The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-11-02
Our 0liu.
CHILDREN OF DREAMS.
nv JOHN cowAN.

III abhN NbWANs
Insane asylums-that is, public ones
are generally alike Kings county ius,itu-
ton AZ Flaibush. y. Y, Is not unlike other
large places Of the kind in the make up Of
its constituency, but il is very unlike most
others in it, dreadfully oSercrowded con-
disiou and in the dcTlorable facts that 1t
has neiiher hospital nor proper arrange
ments for classification Of is inmates. IL
i a sad place 70 spend any time in, for Its
halls echo the mOckiag speech OF hundreds
who have eaten Of the insane root and who
people the air with phantoms. Few insane
isople think they are insane. Some of
them are willing to admit thai they have
decisions or illusions at times, but beyond
that il Is rare that one viii agree with the
physicians. Many of them are sane enough
10 know that they are inmates Of an asylum
an1 eau realize the awful misery which
surrounds them The sane person who
wakes in the night shaking aud trembling
and l.a,hcd in moisture thanks God that 1t
was dream nightmare, Il you please,
bas set dream Gradually the nerves
are 4uicted, aud the fear departs and the
oblivion Of sleep comes as a curtain bciNeen
him and the visions of the night But TO
dream ior ever, 20 see gohsins and demons
in The air around you, 70 bear their voices
ander yoar fest, 70 start and cry and crouch
with fright 50 terrible as to chill the
heart and paraiyxe the senses; to do tins
continually day after day, year after year,
Is a fate more awful than any human malice
could invent There are many such af-
ficsed ones among the insane, aud IT Is not
A dream 20 them. There IS no awakening.
There is 10 certain coming Of the blessed
light Of morning to chase away the Phan-
toms. They are not phantoms, they are
real, and they are always there Poets
talk Of remorse and the sufitings ot con.
science. To the most brutal murderer
there eeuerally comes a time when religion
or philosophy or something stands between
the horror Of the deed and the peace 81
the atonemsni-
Here is a wonsan--about thirty five years
old onIy and showing evidences Of eomeli-
ness-who sits all day and night with
blanehed face and eonseienee-stricken eyes
raoaning:-"I killed my child. killed
ms child Ny poor, little innocent baby
/ killed it g She is wrong. She never
killed her child She never had one to
kin. nor as far as is known did she ever
kill ANYTHING. When she first came the
musicians told her that she had not killed
the child, the official visitors argued with
her. talked to her, prayed with her, but
she ouly nOaned the more;-''l killed my
child killed my child r There Is no
consolation for this poor soul. The bitter
tears Of remorse daily stain her cheeks, the
heart swellings come fierce and frequent
and she sits and mourns in anguish for a
child she never had, for crime she never
committed
Here is a girl who smiles with rare sweet !
ness as your glance seeks hers. Her teeth
are even aud regular, and her rather full
lips curve away in charming lines in answer
to her pleased expression. Surely, thinks
chance visitor, 'here is a girl with his
tory. Perhaps she is not insane at all.
Perhaps she Is being kept here in defiance
of everything" Are you well treated
here ?" aYes, she answered dreamingly,
still smiling, "as well as one can expect in
such place. An asylum, you know, is
not the pleasantest place in the world for
person who desires her freedom and is en-
titled to it. ''Then you think you ought
TO 20 free-that you are not-are not
troubled in min--" Insane is the word
YOU mean. is it not?' she interrupts, look
ing YOU straight in the eyes and smiling
more mischievously than ever.
"No, am not insane. had a severe
attack of brain fever once, and they took
advantage of it to send me to an asylum,
and so far as can see | am likely to stay
here until really 90 crazy. To be among
such people as these a eontemptuous ex-
preston of lip and toss of the thumb
over the shoulder is dreadful fate. BY
this time you are thoroughly in earnest and
determined to see that justice is done, SO
YOU continue But have you no friends
who will interest themselves in your con-
dition ?" ''Oh, yes | have friends, but
they are not true ones | am afraid, for they
leave me here" ''Does your mother visit
you p ''Yes, she was here last week, but
She would not agree to take me home.
''And have you any brother or sister 2
II have both. My brother was here some
time ago, and begged him to do some
thing for me- He promised he would, but
he has not cannot understand why they
all neglect me So The face grew very
thoughtful and the smile vanished slowly.
''And your sister" you suggest, determined
to have the whole story. "Has she not
been to see you? Perhaps she might do
something" "My sister? Oh yes
(smiling again )-she came, too, and seemed
as sorry as she could be when she saw me.
She cried lot, and kissed me ever so many
times, but there was no more result FROM
her visit than from those of the Others. Ii
is singular, too, that my sister should not
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