The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-04-29
COULDN'T SAY NO.
fHeom the New YORK world.l

from the New orx NoriaoJ
rThe following veracious story OF disease
of the brain complicated with an ahec.,oh
OF the heart Is condensed from an uau'st
covered manuscript. The author mus ,;,, nv
be COMPOUNDED with the weil-hnc"n ,. ns;,
feur whose name is pronouacea ''"'
but spe!led differently. .,,o,or
Virtor Porienon was by nature q Dacheiof.
n, him, Il might be said he was fasea 10 oe
fraa and the predisposition being present,
3 nnrer occurred to him to try that great
axnrrimcnt which, excepting dea'h, IS tue
81 reSo,,rce OF men who have experienced
al n.bnr forms of misery and JOY. he was
not syerse TO ladies; but his preference
het,g for male companions, he had iii'ie
leisure for the lighter and more rcnneo
graces OF female society.
One morning, following day on wh'c"
Victor had partaken OF an unosuaeIs !no'
tracted dinner, he awoSc WIN dino"r'. ,
and ON rising had vague impression sna.
there yras something wrong with Inc rasht
side OF his body. He apprcacned nls mn
ror hastingiy, and on looking al nis eo '.u.
xe;t nreseptmcpt he saw. Win sotie u'sui"!'
shat there was slight but very ridiculous ~
smile on the left side OF ms NOUN. ne
turned pale and tried 10 WHSLE oue We
line refused TO quicker, and when nc attempt
.ed IA rive vent TO his feelings by means OF
his customary expietive he found that MS
nowfr OF making such remarks had mFs-
t.riously disappeared. Victor was THOR
ouohIy alarmed. Here was man who had
retired the evening before well ana happy
elevated in fact-who awoke in the morn
inc ia find the sense OF feeling on one SIDE
Of his body diminished, bis mouth drawn
to one side, and himself unable TO swear .,
bIs predicamcnt. lie dressed himself as
well as the contradictory state OF MS
limbs would allow, and sought In hastc
the office Of physician. But now a
new phase OF Fictor's trouble presented
itself. The unfortunate man cou'a not
sneak. and when he took up the doctor 5
PENCIL 20 state bis case in writing ne louho
he could not write word that he deslreu'
but that meaningless marks and unconnect-
ed letters were formed by the pencil as II II
were under the control OF one OF those III,
dian warriors who assume the dlrccllon OF
affairs at spiritualistic gatherings. Inc ooc-
tor however, was skilled in his profession.
"Abt | see," he exclaimed; "aphasia."
Tic then asked Victor for bis card. and,
receiving it. found that his patient could
understand il he could not make himself
understood.
"Monsietlr Parlenon,' said be, "your az
lection is that known to us as 'aphaSia,' or
loss OF the faculty Of speech, which Is Pc
cuIiar disease OF the brain. IL is held ny
some that this faculty resides on the lnfe-
rior surface OF the anterior portion OF TIC
third conyolution OF the left hemisphere OF
the brain. However, that will not interest
YOU. The simple fact is that you are una
BILE 10 communicate your thoughts or ideas
either by speaking or writing. whether
YOU will always remain so l cannot tel:
: H.,
You are still young, and II is to be hopeo
YOU will recover. | will ask you lc"
questions, and then we can see Just Whcrc
we stand. Are your habits OF life rcgular?' 20
eyes" boldly answered Victor.
"Or are they somewhat Irregular" con.
tinucd the physician.
YES" again answered the patient.
Iiens?' exclaimed the doctor, who
perceived that Victor was responsible for
neither Of the replies. However, he cssayed
third question.
care you in the habit Of drinking much
wine:"
Victor, in spite of his devotion TO the
rosy god, felt this to be equivalent TO ask
ing him il he was q drunkard. He promptly
cndcayored TO answer in the negative. but
to his horror the mono>y!lahe eyes" again
escaped him. This SO cnragcd him that he
voluntarily exclaimed Cd J"
FL done ! Monsieur" said the doctor;
"do not swear"
Victor this time did not attempt to speak,
but conlentcd himself with cndeayorlng to
utter denial by means OF pantomlme. The
physician insisted that he had used profanC
language, and when Victor repeated his
gestures could not avoid asking with a
smile:
"But. then. you do not mean to say it
swore Of itscf?"
eyes" replied Victor; and for once he
succeeded in expressing himselfto his salts
faction. The doctor laughed, and so did HE
patient-at least, on one side OF his mouth
and the physician then laid down for Victor
such rules lis it would be necessary for him
to follow. Two of these rules were very
important. One was that Victor should con-
fine himself to eau sucree; the other was
that he should abandon all mental eXertion
and occupy himself with moderate physical
exercise. To enforce these rules the doctor
advised that Victor should go TO tie coun-
try for time. These preliminaries COM
pleted, Victor produced his wallet and
looked at his medical adviser, who said :
"My fee for first consultation is $40.
presume you can afford to pay that ?"
Eyes" responded Victor, although he
meant the opposite, for he did not relish the
idea OF eXpending that amount in such Il
manner. However, there was no escape and
the fee was paid.
This was the beginning Of memorable
epoch in Victor Parlcnon's career. He, the
good fellow, who had never rcfuScdi TO grant
favor, was now most cmphalically Il man
who could not say ono" His life had been
SO easy and generous that now his disease
seemed to have found his weak point, and
he was TO learn by bitter experience that in
the government OF individuals and OF soci-
city the little word emo" is Il very import
ant factor.
After few mishaps, owing to his limited
vocabulary. Victor reached the country
place which he had fixed upon for his resi-
dcnce, and took up his abode at quiet
clearinghouse. He devoted himself princt
pally to fishing, for he was too incident tc
undertake any severe or prolonged muscu
lar eXertion. Day by day word or 4
phrase came back to him, and with eact
word and phrase his spirits rose. But The
one word he needed SO badly evaded his
memory
One balmy June day Victor was reclining
by the side OF a stream, ostenslbly engaged
in fishing, although he was really hall
asleep. Suddenly he was brought to 4 sit.
ting position by faint scream. He looked
about him and saw Il female figure short
distance away. "Some hysterical woman
frightened at toad or Something" though,