Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-24
rHE s .
How II L. Conducted and me People That
are There.

How II L. Conducted and me People That
are There.
Our Territorial Insane asylum is more
popular than the best hotel in the land.
Il has neither . vacant bed nor an extra
seat at it's table. It's study il the saddest,
yet most interesting, phase OF human
nature. 1t numbers twenty-five women
and two hundred men. In all Eastern
asvlums, the women largely outnumber the
men.
The women occupy q little frame build.
ing OF their own entirely apart from the
main institution aud near the hotel.
Mrs. Brown, their matron, 10 entirely
alone with them, having no help OF any
kind, except such as she exacts from the
patients. They all call her mother aud she
calls them her little girls and pets and
whips and scolds and praises alternately
Just as il they were y family vf children
In this family that God has brought to-
gether, the fact OF their keeping no ser ran
il one OF the greatest blessings, for here. as
elsewhere, the varied and light occupations
OF domestic lie, promute q healthfus
mental aud { physical well being.
The cook, is simply beautiful. She j
q brunette aged twenty with hair whose
lnxuriance softness and raven biackness
might well be the envy OF any belle-while
her graceful figure, large black eyes and ex-
quisite complexion are hard to match.
Her appearances 10 simply beauty and in,
telligsnce. But she refuses to speak and
works incessantly-flling the intervals in
cooking in scrubbiDg her already bone
white floor, or securing her shining tin
ware.
Crossing the yard from the kitchen is the
family sitting room. You open the door
and one of the sweetest little old ladies
rises to greet you. She is a born hostess
and makes you feel at home at once. She
proceeds at once to entertain you, intro.
duce you and apologies for anything short
Of perfection in her companions. Poor,
little old lady. She 10 perfectly sane, but
Whittier made "Over the Hills to the
Poor House" SO unpopular for old ladies'
families that Through the doctor to the
Insane Asylum has become all the rage
instead.
A beautiful blue-eyed woman with
q sweet, silyery voice asks anxious
~ for her baby; says she
to let her rock it, If only for half an hour.
"a Eh1SoN ~ younS SA ab0Ao 90 SeA
feet cold and stiff as if dead. The matron
smilingly tells you that she can assume or.
recover from that condition at viii. a
mulatto sings a plantation song for which
she demands in payment a r~Osy.cheeked
apple. A man enters to visit his wife.
Standing aloof from her chair, he gives his
head a quick jerk. and says: "How.de,
SAL" Her dull eyes brighten with a gleam
of hopeful Joy as she reaches out her
wasted hands exclaiming, did you come
to take me home Sam"
s'Na," said be. 1--WE are getting along all
right there now. / built a big bay window
and the woman ats takin' care of thiGgshas
fixed up a lot of flowers in it. The girls is
gettin big enough to help, and the house is
awful nice now" 20, SAM" said the poor
thing, II want TO go see the girls and my
house." 20, you just stay where you are
now and be contented. Is the woman that
keeps house pretty2 Well she is q sumner
and awful clever" "Well, good by" said
he turning to go.
Wont you kiss your wiie?" said Mrs.
Brown.
"Well 1 don't care if I do2" said he,
awkwardly bending to touch her cheek.
'Is there any thing you want, Sal?"
Eyes, | want q pink dress. Be sure it's
pink. Sam. Pink was always becoming to
me-" ~.
"Poor thing!" sighed the matron as he
left from his ten-minute visit, the first in
six months, ''She'll never live to wear her
new dress. / asked him to take her home
to die, but he just hurried off,"
From behind the bars from adjoining
rooms came q medley OF sounds in which
mingled gospel hymns, frightful oaths. un-
earthly screams aud pleading pray ers for
home, sweet home.
In the mems sitting-room you find less
variety. They are quieter. Almost all
are smoking. Some playing games. A
nice little grey headed Irishman re-
ceives you with true Irish courtesy
and genuine kindness OF heart. He wipes
q chair with his handkerchief and
offers you a seat. Others try to help him
aid an American vies with him IN taking
the lead. Others pay no attention what
ever to what is going on, but maintain an
Indifferent silence, but all OF their own
accord remove their hats and pipes.
There, as in the women's department, all
the labor is performed by the patients,
and since a large ranch is part OF the place,
each has to some extent an opportunity
OF following his own particular calling or
trade.