Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-04-13

~ eSln,' Sne hdlu, III u"NO"
way "but where'll | be after CO.
ing, mum 7"
"Go to the nearest one, DR..
Brown, down this street"
"Oh, mum, an shure don't dare
90 past the graveyard before light.
The holy Mother herself couldn't
keep me from seeing the dead rise
IN the gray O. the morning"
"Go to Mr.. Wilson, then, in the
next house and ask him to go for
me- | SAID.
"Oh, mum, but there's the dog,
mum; and l daren't."
This was fear with which l
could sympathize, for ! remember
ed that the dog, which was always
loosed at night, was really iero-
clous, and | sad, as a last resort: ::
"Then there's nothing to be done
but 20 90 to the asylum, and beg
one of the physicians there to come
to us. Ask for DR.. Wilder-he's
an old friend Of my husband's-and
tell him that Mr.. DermOtts moth
er has been taken suddenly ILL.,
He will come as a favor to me, ]
am sure"
Luckily, Bridget had not my fear
of the asylum, and would not have
minded whole regiment of luna
tics; and by the time | had sooth-
ed my patient little, DR.. Wilder
was at the door.
81 was up already" he SAID. "ln-
deed, | had not been in bed, for
one of our patients escaped last
evening, and we have spent most
of the night in telegraphing, and
going to various places where we
thought she might be-"
| did not think then that a man
who had been out all night could
not be very glad to be called ont
again before he had a chance to
rest, but led the way to Charles
mothers room, telling him Of her
being so weary the evening before,
and all that | knew of her sudden
illness. We found her apparently
sleeping, her face turned toward
the wall. DR.. Wilder laid his fin
gers on her pulse, and light az his
touch was, it reused her. She
turned toward us, and opening her
eyes, said quietly: "You are Char
lie. l like you. You are good to
me.p
| began: "What do you think"
The doctors face wore an express
sion of perfect amazement as he
looked first at me and then at his
patient, but he said to her very
quietly: "Aunt Nellie, now that I
am here, you are better. lam 90
ing to talE with this lady, and in
ten minutes | shall want to find
you dressed, and ready TO 90 with
me-"
ayes, ! will, Charlie" she said ;
81 will 90 anywhere with you"
Then DR.. Wilder turned to me,
as | stood in utter bewilderment,
and beckOned me out into the hall.
81 beg Your PARDON" he said,
"but if had delayed or shown the
least hesitation, or doubt Of her
0beylng me, could not nave easi-
ly managed her. Did you think
| this was Mrs. DermOttS Why, it is
old Aunt Nellie, and she has been
with us ten years."
"Do you mean that she is in.
sane ~ | asked.
"lnsane7 yes" he replied, Gas
hOpelessly so as any one IN the asy-
lum. | can usually manage her,
for she thinks that I am a son OF
hers, whose death was the cause
of her insanity. Didn't she talk
about Charlie and Frank p Frank
| is her name tor one of the atten-
dants, against whom she has some
grudge. She calls me 'Charlie,'
and she often pretends to be i'll,
hoping that I Will come to ner. |
think she Is dressed by this time.
Could | ask you to lend me warm
shawl for herr The air is very
chilly"
| brought the shawl mechanical
ly, and in moment more my sup
posed mother.in law had taken the
doctors arm, and was walking up
the street, apparently as we'll as
possible.
Any woman who reads this story
will know that the next thing that
did was to have ga good cry
and that | sent for Frank to stay
in the house the next night. Char
lie came the day after, and moi
many days later, my real mother
in-law. She had been detained by
unexpected company. Her tele-
gram was afterwards found in the
waste.basket, owing to the blum
dering of a stupid Office boy who
happened to be the only one in
when it arrived.
Of course, was laughed at, but
| am not sorry for the adventure
for my visit from the mild, little
old lady with the childlike laugh
has taken away much OF my un'
reasoning horror of insane persons
and I have never been sorry one
half minute that / married Char
lie, although we still live on Asy
lnm street.-ErG w. Tdppdn, IL