The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-08-23
Within an Inch of nv Life.

Asylum then established in one of the
erstern counties OF England. At the time
OF the appointment was given to I'm.
derstand that it was one which paid q
high compliment to my professional abil-
tiles and was bestowed as reward for
good services done; but as did not see 1t
quite in the same light, / went and in
terviewed the chief who had thought
80 much more Of me than did myself.
"Sir," said I, 'some men are born to
honors, others have honors thrust upon
them; the latter is my case. l don't
understand one bit about the treatment,
moral or medical, of the insane. I never
saw but one mailman in my life, and he,
| verify believe, was more knave than
fool; and I can't help thinking that if
you send me to the asylum, you are
sending the round man to fit the square
hole"
THAT il not of the slightest con.
sequence answered he whom was ad-
dressing. in the richest of brogues;
mot the layste in loife. Round or square
the hole will suit We to u t; and if SO le
that We don't know anything consuming
!unatics, whoy, the sooner ye larn the
bether. Yen be PLACED to jine widont
delay. Good morning" So he bowed
me out: and /, having a wholesome
dread OF the powers that were, lined,
forthwith.
1t IA one of the Shakespeare savings,
that use doth breed habit in man"
Before these bad passed away many
weeks of my sOjourn with the demented
officers and men of Queen Victoria's
land forces, l found myself highly in
terested with their pretty and well-cared-
TOR home. running pleasantly in the
groove had 80 much objected to, and
getting rid for ever and a day Of that
repucnance which every outsider nat
urally enough entertains when brought
into contact with the denjZens of a mad
house. With a pass-key which was an
open sesame to every lock in the es-
adjustment, | was accustomed to wan
der over it unattended either by the
keeper" or the orderlies; and never
was l mO]ested or spoken to threaten
ingly save once. and that upon the oc
casion have elected to lall"Wthin an
Inch If my Life"
In the afternoon, when the patients
were not indoors, it was NY practice to
20 through every part Of the building,
inspecting it sanitsrity. was doing so
as usual upon certain winters day,
when, at a curve ola corridor, I came
suddenly upon patient leaning gloom
lily against one Of the pillars He was "
private soldier OF the Forty fifth or Sher-
wood FOresters, q recent admission, and
whose phase Of insanity was somewhat
puzzling the head surgeon and myself
Without entering upon details, | shall
merely say that we had doubts upon his
case, and had recommended his removal
from the asylum to the care of his
friends. Meantime, however. he was to
be closely watched. and no garden-too's
or other implements put into his hands.
How ne had managed to elude the vigil
ance of the orderly under whose sur
VIGILANCE he had been placed, and to be
where I meet him, was one of the things
l never understood. But so it was.
When he saw me, his meluncholic de.
meanOr ceased; he advanced with rapid
strikes toward me, and ! saw at glance
that he meant mischief Of some sort or
other; for every muscle of his body was
trembling with passion, and on every
feature Of his face was pictured that of a
demon. confess that fear came over
me. What was this maniac going to bo?
But to show apprehension would be la
tal, 80 faced him boldly and exclaimed:
''Hollo, Mathews! what are you doing
here? Why are YOU not in the airing
grounds with the others?"
He turned wild and flashing eye up
on me, and glared like wild beast.
then he bowled ont rather than said:
"'Let me out of this"
"What do you mean?" l replied, re-
solving if possible to gain time, and
trusting that presently an orderly might
pass and relieve me from the terrible
dilemma in which / stood
"Let me out" he repeated. IL have
been too long in tins vile place. / want
to Yejoin my regiment; to see my poor
old mother. and Mary, my sweetheart.
Why am l here? am not mad like the
others. God knows that; so do You.
But if am kept much longer, | shall be
stark. staring mad. Let me out, l say"
He was now boiling over with frenzy.
Still ] kept my ground. MA thews" l
said, II know that YOU are not mad; so
listen moment. How can / let you
out? am not the head doctor. can 7
act without his orders. Your reno val
has been recommended by him I'll go
and consult him now"
"NO. you won't, indeed"
swell, l can't release you. 1t would
be as much as my commission is worth
to connive ut your escape. l should be
tried by court-martial, and CASH cred, il
not worse. That yOu must be aware
Of"
''That's no matter to me. I'll make
you! See this!' He opened the loose
gray pea-jacket he wore. and, to my
horror, took from within it a round pa
wing stone of some pounds in weight
such as the courtyard Of the built1ins
was paved with. How he had managed
to obtain and seCrte it was another mys-
terry.
4 cold perspiration broke out upon
me. My life seemed to be hanging by
the slenderest of threads. I had no
means of defence: the rnles prevented
my taking into the interior Of the asy
lum even walking stick: and man tr
man the maniac Was taller aud stronger
than !.
The soldier raised the stone in lis up
lifted hands, and held it over my head
which was protected only by my reenla
slant that ] should be crushed beneath
it; but still the man seemed lrresolute
to strike. Then. while the DAmOcles-lik'
missile hung above me, sudden idev
flashed upon my mind: "What if try
to dodge him?"
Put down that stonev l cried out
"Let me out, then!" he answered.
Put down that stone, and will. Blu
first declare that you will tell no one
who did it Or how it was DONE"
"Doctor. swear?" And then. to m.
inexplicable relief, he lowered his raiset
hands.
I looked ronnd once again, really t.
spy il any of1icia, was in sight: but j,
such q sly, covert way as to make Math
eWs believe that feared All eavesdrop
per.
"You know the locality outside The
barracks?"
Eyes. 1 was stationed here SOM
years ago with my regiment"
"Well, this door" (pointing to one
which was close to us) ''leads down t
very short passage to another ext
opening on to the Denes."
He was now all ears-every nerv'
strained to hear what had to tell him
''Here; take this key" l put into hi
stretched.out hand one that happened
to have in my pocket; forget to VIVA
it belonged, but knew that it would d,
M 1ocl inside tho oavlum He Or0ano(