR.. Nichols, should be complied with.
Working our Way back slowly We stood again
| ia the main eutrance, aud was Introduced TO
| DIR, HamliD and carried to the women Wafd.
| do not pretend to say why it Is, but To-
sanity 10 women is more strongly marked than
10 men. They are, imagine. more emotional
than mau. Be that as it may; stranger could
wax through the male ward aud not be struck
with the slngu.arity OF aclion and speech, but
few seconds 10 the female wa,d would teach hun
that he is among crazy people. Ev ry one
of them bears 10 her Carl &c, her mouoo or
her face. the unmisl akabe sgu OF abcrra'lon Il
intellect. 1t is most curious aad fascinating
| study. E lch Que lmaglucs that sue Is sane,
whilst ali her companions are crack q. lucy
can tell the uost couyuring and plausible tales,
and almost slagger ones faith 10 the ASSERTION
| of the doctor. The one plteous cry Is, want
| TO 90 home; and that word is repeated with
lingering cadence. of a changing lDhec!lon oil
tone aud voice unutteraoly sal. we can
staud stolidIy aud see men suffer- out win
weak women 1t is different, aud the drooplug
figure, the tear-s'alnei face, the oent lo' m'
the suppIicating tone will lloger in our memory
tor many day.
The chambers of the womeo are DOT only
scrupuiousIy clean, but are well furoished with
books, flowers paintings, aud works OF ar.
Nothing, save the grated window, shows that
they are not the elegant apartments OF fashion,
able hotel.
There is wonderful variety Of types of mad
ness here. The violeut are on one Il Ior, the
color.d Insane 90 the second, and The educa ed
class of patients have the third hoor. The
first foor among the mad women WIS like Pan
demonium, and crowd OF ia kog, laughing,
ouarrelling. crying patleuts surrounded Us ID
tr,ce. | am the Queen of + gland, Said a
hard featured Irish womau, who talked along
without a moneut's pause or stop. I'm the
Ou.eu of England! The Duke shall come
IN make warl Nv York is mloe The
Pruoe's oomiog! Parliament is open am
the Queen! aud 50 Oh forever, day aud night;
NV friend, said another, a mild mannercd
mvtherly lady, am going soon. My estate
has all been settled, and am goi1g to live on
it But, oh the trouble, sir. l bad; ou- 1t IS
over now, and you must come aud see ue.
Here, word with you, if you please, SAID az
other kind looking patient. Here, give thls
pearl to your wife from In ; aud she haoded
me p.bble which 10 her eyes, poor generous
soul Was priceless J""cL
There was one staiucsque hgure that moVeo
uot and gave 10 sign. The doctor showed me
her hauds-horrlble to relate, she had, like
the devotees OF HiDdoostan, 10 her madness kept
them cleuched so long that the nu: :cles OF her
arms had stiffcn ID and hardened, aud she had
lost he power to move 6ng:r, and had to be
fed like child.
Then there was shy, solitary figure, whom
the matron brought forward, who never could
he Induced to make sound uul IS she wanted
somethiuv; and her wishes once expressed, no
human D ,wer could cumpel her to utter
word. My compauion, who was married
man. said she was the most perfect type OF
womabknd he ever saw.
Slttiug on chair was the saddles. form
| ever beheld. The face concealed from View
was hid 10 her hands, the long hair threading
over the lone figure, which was bowed in the very
abandonment of woe. The doctor 8 id it was
always 80, nothing could rouse her; what grlel
filled her heart, oone could tell-)nIy God
Knows. She looked to me like Tennyson's
poetica picture of Mariana OF the Mosied
Grange.
There was another Casa poor quiet
patiept creature, who picks her apron and
dress to pieces thread by thread. Nothing
moves except the restless fingers that are 10
motion day and night. This makes TWO aprons
she has picked to pieces to day salo Doc!Or
Hsmlin Doctor, God bless you said voice with
an unmistakeable brogue. l am pravIog TO
the Vi.giu day and night for You, said
an old lady, and the Doctor pointed out to me
her shrivelIed arm aud scared neck She was
an epiiet tic patient, and 10 ooe OF her nts she
fen 10 the fire, and was feartuIly burned.
On bench there lay woman that 1t simply
cnrdled ones blood to see, AID here Sue had
her dr,s over her head, aud lay trembling anu
shakius like an aspen leaf, with suppressed
anger. She had gone insane from violent tem
nrr. aud was now suff;riug from what the Doc
tor called an attack Of emotioual excitement,
and as she lay shudderlng there, the most ap.
nslliug oatbs and curses [ ever heard came
from Fer lips, with trighttu rapdity. She
| will come to herself said the Doctor, 10 couple
of hours, aud il auy one touches, her 10 tna'
staIe she will hy at bis throat like wild cat
| rCl. -,,e ,oot her who Kent her face cover