Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-11-22
THE FACTS IN THE RATCLIFF CASE.

mar reStleSSneSS OF ner eyes. They were neither
bright nor expressive, yet she kept them 50 con-
stantly in motion that they seemed to catch
and reflect light from thousand sources.
Whenever, as rarely happened, she fixed them
even Tor a Few seconds upon one object, the
Fictitious brilliancy disappeared and they be-
came dull and somnolent. / am unable to say
what was the color OF Miss Borgier's eyes
After tea was one OF group of people whom
our host, the Rev. Mr.. Tinker, sought to enter
tain with portfolio OF photographs OF places in
the Holy Land. While endeavortng to appear
Interested in his descriptions and explanations,
all OF which had heard before, became aware
that Miss Borgier was honoring me with steady
that could not, for the life of me, withdraw
my own eyes from the encounter. Then had a
singular experience, the phenomena OF which
noted with professional accuracy. l felt the
slight construction OF the muscles of my face
the numbness CT the nerves that precedeS physi-
cal stupor induced by narcotic agency. AL
though was obliged to struggle against the
physical sense OF drOw snesS, my mental facul-
ties were more than ordinarily active. Her eyes
seemed TO torpify my body While they StiInu-
lated my mind, as opium does. Entirely con-
Sci0us OF my pres Mt surroundings, and particll-
larry alert to the Rev. Mr.. Tinker's narrative OF
the ride from Joppa. / accompanied him on
that Journey not as one who listens to travel
lers tale, but as one who himself travels the
road. When, finally, reached the point
where the Rev. Mr.. Tinker's donkey makes the
last sharp turn around the rock that has been
cutting OIL the view ahead, and the Rev. Mr..
Tinker beholdS with amazement and joy the
glorious panorama of Jerusalem spread out be-
IOTt MIN SW IL all Win ElYI(tueSS,
saw Jerusalem in Miss BorgierS eyes.
1 tacitly thanked fortune when her eyes re-
sumed their habitual dance around the room. re-
leasing me from what had become rather hu-
initiating captivity. once free from their strange
fntiuence laughed at my weakness "PShaw!"
said to myself, You are fine subject for a
young woman OF mesmeric talents to practice
upon.'
"Who is Miss Borgier?" demanded of the
Rev. Mr.. T nker's wife at the first opportunity
"Why, ste is Deacon Borgier'S daughter re-
nltp6 that good DerSOn with
And who Is Deacon BoTgier?'
"a most excellent man; one of the pillars of
my husbands congregation: The young people
laugh at what they call his torpidity, and say
that he has been walking about town In his sleep
for twenty years, but assure you that there Is
not a Sincerer, more fervent Chris"
turned abruptly round, leaving Mrs. Tinker
more aSton1shed than ever, for knew that the
subject OF my inquiries was looking at me again.
She sat In one corner OF the room, apart from the
rest OF the company. straightway went and
seated myself at her side.
'That is right" She said. 81 wished you to
come: Did You enjoy your journey to Jerusa-
Eyes, thanks to YOU"
"Perhaps. But you can repay the obligation.
am tolu Ii at you are DR.. Mack's assistant in
surgery at the college. There is clinic to-nor-
row. want to attend it,
"a AS patient?' inquired
She laughed. mo as spectator You must
md way to crafty my curiosity"
expressed, as politely as possible, my aston
1shment at so extraordinary fancy on the
part OF young lady, and limited at the scandal
which her appearance In the amphitheatre
would create. She Immediately offered to dis
guiSe herself in a male attire. explained that
the nature OF the relations between the medi-
cal college and the patients who consented to
submit TO surgical treatment before the class
were such that it would be diShonorable thing
Tor me to cOnnive at the admission OF any out
slider, male or female. That argument made no
impression upon her mind. l was forced to de-
cline peremptOrily to serve her in the affair."
