West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-10-16

intimacy with distinguished individuals.
His friends laughed at him so much for
this weakness that when he heard of
the establishment of the Iniirmary he
came here, like IA sensible man, and put
himself under our care. He is doing
splendidly. When he found that his
"reminiscences of Beaconsfield and Bis
marck and Victor Hugo created no
sensation here, but were, on the con-
trary, at ones matched and capped by
still more remarkable experiences mar
rated by other inmates, he was at first "A
little staggered. But the habit is so
strong. n the peculiar vanity that
Graves admiration on this score is so cx-
acting, that he began to extend his ac-
q~ualntance, gradually and cautiously,
back INTO the past. Soon we had him
giving "reminiscences of T%alleyrand, of
Thomas Jefferson and of Lord Corn
wallis. Observe the psychologist effect
OF our system. The ordinary checks on
the performances Of such a liar being
and, no doubt, suspicion, nor
even wonder being expressed at any of
his anecdotes, he has gone back through
NoltaIre and William the Silent TO
Charlemagne, and so on. There hap
pens to be in the Institution another
IN'N'N "ih BAtNAo'il lut Hdllt IOuDlG
They are, therefore, in active competi-
ton. and each serves to force the other
back more rapidly. Not long AGO |
heard our friend i'm here describing one
of He~liogabalus's b~anquets, which ne
had attended as an honored guest
why, j was there, too cried the other
liar. 1T was the night they gave us the
boar's head stuffed with goose giblets,
and that delicious dry Opimian mus
cadine!'n
well" i asked, what is your prog
nosis i'm this caseP"
Just now the two personal reminis-
cencc liars are driving each other back
through ancient history at the rate of
three centuries a week. The flood isn't
likely to stop them. Before long they
viii be matching "reminiscences of the
antediluvian patriarchs, and then they'll
bring up square on Adam. They cant
go any further than Adam. BY that
time they will be ready for the truth
cure process; and after a few weeks
spent in an atmosphere of strict veraci-
ty in the other wing of the Inlirmary,
they ii go out into the world again per
lectly cured, and much more useful citi-
Zens than before they came to us"
~ hD-oNstll0 anu b1W llG Atfl-
pulously neat bedrooms which the pa
tients occupy; through the separate
wards where the isolated classes are
treated across to the right wins of the
building and into a lecturc-room where
The convalescent liars were gathered to
Il most interesting dissertation ON
The lneXpediency of Falschood from
the Legal Point of View" | was not
surprised to recognize in the lecturer
my railroad acquaintance, the Boston
lawyer, Merkle.
On our way back to the reception
room, or office, we met a pleasant-look-
ing gentleman about forty years old.
lie IS a w~ell-knOwn society man. the
superintendent whispered as
the inmate approached, "and he was
formerly the most'politely insincere per
son IN America. Nobody could tell when
was uttering the truth, or, indeed,
when he ever did utter the truth. His
became so exaggerated that his
induced him. to come to
Lugville for treatment. / am glad to
have you see him, for he is a good eX-
ample of n radical cure. We shall be
ready to discharge him by the first of
next week"
The cured liar was about to pass us.
but the Assistant Superintendent
him. 'Mr. Van Ranscvoort."
he said. ''let me make you acquainted
with this gentleman. who has been in
speeding our system"
81 am glad to meet you, Mr.. Van
| said.
He raised his hat and made me an
unexceptionable bow. "And t." he re-
piled, with a smile of charming cour-
tesy, Fam neither glad nor sorry TO
meet you, sir. | simply don't care a
The somewhat startling candor of his
words was so much at variance with
perfect p%oliteness of his manner that
was taken aback. | stammered some
thing about not desiring 10 intrude.
as he still stood there rs if cNpect-
ing h conversation, to be continued, /
added:
II suppose you are looking forward
to your release e weekP''
Yes, sir he replied. 81 shall be
rather glad TO get out again, but my
wife will be sorry
i looked at the Assistant Superin-
tendent. He returned a glance full of
professional pride. ''Wcll, good by.
Mr.. Van Ranscvoort," I said. Per
haps shall have the pleasure of meet
ing you again"
II hope not, sir; it's rather a bore"
he, shaking my hand most cordial
ly, and giving the Assistant Superin-
tcndent a friendly nod rs lac passed on.
could fill many more pages than
to write with descriptions Of what
! saw IN the lnfirmary. Intelligence
and thoroughness were apparent in all
OF the arrangements. encountered
and conycrsed with liars of more varie-
ties and degrees OF mcndacity than YOU
would believe had distinct existence.
The majority Of the cases were common
place enough Liars of real Veuiu,
seem 10 be as rare inside the establish
mont rs they are outside. ! became
convinced from my observations during
the profitable afternoon which ! spent
az Lugville that chronic ~mendacity is "A
disease, as the Assistant superintendent
said. and that 10 is amcnable. i'm "a great
number Of cases, TO proper treatment.
the importance Of the experiment
That is being carried ON 40 Lugyille with
80 much energy and apparent success.
iS not necessary 10 dilaio.
sincerely hope that YOU viii not
miScOnstruc my motive, boz LAYING Che
matter before you and ] can not too
strongly urge you to- go down to Luz
NI g. yourself 40 the earliest Oppor-
tuuIty. You ought TO see with your
own eyes how admirably LorIn jerks