, 1884-12-23

especially whom that shock ~ accompanied
by an overwhelming senss OF shame, Sta
tistics show us that Unmarried women who
arc mothers, and feel the degradation OF
such n position acutely, aro peculiarly
liable To DO attacked by tho mysterious
maiady. Esquirol was. l believe. the first
to notics this fact, and the correctness OF
his visw has subsequently, been confirmed
10y many others.
Such being tho cass. It is small wonder
that Philippa, waking yesterdny morning
10 receive the intelligence that her marriage
with Sir Mervyn Ferrnnd had been a farce,
should nave boon thrown into a state ex-
tremely susceptible 10 the attack OF the dis
ease Her careless exposure OF herself TO
the wintry air, when last night sho sought
me and claimed my aid. most probably
FASTENED the attack OF the foa. Mrs Wilson
had noticed her strange manner. ] myself
have remarked upon her rapid changes from
calmness to e~xcitability. 1t was clear to
me that even when she visited me lust night
the mischief had begun to develop itself. l
blamed my blindness bitterly. l ought to
have seen what was wrong. Considering
her agftated state. | ought to have boon
warned, and have taken precautions; but l
had attributed those htfui changes, tho
meaning Of which was now only too plain
to NIB, to the natural agitation experienced
by aNpassionate yet pure-minded woman.
who found herself betrayed and brought to
shame. Oh. had ! but guessed the real
cause, or rather the way in which her grief
had affected her. all the dark work OF that
night might have been left undonel
Although in many ways It added to the
difficulties and dangers which surrounded
US, the discovery OF the truth was an UNI
---~lll. ..1tuN g. ~ No rt0hf.ntnhad
man could now call tho poor girl guilty OF
crime. Thu mans blood was indeed on her
hands,; yet she had shed it, not knowing
what she did. Her frenzy must then have
been at Its height The idea OF his coming
that night must in some way have occurred
to her. The desire 10 see hin must have
driven her to go and meet i'm Her wrongs
perhaps tho dread she now felt Of him-may
have induced her to arm herself; Ier APPS
she carried tile weapon for sclf-protection.
ANY way, sho was mad when she started;
she was mad when she drew tho trigger;
sho was mad when she broke from my grasp;
she was mad now as she sat by my fire, eyoing
me with morose, suspicious glances- She
was midland innocentl
Her manner toward me troubled me but
little. 1t is a well-known popularity OF the
disease that the patient turns with hatred
from those who were tho nearest and dearest
to her. Fits OF sullen, stubborn silence, al
ternnting with fierce outbursts OF vitupera-
ton, are tho most conamon characteristic
OF the manin. Hideous, startling as it is to
500 the change wrought in the sufferer, the
malady Is by no means Of such an alarming
nature as It seems In fact tho majority OF
cases arc treated with perfect success
But all this Is professional talk Again /
say that the discovery OF Philippa's state Of
lii NJ
conscience was cleared OF a weight which
was pressing upon it. 1 felt braced up to
use every effort, and thoroughly justified in
following whatever course l thought best.
Moreover, n new relationship was now es-
tablished between Philippa and myself. For
awhile every feeling save ono must be ban
lshod. We we're now doctor and patient.
After much persuasion | induced her To
let me feel her pulls. As expected, found
IL up nearly TO ono hundred and twenty.
This did not alarm me much. as in the course
Of my practice l had seen several OF these
cases. The preliminary treatment was sim
pie as A b G; at oil cost sloep must DO OBJ
tanned.
Fortunately, l had a well stocked medi-
cine chest In a few minutes had pre-
pared the strongest dose OF opium which |
dared to administer. In such a case as the
UItntlt 4 u AAht NJ oAo NtaNA "a ~ '
so | measured out no less than sixty drops OF
laudanum. Sleep the girl must have. That
poor seething, boiling brain must by Artificial
means be forced 10 rest for hours. After
that rest l should DO able to say what chance
there was Of saving life and reason.
But preparing a dose OF medicine AMI
making n patient like his to take 1t, are two
difRereut things l tried every art, every
persuasion. implored and commanded. |
threatened and insisted. Philippa was OBJ
durate. Poor SOUL she knew l meant to
poison her. On my part, knew that unless
she swallowed that narcotic tonight her
case was all but hopeless.
1 rested for awhile; then l sent for luke
warm water. After some resistance she sur
fered me TO battle her %throbbing temples
The refreshing c~oolness which followed the
operation was so grateful to her that she let
me repeat the action again and again. A
soft and more contented look settled on her
beautiful face.
i seiKod the moment. Once more / pressed
the potion upon her. This time successfully.
MY heart trembled with joy as l saw her
swallow the drug. Now she might be savodi
! still continued the comforting LAYING OF
her temples, and waited until the drug took
its due effect. By and by that moment came.
The largo dark eyes closed, the weary head
sank heavily on my shoulder, and l knew
that Philippa had entered upon a term of
merciful oblivion
1 waited until her sleep was sound as the
sleep Of death; then l summoned my man.
1 had already told him that my sister was
very III. between us we bore her to her
room and laid her on her bed. 1 loosened
her dress, cut tho wet boots from her cold
feet, did all / could to promote warmth and
such comfort as was possible under the cir
cumstances. Then l left her, sleeping that
heavy sleep which 1 prayed might last UNI
hrokan for hour. and hours. and hour.