" Very well" she said. 81 must find some other
way"
At the clinic the next day took pains to sat
1sfy myself that Miss BOrgier had not surrepti-
tOuSly fntruded The students of the class
came in at the hour, noisy and careless as usual,
Chairs around the operating table. They pro-
duced their notebooks and began to sharpen
lead pencils. Miss Borgier was certainly not
among them Every face In the lecture-rOom
was familiar to me- l locked the door that
opened into the hallway, and then searched the
anteroom on the other side OF the amphitheatre.
and detected, waiting for treatment and at
tended by friends hardly less frightened than
themselves. But neither Miss Borgier nor any
body resembling Miss Borgier was OF the num-
Der.
DIR. Mack now briskly entered by his private
door. He glazed sharply at the table on which
his instruments were arranged ready for use,
and, having assured himself that everything was
In its place, began the clinical lecture. There
were the usual minor OperationS-two or three
for StrabismuS, one for cataract the eXcisiOn of
several cists and tumors, large and small, the
amputatiOn OF a railway brakeman'S crushed
thumb. AS the cases were disposed of attend
ed the patients back to the anterOom and placed
tht m in the care OF their friends.
Last came poor Old lady, named Wilson.
whose leg had been drawn up for years by
rheumatic affection SO that the joint OF the knee
mad oSSlfied. 1t was one of those cases where
the necessary treatment is almost brutal in its
simplicity. The limb had to be Strengthened by
the application of main force. Mrs. Wilson OBJ
stinately refused to take advantage of an.ns-
theSia- She was placed ON her back upon the
operating table, with pillow beneath her head
The geniculated limb showed a detection Of
twenty or twenty-five degrees from q right line
As already remarked, this DETECTION had to be
corrected by direct, 1orcible pressure downward
upon the knee.
With the assistance of young surgeon of
great physical strength, Dr.. Mack proceeded to
apply this pressure. The operation is one OF
the most eXcruciating that can be imagined. l
was stationed at the head OF the patient in Or
der to hold her shoulders, should she struggle.
But observed that marked change had come
over her since We established her upon the table
Very much agitated at first, she had become per-
fectly calm. AS she paSsiveiy lay there her
eyes directed upward with fixed gaze, the eye
nds heavy as II with approaching slumber, the
FACE tranquil. il was hard to realize that this
woman had already crossed the threshold of an
experience OF cruel pain.
had no time, however. to give more than
Thought 10 her wonderful courage. The harsh
operation had begun. The surgeon and his as
S1Stant were steadily and with increasing force
bearing down upon the rigid knee Perhaps
the Spanish lnqulSitIOn never devised a method
OF inllicting physical torture more intense than
That which this woman was now undergoing
yet not muscle OF her face QuiverCd. She
breathed easily and regularly. her features re-
tanned their placid expression, and, at the mo-
m9nt when her SufTeringS must have been the
most agonHtng, saw her eyes close, as if in
peaceful sleep.
AT the same instant the tremendous force
exerted upon the knee produced It's natural
effect. The ossif1ed joint yielded and with a
sckening Notes.-The indescTibable sound of
the crunchlng and griJttng of the bones Of a
living person, sound so ffighuul that | have
seen Old surgeons, with SenSibiIities hardened
by long experience, turn pale at hearing 1.-THE
crooked limb became as straight as its mate.
Closely following this horrible sound. I heard
a ringing peal OF laughter.
The operating table, In the middle of the Dit
OF the amphitheatre, was lighted from overhead
Directly above the table a shaft five or six feet
square and closely boarded on its four sides
led up through the attic story OF the building to
skylght in the roof The shaft was so deem
and so narrow that its upper oritice was visible
from no part OF the room except lmitad space
Immediately around the table. The laughter
which startled me seemed TO come from over
head. II heard by any other person present, 1t
was probably aScribed 10 an historical utteranca
on the part OF the patient. was In a position
TO know better. InstinctiVely / glanced un-
ward, In the direction in which the eyes of Mrs
Wilson had been so tiNedly bent.
There, framed In a quadrangle Of blue sky.
nf Ipo-yr rJ-i,