St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-08-09
no FESTIVE. I should like to know his

ing FESTIVE, I should like to know his
faYorite melody.
"Do you find insanity on the increase
or on the declinep" I asked.
"Most decidedly on the increase.
Even now am thinking of building q
new wing, to accommodate the people
who will sooner or later occupy it.
''May that need not be due to your
great reputation" I suggested--pro-
fessional men dearly love compliment
like this.
The doctor waved his hand in assumed
gelf-depreciation ''Not altogether"
he sold. "There are men and women
by the hundred-apparently in full
possession of their senses--whom [
have known for years, and marked as
some day coming-Iet us hope for their
own sakes-under my care. -
But, DR.. Wolfe, surely you can not
foretell insanity in sane persons?'
"Most undoubtedly | can. That is
one OF my great discoveries; allow me
one moment.
He leant forward, and for the space
of half q minute looked straight into
my eyes. [ was too much surprised to
speak. Then, resuming his former
easy attitude, he asked with an air of
commiseration:
''Any of your family insane?"
AS l stated before, | am a nervous
man. The perspiration formed on my
forehead. My heart beat rapidly.
"No; none at all, y l stammered. Yet,
even as | spoke, it flashed across my
mind that I contributed yearly small
sum toward the maintenance of a dis
tant relative, one whom had never
seen, but who had been i'll an asylum
for many years.
50 You are quite sure?" asked the doc
tor, with a puzzled air.
[ trembled in every limb as I con-
.fessed to having a third or fourth cousin
who was mad.
cha! | was sure of it, said the
doctor, in a compassionate but trium-
plant voice. s'There itis-another proof
of the infallibility of my predictions.
You must always go q long way up the
pedigree to find the source. Now, if
you will trace back
"Good heavens" l cried, ayou can't
mean to tell me that shall ever 80
m3u, LIE. w ole!
Certainly you will, unless you hap
pen to die first he answered, cheer
fully. 81 never met with case | could
diagnose more satisfactorily. But what
then? Come to me; you will be kindly
treated, and most likely will be happier
than yon are now. Meanwhile, let me
take down your name and address; and,
if you can give me another cigar, shall
be much obliged
I sank back unneryed and speeches..
My eyes were riyeted on the speakers
eyes riveted on the face OF the Judge
who had just drawn on the black cap.
Words will not describe the state of my
mind. believe there is no man living
who, in some crisis, some misfortune,
some deep grief or mental depression,
has not asked himself the question,
'.Am I losing my wits9' or 'sMay [
not lose them?' Who, then, can won
der at my horror and despair when [
heard the greatest authority in England
the man against whose fiat there could
be no appeal-declare that Twas des-
tined to 90 out of my mind? l seemed
to be in a CHASTITY dream, and as / lay
quivering and gasping with fright |
saw, or fancied [ saw, a twinkle of
tiendish exultation in the eyes of the
silent lunatic at the other end OF the
carriage.
The bland doctor-the bearer of the
bow-string took no notice of my natu-
raj agitation. He simply held out his
hand for the expected cigar. positive
" hated him. tried to frame prayer
that when the anvil hour which he so
surely predicted did come, my partic-
uiar mania might be homicidai, and
that the nearest and most convenient
throat to cut might be that of DR..
VOL e.
AT last I faltered out:
''But you may be mistaken; the wisest
are liable to err. =
81 never make a mistake; certainly
could not mistake such clearly defined
symptoms as yours. Why, my dear
sir, can look into the eyes of child
in the cradle, and say: ''If that child
lives, and live long enough, shall
see it put under restraint. That is why
l must enlarge my asylum-so many
cases which / marked down in early
infancy are now getting due
This was perfectly awful ! gazed
at the glib speaker. felt
like one in a mesmeric trance.
.'And let me tell you,'' continued DR..
Wolfe, dropping his voice to a confiden-
tial whisper, but gradually speaking
louder as he proceeded, ''it is not only
SO far as regards human beings that I
have the power of detecting the. sleep
ing symptoms In the brute creation
nay, even in inanimate objects. / can
find them, and foretell what must hap
pen. My journey to town to-day IS
partly to inform the President of the
Board Of Trade that have detected I'M
doubted symptoms Of approaching in
sanity in the huge steam roller used in
Bath to crush the stones into the roads