Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-08-30

During the earlier years af my med
ico-military career.I was selected as
the Assistant Surgeon Of the Army
Lunatic Asylum. then established in
one Of the Eastern counties Of Eng:
land. AT the time Of the appoint
ment / was given to understand that
it was one which paid high eomp1i-
ment to my professional abilities. and
was bestowed as a reward for good
services rendered; but as I did not
see it quite in the same light went
and interviewed the chief, who had
thought so much more Of me than
did Of him.
"Sir," said ]; ''some men are born
to honors, others have honors thrust
upon them; the latter is in my case.
! don't understand one bit about the
treatment, moral or medical, of the
insane. / never saw but one mad
man in my life. and he, l verify be-
lieve, was more knaVe than fool; and
Fl cant help thinking that if you send
me TO the asylum you are sending the
round man TO it the square hole"
"That is not Of the sloightestconse-
quence. answered he whom I was adj
dressing, in the richest OF brogues;
mot the layste in loife. Round OF
square, the hole will suit you to t;
and il SO be that ye don't know any
thing consuming lunatics, whoy, the
sooner ye larn the better. Ye'd be
PLACED to iine widout delay. Good
morning. So he bowed me ont, and
/, having a wholesome dread Of the
powers that were, LINED" forthwith.
1t is one of Shakspeare's wise say.
ings that use doth breed habit in
a man" Before there had passed
away many weeks Of my soiouFn with
the demented officers and men oi
Queen .Viotoria's land forces I found
myself highly interested with their
pretty and well cared for home, run
ming pleasantly in the groove had SO
much objected to, and getting rid. for
ever and a day Of that repugnance
which every outsider naturally enough
entertains when brought into contact
with the denizens Of madhouse.
With a pass-key which was an open
sesame to every lock in the estab-
lishment, was accustomed to wan
der over it unattended either by the
"keeper" or the orderlies; and never
was molested or spoken to threaten
ingly save once, and that upon the oc-
casion / have elected to name "With-
in an inch Of my life"
In the afternoons, when the patients
were not indoors, it was my practice
to 90 through every part Of the build
ing, inspecting it sanitarily. ] was
doing so as usual upon a certain Win
ter's day, when, at curve of a cor
ridor, / came suddenly upon q patient
leaning gloomily against one of the
pillars. lie was a private soldier ol
the Forty-ffth, or Sherwood Fores-
ters--a recent admission-and whose
phase of insanity was somewhat puz-
zling the head surgeon and myself
Without entering upon details. shall
merely say that we had doubts about
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 nc
garden tools or other implements put
into his hands. How he had man
aged to elude the vigilance of the or
6erly under whosl surveillance he had
been placed, and kg be where / mel
him, was one Of the things IneFer un.
derstood. But it was so.
When he saw me his melancholy
demeanor ceased; he advanced with
rapid strides towards me, and I saw
at a gleace that he meant mischief o
some sort or other; for every muscle
of his body was trembling with pas
sion, and on every feature Of bis face
was pictured that Of a demon. icon
fess that fear~came over me. Whai
was this maniac going to do? But I,
show apprehension would be fatal, 8,
/ faced him boldly and exclaimed
"Hello, Matthews what ara doinl
here? Why are you not in the air
ing grounds with the others?
He turned 3 wild and flashing ey'
upon me, and glared like wild beast
Then he howled out. rather than said
Let mee0ut Of this T.
What do you mean ?? replied
resolving if possible TO gain time an,
trusting that presently an orderly
might pass and relieve me from tia
terrible dilemma in which stood.
let me out !" he repeated. :"
have been Too long in this vile place
want to reioin my regiment. 10 sc
my poor old mother and Mary. ~,
sweetheart. Why am here / Al
not mad like the others. God know
that. 20 do you. But il | am ker