The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1876-11-30
STROUDSBURG, MONROE COUNTY, PA, NOVEMBER 80 1876.


1t was curious to watch the actions of
the patients. One was holding an animated
conversation with a picture of Napoleon
hanging on the wall, alternately coddling
and beratlng it. a number of melancholy
ones were swaying up and down on large
rocking platforms, moaning and weeping
IN the most hcart-broken manner. Some
seemed bubbling over with light hearted
ness, and others were plunged in the depths
OF despair There were several that fol-
lowed us closely, but offered us no molesta-
ton. Indeed, it was pathetic place, for
the troubles and suferings are as real to
these poor unfortunates as the trials of
actual life. Don't they ever quarrel ?" [
asked our attendant. Eyes" said he, s'once
In while, woman-like, they get in each
other's hair, but the nurses soon separate
them"
As we went up on the second floor the
one who followed us most persistently
kissed her hand farewell to us, and another
muttered something far from compliment
tary. Above we were introduced to the
first 'character" er"-the Baby" as she was
called. She was q short, thick woman,
about fifty years old, with a shaggy mop
OF red hair clustering about her face, and
long arms that almost reached down to her
huge bare feet After shaking hands with
her we gave her an apple, and l wish [
could describe the look of delight that went
over her face Simple as child, she
hugged the precious apple to her bosom
and fairly crowed with delight As we
went out of the building we saw her at her
window, her immense feet sticking out
through the narrow opening between the
bars as though in stocks, her hands protrud-
ing u little above clutching her apple, and
her red, frowsy head pressed against the
heavy irous-much as [ have seen the
baboons in the menageries hugging the
edges Of their cage. Twenty-seven years
had she been there, ard each additional
year seemed to take her farther away from
sanity.
The patients confined in this building
are taken out each day in squads for
exercise, and they go and come quietly y
glad to get out and glad to get back
Friends of the patients can take them away
at any time on twenty days trial and often
they 90 away one day and come back the
next, wild and unmanageable with the
excitement of strange sights and new faces
Across the way was the building for the
raving maniacs, but we were not allowed
within fifty yards of it. Experience has
proved that strange face was simply fuel
for their fury. 1t was consolation to
know that the proportion of desperate cases
is slight.
"This is the suicide pcn," remarked the
janitor as we went out. What he referred
to was an enclosure surrounded by stout
fence, containing fifty or more patients
Some had their heads tied up, and all
seemed to be in different stages of con-
valescence. Here, we found, were put for
safe keeping during the day time all those
who had suicidal inclinations. every now
and then one jumps the fence and runs for
the river" remarked our janitor, "but we
catch them before they get into the water.
OF course, they are only kept out here in
pleasant weather At the bestthey were
sorry-looking set, and were melancholy to
the last extreme.
Scattered around the grounds were
numerous single story frame buildings in
which the quiet, harmless, hopeless cases
live Each one contained an average Of
seventy-fve beds, all as neat and clean as
those in the large buildings. These patients
are allowed perfect liberty; but they are
full of whims. Some won't 90 outside the
door others won't go across the portico +;
one was reading book, which she con-
tinues to read without finishing from one
years end to another and all have some
peculiar trait that marks them as hopeless
cases.
''This is the Mother of the Universe, "
said the janitor, touching a comely faced
old woman on the shoulder, who was sitting
on the floor in one of the little buildings.
She was once school-teacher, and was a
very intelligent woman, for too much learn
ING had made her mad She gets her
strange title from her stranger fancy that
all the universe is owing to her for exls-
tence
eyes, I'm the Mother of the Universe (;
| made all things" she said, juming up.
"When | came here from California" she
continued, II was dressed in the most
gorgeous pink robe and covered with
diamonds from head to foot. But she
said, in the most animated tone, ''those sly
California devils stripped me of everything,
and you see what [ have got on now, y
pointing down to her plain brown robe.
''What have | got? What have L got p
she said, as though talking to herself,
Juggling at piece of twine fast to her belt.
'OnIy this" pulling out an old brass
shoe buckle, ''and the diamonds all stolen
out of it; and this" drawing from her
bosom an old programme she had found OF
some dance party. ooh beware of those
devils" she said to us, grayely. "Do you
come from California ?" turning to me.
EYES," l answered, willing to humor
her.
"Then must give you some diamonds,
she said And going. to her window she
:. ,,,o An laroa borsa chestnut and tW(