Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-07-23
A SHATTERED INTELLECT,
"Helpi helpl helpri


bethought me of the hall, and rushing
out there knocked on the door next 70
mine.
Silence, followed by low demoniacal
laugh!
'NWhat is the matter?" I called.
"Open the door, if You need help"
A voice evidently that OF sn aged
woman, called out:
$50 awayv'
Then l could hear her laugh and NUT
ter TO herself, and went back 10 my
room. On the way met the boy who
was janitor of the building.
"Who has No. ZIP"
'Somc crazy vomans," he answered
in disrespectful haste. and was gone be-
fore could ask another question.
A mad woman in the next room!
Surely fate was unkind TO me. had
come here to improve my own mind,
and found myself with idiocy.
| could move out. but l had only just
moved in, and ducats were rs scarce rs
hens teeth. I was 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
0Dlore. 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 was and attend
to my own affairs.
If had only done So
N L,,.; =
ly. formula, but il is little classic OF
sensible, pertinent advice, which VIC
would do well TO engrave on the ritual
of our daily lives in letters Of gold. Sc
much for parenthesis.
studied aloud. ravod and ranted
TO develop my voice. paced my
chamber in long white gown and hold
ing u tallow candle in my rigid hand
while | strodo up and down, repeated
in sepulchral tones:
O-w-it damned spot. owit say
ono-two; why then It's time to
Save me! save me! help! helpl fol
Gods sake, help!'
| dropped my candle. jumped int
bed, and drew the bed-clothes over my
head. There lay and shivercd dnti
morning.
Then | saw pale, still woman will
a resolute face. coming out Of number
81.
"IIow is your PATIENT" l asked hur
riedly as she passed me on the landing
The woman stared nj me momen
as il she did not quito understand.
"Thc-the insane woman," eX
planned.
"Oh, yes, much better, but l canno
stop to talk and she fastened away
while | wondered whether she was
nurse to the mysterious woman shut u,
there, or relative, possibly a daughter
decided on the latter when l over
heard the fond language she used to
ward the poor demcnted creature
Never harsh or rcproachful word, bu
the tender endcarments Of an affection
that was as self-sacriiiclng as only Tn,
strongest iilial love can be- And Sc
proud and careful of the unconsciou,
sufferer that no eye was allowed to res
upon her in that wrctchcd state.
! honored and respected such devo
ton, and soon in my own way longet
to assist the sad and silent woman, who
shrunk from the advances of strangers
in her labor of love. began by lcav
ing tiny lunches of flowers at the door
Then small offerings OF fruit, and hat
selfish reward in the silence and peac,
that followed each occasion. l coult
hear the patient softly laughing or talk
ing to herself, and even imagined sh,
had learned TO expect the tributes of IN,
sympathy. Who kncwp 1t might cvei
act as new mind cure, this outside di
version from an unknown source.
Several times had tried to talk witt
the daughtcr-as l had decided her {,
DO but her manner was so reserved
and so strange. that / began to thinl
she, too, was non compos mentis; tina
| they were, in fact, a mad family. But
| had learned that she filled responsible
position during the day, and that he
whole life was given up 90 tho cherries
society Of the wreck whom she protcctc,
with such devotion that had never We
caught glimpse of her. felt that T.
help such sorrow was privilege, an
l desired no thanks or acknowledge
ment.
| And yeti will confess il now-it wa
sometimes hard 10 bear. The raving
of insanity arc never pleasant to lis
ten to. but there was peculiar weird
ness in tho muilled cries that ran
through the deadening walls.
But there came q climax, as Their
does to most Of tho tragedies of life, an
it did not come n moment too soon. 10
j had fallen into q nervous conditio
that, If had been fine lady, woul
have caused my friends and myse
great apprehension. But / am not
fine lady, and the few friends ha
lived far away and did not trouble them
selves about me. And l had becom
absorbed, fascinated, haunted by tn
namcless terror on the the other side {
my partition. too, was beginning I
laugh Historically; TO scream "help
and murder" in my sleep; to muttel
and jabber incoherent words. NY fac
had grown white and wild looking.
fancied that every next door neighbo
avoided me, as if afraid Of .me-ha! III
the idea is too funny!
Ono evening, just at dusk, wer
homo from n rehearsal for aperformanc
in which Twas to appear, and, all al
sorbed in my part, toiled YEARLY up
my room in the fourth story and wake
in without unlocking the door, so vi
conscious was l of my surrounding
But the room was lighted and woma
sat there sewing; the furniture W,
strengthening was mine. l ba
made a mistake and walked into NJ
81. The woman who sat there alon
rose as if ashamed and stepped back.
II beg your pardon" ! said, as l n
covered myself, "but IL seems ] hav
made a mistake. was thinking 6
busiy, Ibid not notice.
won't yon sit DOWN. Take this.
IN kill you! Help hclp!" shrieke
n discordant voice-tho voice thu
haunted me.
1 started in sudden fright; ever
nook and corner was visible to the ey,
the bed was there. white and unoccl
pied; no ono WIS present except "
two.
" Mo Is il? What is itp" gaspc,
turning pale and sick
Ny parrot said the woman, cain