The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-06-25
A MAN WHO COULDN'T SAY NO.

which, excepting death, is the final re
source of men who have experienced al
other forms of misery and JOY He wa!
not adverse to les bellies danes, but hi.
preferences being for male companions
he had little leisure for the lighter anC
more refined graces of female society.
One morning folloWinga day on which
Victor had partaken of an unusually
Guilty, and on rising had a vague i'm
preston that there was something wrong
with the right side of his body. He
approached his mirror haltingly, and on
looking at his counterfeit presentment
he saw with some dismay that there was
a slight but very ridiculous smile on the
left side of his mouth. He turned pale
and tried to whistle, but his lips refused
to pucker, and when he attempted to
give vent to his feelings by means of his
customary expletive, he found that his
power of making such remarks had
mysteriously disappeared. Victor was
thoroughly alarmed Here was a man
who had retired the evening before well
and happy-elevatedin fact-who awoke
in the morning to find the sense OF
feeling on one side of his body diminished,
his mouth drawn to one side and himself
unable to swear at his predicament. He
dressed himself as we'll as the contra
dictory state ofhis limbs would allow and
sought in haste the office of physician.
But now a new phase of Victor's trouble
presented itself. The unfortunate man
could not speak, and when he took up
the doctors pencil to state his case in
writing he found he could not write a
word that he desired, but that meaning
less marks and unconnected letters were
formed by the pencil as if it were under
the control of one of those Indian war
riors who assume the direction of affairs
at spiritualistic gatherings. The doctor,
however, was skilled in his profession.
"Ah | see," he exclaimed "apha-
STA"
He then asked Victor for his card,
and receiving it, found that his patient
could understand if he could not make
himself understood.
Monsieur Parlenon," said he, "yOur
affection is that known to us as aspha-
STA, or loss of the faculty of speech,
which is a peculiar disease of the brain.
1t is held by some that this faculty re-
sides on the inferior surface of the an
terror portion of the third convolution
of the left hemisphere of the brain.
However, that will not interest you.
The simple fact is that you are unable
to communicate your thoughts or ideas
either by speaking or writing. Wheth-
er you will always remain SO | cannot
tell. You are still young, and it is to
be hoped you will recover. | will ask
you a few questions, and then we can see
Just where we stand. Are your habits
of life regular?"
Z" Yes, =" boldly answered Victor.
GO Or are they somewhat irregular?"
continued the physician.
Eyes, again answered the patient.
% ITEMS :" exclaimed the doctor, who
perceived that Victor was responsible
for neither of the replies. However, he
essayed a third question.
Are you in the habit of drinking
much wine?
{" Victor, in spite of his devotion to
the rosy god, felt this to be equivalent
to asking him if he was a drunkard.
He promptly endeavored to answer in
the negative, but to his horror the
eyes" again escaped him.
This so enraged him that he involunta-
rily exclaimed CD it.
:" Fl done monsieur, said the doctor,
f" do not swear.
Victor this time did not attempt to
speak, but contented himself with en-
deavoring to utter denial by means of
pantomine. The physician insisted that
he had used profane language, and when
Victor repeated his gestures could not
avoid asking with smile:
but, then, you do not mean to say
it swore of itself.
" Yes" replied Victor and for once
he succeeded in expressing himself to
his satisfaction. The doctor laughed
and so did his patient-at least on one
side of his mouth-and the physician
then laid down for Victor such rules
as it would be necessary for him to fol-
low. Two of these rules were very i'm
portant. One was that Victor should
confne himself to eau sueree; the other
was that he should abandon all mental
exertion and occupy himself with mod
crate physical exercise. To enforce
these rules the doctor advised that Vic
tor should go to the country for time.
These preliminaries completed, Victor
produced his wallet and looked at his
medical adviser, who said My fee for
a first consultation is SO. l presume
you can afford to pay that?"
Eyes" responded Victor, although he
meant the opposite, for he did not rel
ish the idea of expanding that amount
in such manner However, there was
no escape and the fee was paid.
This was the beginning of the memo
rable epoch in Victor Parlenon's career
He, the good fellow, who had never re-
fused to grant favor, was now most
a man who could not say
mo" 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
society the little word "no" is q very
factor.
After few mishaps, owing to his
limited vocabulary, Victor reached the
country place which he had fixed upon
for his residence and took up his abode
at quiet pension. He devoted himself
principally to fishing, for he was too in
dolent to undertake any severe or pro-
longed muscular exertion. Day by
day word or a phrase came back to
him and with each word and phrase his
spirits rose. But the one word he need
ed so badly evaded his memory.
One balmy June day Victor was re-
cling by the side of stream ostensibly
engaged in fishing, although he was
really half asleep. Suddenly he was
brought to q sitting position by . faint
scream. He looked about him and saw
q female figure 3 short distance away.
"Some hysterical woman frightened at
. toad or something" thought Victor !;
and then looking at his watch he con-
Guided it W. time % 90 to the peHsi@s.