The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-05-23

strange morbid fancles; Dut sucn Iancles
were invariably found in ths brains oi
sick persons. This man is well. And in
the course of my long ministration, l have
never before met with such person, that
was in perfect health, that held so strange
a fancy as that. Were he sick, l should
hope that such fancy would pass away
with returning health, but he is physical
ly we'll and strong. Now it does seem
strange. for all manner of strange fancies
are born of sickness. Even insanity it.
self, that anomaly, comes in all cases, in
in every case, from physical disease. For
the mind is not subject to disease, but is
only deranged because the body, the me.
dium through which it acts, is disordered.
and it cannot act clearly. That is my
firm opinion. But now find fancy
unaccountable, held by a man in suffici-
emily good health. I repeat, / am at my
wits end, and for the first time in my
lengthy practice. Patients have died
while I was doing my utmost to save
them; but could not decide what it was
that was destroying them. If it were
possible for such thing to happen in
this world, I should say that your son
had exchanged souls with some other
man."
aOh, DOCTOR" said Mr.. Williams, "you
frighten me. 1 have had much conf
dence in your skill and judgment for
many years, and now you fail me. What
shall do?" -
IT will do all that I possibly can do for
you in your trouble" said the good old
man. sat present 1 think that we had
better wait and see what time will do for
us. Some men will run mad at the sight
of human blood; and insanity manifests
itself in strange ways sometimes. If the
worst comes you know that he will have
tc be taken to the asylum. Don't cross
him. Humor his whims."
The good old doctor went home, and
Ellen and Nellie went out by themselves
and wept, and tortured and comforted
each other by turns, as best they knew
how, while Mr.. Williams paced the floor,
wondering what course he had best pur-
sue with the son under such strange de.
lusion; while Frank lay on the bed
dreaming of Mona Liza and Aunt Jane,
'snd wondering how they could live with
ilut him, or he without them.
Now, those two young men were very
much alike. They were both tall, we'll
made, reasonable men. They both had
the same speaking, dark eyes, jetty curls,
fine black beard, and gentle, dignifed
manner, that had marked the brother of
Thomas in his life. Had they been seen
together, one could scarce have noticed a
shade of difference, and added to that i'm
portant fact was another fact to be con-
.ssidered. Thomas and Ellen had not seen
their son for three months, and they were
expecting him home the very evening
that the footsore, weary cousin reached
them. They had forgotten that he had
q kinsran in the world. There had been
no communication between them and
Jane Smith, since the quarrel about the
child, years before, and the child of the
dead brother, and the dead brother, were
alike, for the time, forgotten.
In the evening of that same day that
the doctor had declared himself at his
wits end, Ellen went and sat down close
to Frank, where he was seated at q win
dow, and taking his hand in hers, she
said, "My dear son, I am greatly distress
ed on account of your treatment of Nellie.
Is it possible that my son has made VOWS
that be either cannot, or will not keep?"
"My dear woman" said the young man,
"there is some grand mistake. 1 cannot
tell how It occurred, but through no fault
of my own, unless it is my fault that 1
have double, and if not corrected, it is
likely to bring us much trouble. lam not
what you all seem to think me. I never
saw that young lady that you call Nellie
till within the last three days, never in
my life; and I have scarcely spoken to
her. It is impossible that l should be
under any obligations to her. Believe
me, never saw Miss Marsh until day
before yesterday. Then she came into
my room, darted to NE and kissed me,
and said that must getwell for her sake,
and that she could not live without me.
I was surprised, amazed, and could do
nothing but stare. I didnot know what
was expected ofme. If 1 had, perhaps !
should have said and done as required.
I am not what you seem to think me. l
cannot possibly be guilty of perjury in
regard to young lady that I have never
exchanged half dozen words with in my
life; and I mustsay that think her un-
womanly to keep this up as she does.
She mistakes me for some other man"
sob, my son, my son! !" walled the wo-
man, her eyes running over with tears.
"Your son, said Frank, losing patience,
"I am only your nephew. lam not your
son, and l do hope that you will cease to
distress yourself, for, believe me, the mat
ter is beyond your control, and as far as
the young lady'is concerned, / think that
if she has engaged herself to man that
she does not know at sight, and mistakes
another man for her lover, that well, to
say the least, she has been rash and i'm
prudent. Madam, since I have been here
I have wondered if you had not son in
the field"
That was more than she could bear,
and Ellen Williams threw up her hands,
shrieked, and tainted, and fell heavily to
the floor. Frank cried out for help, for
he was alarmed, and his uncle came in a
run, and before he raised his wife from the
floor, or examined her to see if she breath
ed, he looked closely at Frank, and said,
~ hope you did not hurt poor mother"
Franks patience was worn threadbare,
and he cried out, "Nevsr; so help me,
God. She inquired something of me con-
cerning that rash and imprudent Miss
Marsh, that seems disposed to appropriate
me, even against my own will, and au-
swered politely and kindly as I possibly
could; and because would not promise
to marry the girl she tainted away, as you
see. And I do not believe that she is
dead. Do assist me"
"You have some human feeling, / see,
yet left by the way you cry out, and make
efforts for her restoration"
ayes, I have asoul, returned the young
man. "What do you take me fora dog,
wolf, demon, or what? I am a Christian
gentleman, and I am weary of false accu-
sations. And unless you stop these per.
secutions in regard to Miss Marsh shall
be compelled to leave you"