The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-09-25
COULDN'T SAY NO.
1From &c So Yorll World.l

l(boA Il III ADAAOn was DN 1AAtllAC u 0tAC4A-
elor OF him it might be said he was
fated to be free; and the predisposition
being present it never occurred to him
TO try that great experiment which, ex-
cepting death, is the final resource of
men who have experienced all otherforms
of misery and Joy. He was not averse
to les 6elJesCldD1eS, but his preference /
being for male companions, he had little /
leisure for the lighter and more refined |
graces of female society.
One morning following a day on |
which Victor had partaken of an unu-
sually prOtracted dinner he awoke with
difficulty, and on rising had a vague !
impression that there was something
wrong with the right side of his body. |
He approached his mirror haltingly,
and on looking at his counterfeit pre-
sentiment he saw with some dismay that
there was 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 at
tempted 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-eleyated in
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 contradictory state of his
| limbs would allow and sought in haste
the office of a physician. But now a
new phase of VictOr's trouble presented
| itself. The unfortunate man could not
! speak, and when he took up the Doc
! tors pencil to state his case in writing
| he found he could not write n word that
| he desired, but that meaningless marks
! and unconnected letters were formed by
the pencil as if it were under the control
| of one of those Indian warriors who as
sumo the direction of affairs at spiritual
istic gatherings. The Doctor, however,
was skilled in his profession.
"Ah! I see,'' he exclaimed :;
Z" aphasia.'
He then asked Victor for his card land
receiving it, found that his patient could
understand if he could not make him
self understood.
ssMonsieur Parlenon, - said he, ''your
affection is that known to us as
aphasia,' or loss of the faculty OF
speech, which is a peculiar disease OF
the brain 1t is held by some that this
faculty resides on the inferior surface OF
the anterior portion of the third convO-
luton 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 OF
ideas either by speaking or writing
Whether you viii always remain so
can not tell You are still young and il
; is to be hoped you viii recover. will
ask you a few questions and then we
; can see Just where we stand. Are youi
habits of life regularP"
g Yes," boldly answered Victor.
: "Or are they somewhat irregular?'
continued the physician.
Yes,'' again answered the patient
| 90 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 ?''
f 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 endeayored to answer in the
, negative, but to his horror the mOnOsyl-
liable g yes again escaped him. This
so enraged him that he voluntarily ex-
= claimed "- itiH
g Fl done monsieur" said the Doc
| GOIg 10 iiOJ SWcdI.
Victor this time did not attempt to
speak, but contented himself with en-
deavoring to utter denial by means OF
pantomime. The physician insisted that
} he had used profane language, and when
Victor repeated his gestures could not
; avoid asking with a smile:
90 But, then, you do not mean to say
it swOre of itself?"
Yes, - replied Victor; and for once
he succeeded in expressing himself tC
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 follow
Two of these rules were very important
One was that Victor should confine him
self to eau satcree; the other was that he
, should abandon all mental exertiOn anC
occupy himself with moderate physical
exercise. To enforce these rules the
Doctor advised that Victor should 90 tC
the country for a time. These prelimi
naries completed, Victor produced his
I wallet and looked at his medical adviser
who said "My fee for first eonsulta
ton is $40. l presume you can AFFORD
to pay that?"
q Yes,'' responded Victor, although
! he meant the opposite, for he did moi
relish the idea of expending that amount
i'm such manner. However, there was
no escape and the fee was paid.
This was the beginning of a memora
bic epoch in Victor Parlenon's career
He, the good fellow, who had never re
: fused to grant favor, was now mos
emphatically a man who could not say
emo" His life had been SO easy and
/ generous that now his disease seemed tC
have found his weak point, and he was
: to learn by bitter experience that in the
1 government of individuals and of So
ciety the little word ''no +" is very i'm
portant factor.
; After few mishaps, owing to his linn
tied vocabulary, Victor reached the
country place which he had fixed upon
for his residence and took up his abode
: at a 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
a 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-
clining by the side of a stream Ostensi-
bly, engaged in fishing, although he was
really half asleep Suddenly he was
brought to a sitting position by faint
scream. He looked about him and saw
a female figure short distance away
% Some hysterical woman frightened at
a toad or something, " thought Victor
and then looking at his watch he con-
= cluded it was time to go to the pension.
: Accordingly he picked up his rod and
began to reel in the line. As he did SO
the scream was repeated. He stopped
| Hac CT To int