The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-09

knew She was TOO timid 20 be OF any ser
wee 10 iac; tut | must act. quietly
went 20 her and told her 20 go 10 her
room-it aGioinef The one in which she
eat-hrt not 20 60 10 bed. as might need
her. Then. assuming the coolest manner
possible crossed the sitting room. opened
The stove door and renewed tie fir. and
while my face was turned from him said,
The farce has lasted an hour. Mr B..
and fail 70 appreciate il. However. Il |
still have patience 20 listen. viii you tell
me why YOU are hcrey" ! rose then and
resumed my scat on the chaise Tongue
lie Away moved quickly, but stealth
lily. like cat, and with some such move
mcnt he came behind mo and win. pered
close, close 10 ny ear. "Aro YOU not afraid
Of mei' With my blood fairly standing
stal In ~ veins answered Not at all
Why should BE-! You must be out Of
your mind
That's Just IT, said lc Then 70.
suming his walk up aud down the ROOM
he continued: did you never hear that !
had once been insane
Yes. replied Il did hear something
Of the kind, but that was many years ago
! believe an illness, was 10 mott How
ever, whatever You were then viii hardly
excuse you for your conduct 60 night.
lic stopped. eyed ire cfWiousiy for mo-
mcut, then crossed the room swiftly 90
where sat, and STOPPING. put his hand
about my throat He clasped it with lis
long. slender fingers, gently, very gently,
as he said. What p strange cygnesccut
thing life is; could crush II cut go easily
see" with "a closer prcssurc-I could
E.ii you with ny thumb ard finger,
discngaced the hand and pointing 10
n chair near mo. ! begged him 10 be- seated.
Tie obcyod. asked. "Do you remember
ANYTHING Of your life in the asylum. A
sad. panied look came over bis face. the
demon was overcome for the moment at
least. had truck the rieh, chord Ire
replied: "Yos. ! remember everything.
Shall tell IT, TO yoaY'
Glad Of the respite and hoping 90 find
O way 10 control him eventually. settled
nysclf 90 listen o. Bis story. give - in
his own word- - nearly as ] can recall
them
From the time was 1C gears Of age ]
was q sort of waudercr. was educated
partly AIl VII ilNlf aiA.l liili'lA'N is va ava
England Thence | went 10 France.
where spent two years, and after that
lived for some time in Australia. finally
landed in India, wher. ! expected TO Go
into business with my brother in law. a
short time after my arrival there ! suf-
iorcd a smst roko which almost cost mc
my life, and utterly dethroned my rca-
son. For six months | was a great care
20 my sister. but at the end Of that time
was entirely restored both mentally
md physically. and we determined TO 90
to st. Petersbur Ii had been our child
lood home, and shortly after our arrival
there we were i'm the fashionable world,
meeting old friends and making new &C
uuaintauces Among the latter was the
Countess J.. a lovely girl of - years.
She had soft dark eyes, full Of passion. a
complexion like ripe peach. and mouth
ali dare not recall Ter face. 1t makes
me mad even now, and an old and gray,
and she is-dead
Enough loved her. won her love.
Tie formalitics Of q betrothal were gone
through with. orr friends he'd congratu-
lated MS. and withinG few months we were
90 lave been married. | was Wild with
happiness Alas, why did i not die them
/ had unhouudcd faith in her my lady
love. but / became absurdly jealous. ]
wac haunted bv all sorts Of fears. Ii was
as IL some evil spirit had taken possession
Of me. which neither my reason nor her
devoted affection could exercise. would
Die awake at night and imagine ! heard
her calling TO me for help. NJ another
time some fend would whisper Co mo That
INV love was untrue 80 ! doubted and
trusted her by turns and almost broke her
heart with my foolish fancies. know
that all my trouble was but the erect OF q
sickly imagination and would determine
again and again to fight of the weakness
only 90 become more and more q victim.
So my nights were spent in torture and
NV DAYS in agony lest some one should
discover my condition.
One day became possessed with the
idea that my hanceo had need OF me- !
could hear her sigh and weep. hurried
10 the house. gained admission, and when
she came Ia meet me .oll az Ter feet and
implorsd her to tell me the cause of her
trouble She coldly repealed ne; told me
/ was Jealous OF phantoms. that Lad an
moved her greatly and she would decline
"a zee mo again unless could behave like
sane man. Like a Sane man Was
insane them Whether ] was or not. she
had aroused demon in me. ! jumped TO
nav feet. sprang at her like n tiger and
clasped her ia these arms so savageiy
that crushed and frightened the poor
darling out Of life She uttered de
spairing cry aid the next moment she lay
a. INV feet like Il frozen flower. Can you
conceive of my agony - ! looked at her,
dead quite dead as | supposed. l had
killed the woman adored, aud knew
wa mad. Yes, lunatic. She had seen
il and lad half realized il myself for
some time, but had kept the secret from
NV friends with all the cunning OF lu-
matte.
Wen. they bound me and took me to
ny home. was adjudged insane ana
was sent TO an asylum, where for ten
wears lived upon the rack, conscious Of
nv surroundings, recalling daily the part.
inc scenes with my haucee, the hurried
seizure Of my person, my bound arms ana
the final turning of the key Of nay prison
All sorts of fancies kept my brain IN a
whirl. 1t one time. thought that the
flies i'm my room were soldiers and would
4 hoo a. ".