Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-05-01
CHAPTER VII.
JENKINS RETREAT,

Amid the sorrows in which Drane was
again involved, he had one consolation
tho young woman with thirteen mill
ions evidently felt almost as badly as
he did He heard her tell Mrs Bowers
that the judicial blacksmith on the
bench was simply dreadful
But this was not the best % it; he
heard Mrs. Bowers rep,y Only Two
words, indeed, and as irrelevant as are
most feminine utterances in times Of
emergency: Why, Bessie!" was all she
said, or at least all that Drane heard,
but he was more than rejoiced. Her
name was Bessie At last he had some
thing to call her in his thoughts. IL
was the first hint on the subject. In
his JOY at this discovery he forgot to re-
greet that he didn't know the other half
of her name. He watched her pour her
woes into Mrs. Bowers ear, and was
satisfied.
Such a spectacle is always entertain
ing, for when a woman has embarrassed
q man by making a blunder, if she is
not too stupid TO see it, nor too proud to
acknowledge IL. nor too nervous to know
Wuah Htlf II dbOAAs SHt Will HOiltNlUutS
pity him divinely, II he is reasonably
good-looking. And If She has begun TO
feel little tenderly toward him. she
will often accuse herself unjustly. in
order that she may have the luxury OF
telling herself how sorry she is that she
has put him into difficulty
That was why BESSIE now razed at
Drane with such angelic sympathy de-
picted upon her beautiful countcnance.
She said in her heart that her testimony
had somehow helped to prove that he
was insane. 1t was a question of the
heart, and in such cases a woman never
allows an appeal to the higher tribunal
Of the mind SO Bessie acted upon her
first impulse and implored Mrs. Bowers
to do something, no matter what il was.
With Mrs. Bowers IL was n question
neither OF the heart nor Of the mind, but
of the conscience. Therefore she de-
cided to be merciless, but just II was
her plain duty to protect Bessie from
impostors, fortune hunters and lunatics
so she frownod at Drane in way that
gave him chill TO supplement the fever
which Hessie's tender chances had put
into his blood.
Where will they send him now?"
asked Bessie, shuddering.
Probably to Wards Island, tempe
rarily, replied Mrs Bowers.
"Will they be good to him tbere?a
He viii be cared for, said Mrs Bow
ers, sternly; and fed to certain ex-
tent"
"Oh, my cried Bessie. tearfully
e ant We take him home with us? You
have heen 80 kind to me that look
upon your house as home now, you
know
u couldn't think of such thing. 4
Mrs Bowers said firmly. II can not
have lInatic in my house. II IS all
that ! IAN do to look ont for you
A. the thought that Drane would be
sent, partly on her account 10 an island
where there might be neither pudding
nor tea Bessie developed symptoms o.
hysteria which touched Mrs. Bowers
heart.
perhaps could get him committed
70 jenkins Retreat, she said. relentinR.
Where is that asked Bessie, catch
ing at a straw
at is private asylum uptown" said
Mrs. Bowers, where they care for mild
but hopeless lunatics. will speaksto
the judge about it."
rs Il better than that awful islaR&?"
sTt is a shade more, oheerful,' f Mfs,
Bowers admitted, shutting her 1ipg To-