The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-03-30

the darkness and with diabolical effect
mingled in the discord of the gale.
Again and again the voice came shrieking
through the tumult of the storm-now a
simple scream, and then awful oaths and
blasphemies. as II the utterances of some
damned soul.
I rose, went to the window, and looked
out. The air was filled with swift-hying
clouds Of snow. A faint light in the east in
dicated that the day was dawning. Directly
in front of my window could be dimly seen
u small building of single story which had
the appearance OF an clubhouse such as Is
seen about farm houses, and which might
have been wood-shed, a summer-kitchen
or some other structure.
As l listened to the incessant shrieks, II
seemed that they came from this outbuild.
ing 1t was awful beyond conception. The
voice, although hoarse, was Enthusiastically
that of n woman.
Inside the house in which stood it was
quiet as the grave. They evidently heard
nothing of the calling through the storm.
Were they Frustrated by some spelll
"Somo woman is being murdered"
thought "Perhaps it is robbers, who have
killed the father and son and are now try
ing to finish the daughter With feverish
dow, and sprang out, calling: ~ am
coming.n / rushed toward the little build
ing, hearing still the screams, to which was
added the rattle of chain.
There was a small window in the out.
house on the side nearest me, which l broke
in with blow from a stick of stovewood
that lay in the vicinity. Ipushed my face
close up to the window and was almost
struck by another face that at the same in.
stant was thrust into the opening. l drew
back with an exclamation of horror; it was
the head of woman with long locks of gray
that writhed about her head and face like
the twisting snakes on the head OF Medusa,
and which, like that tabled fury, turned me
into stone.
The complexion was as black as that of q
negress the face long and emaciated, the
cheeks sunlSen, while the eyes from the
depths of their deep sockets shone with an
Internal glare. Her neck was naked, re-
vealing the sheaths OF protuberant cords
and veins, while her shoulders were the
bones of skeleton. She clutched at me
through the little window, with arms that
were covered only with skin, and fingers
like claws. AS she moved frantically for
ward and back could hear the rattle of
chain.
All this time she chartered necessarily,
sometimes in inarticulate screams and then
in we!l-shaped curses and blasphemies that
rolled out with the speed of light. There
were foam and blood on her lips, and her
opened mouth revealed cavity in which
could be seen rows of fery-red gums with
out any teeth.
was gazing with ineXpressible horror on
this naked, bony, infuriated wretch, when
suddenly, something in her expression at a
when her contortions subsidized an
instant, gave the outlines of-Miriam All
flashed over me in second; IL was her
mother.
The vacant seat at the table, the brooding
sadness of Miriam, her resemblance to the
explained the entire situation; and
with it came the overwhelming conviction
that Miriam must follow in the footsteps
of the unfortunate mother. For few mo-
ments my soul was rent by conflicting emo
tions-to remain and as best could tighten
her journey to the madhouse, or fly. That
the inmates of the house were so accus-
toned to the situation that they were not
even disturbed in their slumbers by her
shrieks and execrations proved that the
case was one of long standing.
With remorse tugging at my heart !
turned into the wood, and as / went her
curses rung in my ears; and even to this
day they often intrude upon my dreams and
frighten sleep away as they did that night
ut the farm home of Farmer Douglas.
gave up the school Immediately and re.
turned to my native town.
Once, some twenty years ago, l made in
9uiries of the whereabouts of Miriam Doug
las They told me that she was long since
dead. -
NoTE-Lest some people may doubt the
fidelity OF the picture of the insane wife, it may
be said that generation ago this manner OF
treating the insane was not uncommon in the
remoter farming communities. The description
is founded on personal Observation-Disclosures,
in Chicago Herald.