The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-01-22

she say ~ met What eoull !, fresh rom
that dreadful sc,ne, say 10 he Would she
excuse or p 1iqto, would she simply con'es ~
or boldly IN tlfy, her crime, Would she
plead her wrongs In extenuatlonl Would she
assert that In u moment OF ungoy0ynab'e
raCe sho had dCna tho deedl No matter
what she said, she was still Philipna, and
even at tho cost OF my own life and honor ]
would snyo her,
Yet as | advanced into tho room q shuddor
ran through me, Fresh 10 my mind came
tho remembrance Of that white fac,, that
stlll form, 'ylng as | had left II, with the
pure white snow falling thickly around II.
Philippa was sitting In front Of tn fire,
Her hat was removed, her dark hnlr dis.
heyeled and cleaning wet with tho snow
which had melted in u, She must have
heard 10 cntor and close the door, but she
took no notice, AZ ! approached her she
turn'd her shoulder upon m' In q p'ttish
way, and ms one who by the action means
TO Egnl'y di'pleNsure, I cam TO her side
and stood over her, waiting for her to look
up anil speak first, She must speak first
What can | say, aftor all that has happened
tonight
But she kept a stony s~llence-hept hsr
eyes still turned from mine, At last ! called
her by her name, and, bonding down, looked
into her face,
Ita expression was ono OF sullnn anger,
AMI moreover, anger which seemed I odeepei
as she heard my voice. She made a kind OF
contemptuous gesture az II waving me
aside,
"Phillppa,n ! said, as %hternly as ! could,
''aponk 10 mer'
laid my hand upon her arm, She shook
II of flor ely, and then star tod TO her feet.
"You ask mo to speak TO your she said
''you who have treated mo like thisl Oh.
II IL shameful shameful | como through
storm and snow-como 10 you, who were 10
welcome mo M a brotherl Whore are you'll
Away, your wrotched servant tells me. Why
are you awayl | trustel you'll Oh, you are
a pretty brotherl II you had cared for me
or respected me, you would have been here
TO greet ms, Mol you ara all In a league
all In n league 10 ruin mel Now | am here,
what will You dol Poison me, OF courael
kill mo, and make away with me, even M
that other doctor killed and made away
with my poor chlldl He did, say no did,
! saw him do ~ "A child OF shame he said;
% DO killed III All, all, all-even you
you. whom | trusto ~l-leaguod against NOR
She was trembling with excitement Her
words ran ono into tho other II was IN
much ~ ] could do 10 follow them, yet tho
above IL but a brief condemnation OF what
she eald. With unchecked volubllity hho
continued 10 heap r~oproaohes and Acouaa-
tiona, many OF which were OF tho most or
%travagant and frivolous nature, on my
head. Al last aho was silent, and reseatod
herself In her former attitude; and tho sui.
lon, dlseontentod, ill.used look again SETTLED
on hor face,
And yet, although |, who loved her above
all tho world, was the object OF hor force
reproaehoa, no words | had yet listened 10
came moro awootly 10 my car than thoso.
A great Joy owopt through mo; a tide OF
roliof boro mo 10 comparative happiness
Whatever dreadful decd tho poor girl had
that night accomplished she was morally
irnoecnt Philippe was not aooo untabls
for her a%otionsl
IA a doctor l read the truth Al once. |
Tho rapid Gow OF words, the changing
moods, tho vehement ercltom'nt, tho sullen
air. tho groundlosa auspicionl-ono and all
carried conviction, and told mo what was
wrong. MIRA Wilson's words OF yesterday,
which warned mo that PhIlippa'a hoAlth
should DO inquired into, added absolute GER
tainty. ,''
Ny professional brethren who may happen
10 read this VIII understand mo whom l say
that, although II Ia long since l have prao-
tiocd ~ q doctor, l am aoroly tempted, an
roach this stage OF my story, 70 give In de-
tall tho particulars which induced mo 10 ar
rive at such a belief, No physician, no SUR
COON. lives who docs not fool II his duty a
well ~ hia pleasure 10 give an accurate 40 |
count OF any out-ot'tho-common case which
has como undor his notice. But l am No
writing these pages for the bonoht Of s~clsncet
and having no wish 70 mako my tale assume
tho authority Of a hospital report shall 70.
strain myself and on technical points be a.
briof an possible.
In short, thon, PhllIppa had fallen a yio-
tim ~ that mania which not unoommonly
shows itself after tho birth OF q chIld-that |
dread, mysterious discaae which may, al tho |
moment whom everything neoms going we'll, |
turn q house OF 10y into a house Of mourn.
Ing, a disease the source OF which | have no
hc1itation In saying has not yet boon prop
srly traced aud investigated. 30 far AZ I
know, thcrc Is no monograph on tho subject
or certainly thcrc wa mont Mt that time.
Still, II IL admitted by all tho authorities |
that this SPECIES Of insanity 10 not untro-
produced by a severe mental shock.
especially whcn thnt shock n accompanied
by an overwhelming honso OF shame. Sta
ualios show uS that Unmarried wolno who
are mothers, ana foel tho dcgradation Oh
suen a poa'tlon ecutol!y' arc peculiarly
liable 70 " attacked by. tho mysterious
maledy' Esquirol was, believe, tho niSt
70 notice this Tact, and Tho correctness oi
MS Wow hns subsequently, boon confirmed
ny many otherN'
such being tho CASE, 10 10 small wonder
that fhilippa,. waking yesterday m'rning
10 receive tho intelligence that hcr marriage
With SIR Mcrvyn Forrand had boon a farce,
should have been thrown into n state OK
trenely susceptible 10 tho attack OF tho dis
ease Her careless exposure OF herself to
tho MlntrY MIR. whom laal niuhL aha aDupht |