New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-12
MISS pLOWMAN'S HAIR.
AN INCIDENT IN THE LIFE OF A PHYSICIAN
BY WILLIAM A. HAMMOND. NJ. D.
Copyright 1885.

When talked Win iV"t"""
gong into Mrs. Clapbam's dinner '"o"s af,or
me of tine stupldest women l nan e'o' na,ted
-, 90 o.t and drink and until pai'e'l
'no ,N "a door was fully convinced
,oeore in the whole course OF my iio n''u
,...',.,,oraa an brilliant and versatile persoh vi
Eiftv years of bachelor lie had ho' "o-
sa,,nI;s,,ed much in the direction oil ch''ii"s III,
,a,nrallv warm heart, but twentv'h'e years Vi
oc,ive medical practice had certainly gwen iiio III
'...oa oo,trol of nav emotional nature. My feelings
80. o,most ~ acufe as they had ever been. but
-, them we'll in hand and when appeared at the
hreakfast-table the next morning my maiden siste'
,xo years Younger than 1. had no idea that had
nassed nearly the whole night thinking OF the
womau that had astonished and captvated me 10
n decree that twenty-four hours previously wouio
have thought to be impossible.
NJ sister was very sensible woman, and often
made her the conidante or the semconidante OF the
,nnres.ions that the people met in society made
80 me I resolved to tell her something about Miss
plowman. l was sure her good sense would give
mo an ;dea or two that would prove useful to me-
60 launched out at once without any preliminary
sounding.
aImet n rather remarkable woman last night at
Mrs Clapham's dinner" said as soon as had
swallowed mouthful of coffee
.9Isn suppose that's lock of her hair that saw on
your library table this morning. It's as red as
brck-dust and the woman from whose head III was
taken doubtless has the temper OF the fures. MY
sisters eyes fairly sparkled with excitement as she
spoke. | saw It all. She was afraid was gong
to bring a wife into the house We'll, why should
not if | wanted to do so
9No.' answe ed with dignity, that Is not a
lock of Miss Plowman's hair That hair was
brought here late last night by a crazy woman who
informed me that she had torn it from the head OF
one of the nurses in the asylum on BlackwelPs
Island. 1t is exactly like Miss Plowman's and the
woman at first led Inc to believe that it was hers"
Bring me that lock of hair from the doctors
library table" said my sister. addressing the ser
want who stood by her side.
The man went into tho adjoining room and In
moment returned with the lock OF goden-red hair.
that the lunatic woman had left with me and that
sbe had told me came from Sarah Shines head.
Nv sister took the long silken strands and looked
at them closely. turning them first in one direction
and then in another so as to get the play of the light
on them from different points. Then she rubbed
them between her hands examining the palms alter
ward with great minuteness and finally she held
them to her nose and shifted them while she cast her
eyes up to the ceiling reilectively.
sThat bair" she said with all the decision That
she knew so we'll how to put into her voice. never
from the ne;tu Or an asylum huioO. III VIM
first place it is perfectly clean absolutely free from
grease and dust In tho next place it is scented
with the last new perfume. and the most expensive
TO be found in New-York-pa lystrnga, worth its
weight in gold.
sItoccurs to me- however that you might easily
ascertain whether or not there is a nurse in the
Blackwelrs Island asylum by the name of Shine.
and patient there answering to the description
of your craz7 visitor of last night"
sAnd 50 j will answered with equal petulance.
rising at the same time from the table,, shall at
once telegraph to Dr. Marsons, the superntendent'
and then my dear Janet you will be able to possess
your soul in patience"
An incredulous smile my only answer.
sent the telegram aud in less than one hour had
the answer in my hand
sNo such patient and no such nurse" it read.
sGood heavensr exclaimed :" Then the golden
lock must have come after all from Mary Plow-
mans head" was much overcome with this
conclusion which so far as could see inevita-
BILE, that dropped into chair and remained for
several minutes lost in thought TO the possibili
ties of the situation. Nine o'clock struck Ny re-
eepton room was full of patients waiting for me
to begin my daily consultations. Thomas, my man.
had already been twice at the door to remind me of
my duties but had given him impatient answers,
very much to his astOnishment, for had always
been remarkably particular to ring the bell for the
first patient precisely at o'clock However.
eventually recovered my e4uanmity to a certain {.
extent and then began my work. l did not get
through till o'clock. Then dressed myself with
care and drove to the Windsor Hotel without saying
word to my sister in regard 10 the telegram had
received from blackweli's lsland
Yes Miss Plowman was at home and would see
me in her own parlor. So the servant who had
taken up my card brought answer
She was standing at the fire. place as entered the
room aud was leaning gracefully against the MAJ
teplece She was even. thought more beautiful in
the full glare of warm winters day than in the
mid sublued lamp and candle light of Mrs. Clap
hams rooms, and the golden CLEAN of her luXuriant
hair lost of its glory III the rags of the that
fell on it she crossed tho floor and hold out her
hand to me in welcome.
Il am glad To ace YOU" she said with bright
smile on her lovely face. If you had not asked me
tn allow you to call as friend | should have sent
for you professionally. My health Is very impOr-
tant con liberation with mc. and if you will permit INC
to do so would like to consult you now i'll regard
t. itr
did not like the idea of mixing business with
what meant should be altogether different sort
of visit. bat was at the same time exceedingly
anxious TO discover the exact character of Miss
Plowmans disease: foe that she had some serious
affection Of her brain felt very sure. So answered
that it would give great pleasure to be of
to her. and after few minutes of general converse
ton during which she pressed herself with perfect
nuency, she introduced the subject
You under very unfayOrable circum
stances last night" she said. "and you must have
taken nae Tor IDIOT conyersed together just
before we went into dinner Ny maid WHO is at the
same time q kind of nurse. disappeared yesterday |
AFTERNOON. and | greatly Inconvenience |
that forgot to take nay customary glass of wine
before went out. AS consequence was stupid |
and 1t was not nhsil drank glass of Chablis that
began to recover my natural mental condition"
Good Heavens" thought, q then Janet was
right 1t was tho imbecllty of the drunkard