The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-07-19

mother, daughter, and son in the room m a hurry. The two ladies burst into tears, and Edna exclaimed:
 "lt is all over now. Oh, Bernard, why did you comeG
 The brother took the judge to his room, assuring Bern that no harm would come of the drug, except deep sleep for awhile.
 "Edna, my poor, suffering darling, what does this mean? There is some thing wrong with your father. Tell me, dearest"
 Come tomorrow, Bernard, and will tell you my whole history, and you can tell the people here. But the doctor has arrived, and must go to papa now"
 As Bern turned to go he heard Edna exclaim:
 "Oh, mother, it's true? He has come back to us again." and she run out to stop Bernard, who heard the judge, to his amazement ask where he was, and what doctor that was, and talk abou, people in Tennessee.
 To his inquiring look of amazement, Edna said
 Fathers we'll at last, and you must stay. And, oh, Bern, my more than dearest friend. can now tell you all that has been so mysterious. Come, sit down here by me.
 Wears ago had sister, three years older than ] was. Father almost wor- shiped her, and seemed to have perfect dread of some young man falling in love with and marrying her. This led him to often times treat young men who called with almost rudeness. We'll, to be brief, sister Ethel did fall in love with worthy, noble man. Father objected, having no excuse excep. his desire to keep sister at home. They went to a neighbours and married, and father forbade them both the house. They went to New Orleans, aHd in two months both died of yellow fever, and no one but mother and could soothe him. He was always passive with us. We had perfect dread of mad house, and being rich, and soon learning to humor his whims, we came here to please him. The strangest part of the story is that one of his whims was to ad- minister powerful narcotic to all young men whom he thought likely to gain my love, and while they were in deep sleep, he would precipitate them through the floor, by trap-door under the chair you sat in, into the basement beneath. He would then induce them. by some means unknown to me, to leave, promising either to not come in so many years, or to never reveal to any one why they never got me. do not know how he did this, but l know he never harmed any of them."
 "Well, can inform you, if the occa- sion of my luckier friends success is not too sacred for a third party" said Ed Pickrell, who came in just then.
 Edna and Bern both were surprised.
 "The judge would come to us," con- tinued Ed. after we axoke efrom a deep dream of peace, and show us a note from you, Edna, telling us tha, if we loved you as we professed. we would leave and be silent; that your father was mad, and any further advances would make him rave. That if we would hope for your hand, we must leave until his mind was restored or he died. Of course this al- ways did the work had not gone yet. Your brother always did the negotiating with lovers, ind"
 "I never wrote such note," said Edna.
 "l see,' said Bern :; that is another of your fathers strange manias Very we'll, Ed. ]: since hope has been held out to all of you. and have not been bound over yet, guess will have to settle all disputes by taking my little bright-eyed Edna, if she will come," and he held his arms open, and she nestled upon his breast like one who was weary and had been seeking such resting place for years.
 The judge recovered, and had lost all his madness. He gave his ready con- sent to the marriage of Edna and the young man whose coolness had restored him to reason and life.
 All the banished ones heard of it some- how, and came back in time to be pre- sent at the wedding and join the whole village in rejoicing over the happy ter imitation ofthe judges Strange Mania. ]"