Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1884-08-28
A SHATTERED INTELLECT.

"Help! help! helpr'
Il started to my feet in tremor of
fright as this cry rang through my room,
and gazed at the partition wall which
divided my apartment from the room
next to it in helpless terror. Then 1
bethought me of the hall, and rushing
ont there 1 knocked on the door next to
mine. M 49, 81
Silence, followed by low demoniacal
laugh!
"Open the door, if you need help"
A voice evidently that of an aged
woman, called out:
''Go awayr'
Then l could hear her laugh and mutt
ter to herself, and went back to nv
room. On the way met the boy who
was janitor Of the building.
~ sWho has No. ZIP" ~
s'Some crazy vomans," he answered
In disrespectful haste, and was gone be-
fore l could ask another question.
A mad woman in the next room!
Surely fate was unkind to me. 1 had
come here to improve my own mind,
and found myself tete-a-tete with idiocy.
could move out, but 1 had only Just
moved in, and ducats were as scarce as
hens teeth. Twas preparing myself
for dramatic readings, and spent the
most part of my time in the drill work
OF the profession, with intervals devoted
to the rendering of classical music, CON
anaore. comforted myself with
the belief that however hard my poor
demented neighbor shrieked and raved
in her insane ebullitions, could drown
her out with an opposition bedlam, and
decided to stay where Twas and attend
to my own affairs.
If l had only done so!
"Mind your own business is a home
~ formula, but it is little classic of
sensible, pertinent advice, which we
would do well to engrave on the ritual
OF our daily lives in letters of gold. So
much Tor parenthesis.
1 studied aloud. l raved and ranted |
TO develop my voice. / paced my
chamber in long white gown and hold |
ing o tallow candle in my rigid hand, |
whileI strobe up and down, repeated |
in sepulchral tones:
o-w-it damned spot, owit 1 say
one-two; why then It's time to
Save me! save me! help! help! for
Gods sake, help!''
l dropped my candle, jumped into
bed, and drew the bed-clothes over nv
bead. There I lay and shivered until
Then / saw a pale, still woman with
resolute face, coming out of number
~. st
''How Is your patientP' / asked hur-
riedly as she passed me on the landing.
The woman stared at me a moment
rs If she did not quite understand.
"The-the insane woman," I ex-
planned fer
''Oh, yes, much better, but I cannot
stop to talk" and she fastened away
while l wondered whether she was a
nurse to the mysterious woman shut up
here, or relative, possibly daughter.
l decided on the latter when I over
heard the fond language she used to-
ward the poor demented creature.
Never harsh or reproachful word, but
he tender endearments' an affection
hat was as self-sacrificing as only the I
strongest filial love can be. And so {
proud and careful of the unconscious |
ufferer that no eye was allowed to rest
ipon her in that wretched state
honored and respected such devo-
ion, and soon in my own way longed
o assist the sad and silent woman, Who
hrunk from the advances of strangers. &
n her labor Of love. 1 began by leav-
ne tiny punches of flowers at the door.
Then small offerings of fruit, and 1 had {
, selfish reward in the silence and peace 9
hat followed each occasion. could 6
lear the patient softly laughing or talk s
ny to herself, and even imagined she 9
lad learned to expect the tributes of my i
Who knewP 1t might even ,
ct as new mind cure, this outside d. j
ersion from an unknown source.
Several times I had tried to talk with &
he daughter-as had decided her to c
o. but her manner was so reserved, G
nd SO strange, that ! began to think G
he, too, was non compos mentis; that t
hey were, in fact, mad family. But n
ad learned that she filled responsible n
osition during the day, and that her +
1hole life was given up to the cherries il
ociety of the wreck whom she protected {
nth such devotion that had never vet o
aught glimpse Of her. felt that to {
clip such sorrow was privilege, and
desired no thanks or acknowledge
rent. ~ h
And yeti will confess it now-it was {,
Dmetimes hard to bear. The rawlings i.
I insanity are never pleasant to lis il
% toshut there was peculiar weird I,