Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-09-26
Within an Inch ofMy Life.
by W. 0.

4 medico military career / was Sc
lected as tbs assistant surgeon oil
)the Army Lunatic Asylum, then
Established in one Of the eastern
couDties Of England. At the
Time of the appointment l was
given 70 understand that it was
Fne which paid high compli-
nent to my professional abilities,
hnd was bestowed az a reward for
good,serv:ces done; but as / did
bot see it quite in the same light,
went aud interviewed the chief
who had thought so much more
pf me than / did Of myself.
"SIr," said I, "some men are
porn to honors. others have hon.
RS thrust upon them; the latter
my case. / don't understand
me Bit about the treatment, mor-
! o. medical, Of the insane. I
ever saw but one madman in
ny life, and he, / verify believe,
vas more knave than fool; and I
Han't help thinking that If you
END me to the asylum, you are
ending the round man to ct in
be square hole"
"That is not Of the slightest
bnsequence," answered he whom
was addressing, in the richest
I brogues; mot the layste in
pfc Round or square, the hole
ill suit ye to a I; and If so be
lat 70 don't know anything con-
Irning lunatics, whoy, the SOON
ye larn the bether. Yell be
azed to jine widout delay.
ood-morning.' So he bowed
3 out; and l, having a whole
me dead Of the powers that
pre-, "jined" forthwith.
It is one 81 Shakespeare's wise
yings, that "Use doth breed q
bit in q man." Before there
a passed away many weeks OF
sojourn with the demented
icers and men Of Queen Vic
Fia's land forces, / found my.
I highly interested with their
Btty and welI-cared-for home,
Inning pleasantly in the groove /
q 80 much objected to, and get
h rid forever and a day of that
pugnance which every outsider
turally entertains when brought
10 contact with the denizens OF
madhouse. With a pass key,
kich was an open sesame to
bry lock in the establishment, l
. accustomed to wander over it
attended either by the "keeper"
the orderlies; and never was
aolested or spoken to threaten
Ely save once.
ID the afternoon, when ths pa
nts were not in doors. it was
practice to go through
Try part OF the building, in
|cting it sanitarily. ] was do
40 Is usual upon q certain
hter's day, when, at curve OF
orridor, / came suddenly upon
atisnt leaning gloomily against
OF the pillars. He was a
vate soldier Of the Forty fifth
Sherwood Foresters recent
mission, and whose phase of
hnity was somewhat puzzling
he head surgeon and myself.
thout entering upon details l
II merely say that we had
hbts upon his case, and had
commended his removal from
3 asylum to the care of his
ends. Meantime, however, he
Is to be closely watched, and
garden tools Or other imple-
ents put into his hands. How
had managed to elude the vig-
nce OF the orderly nnder whose
rveillance he had been placed, /,
d to be where 1 met him, was
e Of the things I never under
bod. But SO it was.
When he saw me his melan-
lolic demeanor censed; he ad-
need with rapid strides toward
D, and l saw at a glance that
meant mischief Of some sort OF
her: for every muscle Of his
}dy was trembling with passion,
ID on every feature of his face
As pictured that of demon.
Mess that fear came over me.
hat was this maniac going to
}? But to show apprehension
puld be fatal, SO l faced him
bldly and exclaimed: "Hello,
athewsl what are you doing
IRE? Why are you not Id the
ling grounds with the others2'
N II a k,.~no1 N mild and Aoab; :, :.