Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-06

the subject full justice before she got
Madame" said Drane. gently, " il my
presence affects you 10 tears VIII WITH
draw" ,,:,
"Do not do 90 on my account" she said,
cit IL not your fault that you have revived
a sorrow that has long been buried IN my
Drane regretted having been the cause Of
such a joyless resurrection, ana ne Noh-
tured 10 murmur words 10 that enect.
1T does not matter" she SAID. NY
conduct must seem strange 70 you. can
hardly explain it without telling you tue
story Of INV life. There Is 70 nance IN ~
and she frightened apprecably. lou
shall hear the melancholy narrative"
Far be il from me 10 intrude upon
yonr confidence" said Drano, endeayorlng
10 get away. But she fixed him with hcr
eve and he sank back into his scat. linen
she drew chair near TO his ana between
him and the door. H..
"The same noble features. the same soul
full eyes. the same pallor. indicative OF the
Same sad fate. Are YOU genlusI 70 you
write poems Of the soul as ho ana
Draue grOaned. .v.
- knew it," she went on. Listen.
We were destined for each other. mere
was a small matter Of property .deponqI-
ing upon our union-but never mlnG' re
seemed to avoid me ut FIRST. out NJ iehglu
fate threw us together. Returning 10 ms
room one morning yery early he endcavor-
cd to enter the old-fashioned CLOCK AT the
head Of the first flight of stairs under me
IMPRESSION that u was the door OF MS
apartment. II was the absent-mlndedness
OF Genius. Al. well he and the clock tch
down the stairs locked in each others
arms. and when they picked him up one OF
his limbs was broken. l came - nurse
him. For seven long weeks was MS con-
slant. his only companion. read to MN,
| talked to him-and then-and then"
He died;"
No: he became a hopeless lunatic. !
have never loved since then; but low your
face brings il all back TO me. Excuse the
outburst Of my feelings"
She laid her head on his shoulder and
cried into his collar. Drane could feel his
hair begin 10 turn gray, but he smut ms
teeth together with resolution. Inc DINER
fellow had stood 1t seven weeks before lie
went out of his head and Drane believed
that ne could last till Jenkins came.
In fact he did but 1t was a close shave
jenkins was "a tall and greedy man, Wiih
hollow cheeks and a cherries smile. Al
his appearance the woman with romance
III litI tllf Ntlll-lfU AZ NiAAA f-f 80 '+f'
panion. who proved TO be the matTon OF
the house jenkins DID not care 70 cues
ton the new conner. lie was satisfied that
all charges would he promptly PAID ana
he at once escorted Drane to an apartment
on the third floor. Here the unfortunate
young man secured some toast and tea,
which, however. did not wholly sustain
him against the horrors of the night:
jenkins made a casual inspection OF
Drane's pockets before leaving the room.
you will excuse this formality." said
he. but the man who occupied tins room
before YOU brou Int in piece OF rope with
which he hanged himself over the head
board Of the bed before morning. We
have had many cases of the kind. Good
night"
This was n cheerful subject Of reflection
to take to bed with one, and 1T was sun
more consoling to hear the key turned on
the outside of the door.
Il believe that ] shall actually 60 crazy
before morning. SAID Drane as ne
stretched himself upon the bed. it was
insuderably hot. The windows were care
fully barred and screened in a way which
not only prevented the suicidal egress OF
Jenkins's boardcrs but denied lnsress TO
an adequate supply Of the free ar OF
Heaven. After making this discovery
Drane returned to his bed, where he was
soon dreaming that the dangling. heels OF
his unhappy predecessor were still knock
ing against the headboard.
From tins nightmare he awoke with o
shiver Of horror. lie sat up and listened.
There was certainly a strange noise IN tine
heavy ar. Sometimes 1t was like subdued
voices; then it was signing; and again 1t
was a gurgling grOan. For some minutes
Drane could not summon up the resolution
TO investigate; but at length he arose and
quaking with horror he enGeayOred to trace
the disQuieting sound TO It's source.
1t led him to door which apparently
separated him from the next apartment.
What CHASTITY mystery lay behind il? He
hardly dared 10 think. He listened, and
the eurghng signs made Themselves plainly
audible. Doubtless some unfortunate was
leaving the retreat by the method Jenkins
had described and had failed TO arrange
his moose in an entirely satisfactory man
ner. For what seemed long time, Drane
quaked and hesltGted, not daring TO pene-
trate further into the secret. Then with a
sudden resolution ne seized the knob and
threw his force upon 1t.
The door opened easily. It revealed an
empty closet, with set bowl at the side,
into which a thin stream of water was
trickling and running down the escape
pipe with the noise which had so Mortified
him. Alarm gave place TO wrath. lie
vowed all sorts OF vengeance upon every
body who had even remotely contributed
TO his present evil plight. Every body but
Bessie. He forgave her. and IN thinking
of her he fell quietly asleep and was not
wakened till the light of morning streamcd
into the room.
breakfast was served tosuch Of Jenkins's
boarders as could be trusted outside their
cages at o'clock. After partaking of that
frugal meal Drane was permitted to spend
little while in the parlor. 1t had no other
occupant at first except short, stout man
with an abundance of stiff, curly hair who
sat at a table writing. Every time he
paused in that labor he stuck his pen be-
hind his ear, and whom he was ready to
resume his task he picked up q fresh one,
forgetting what he had done with the
other The consequence was that IN few
minutes the bushy hair over his ear was
full of penholders aud there remained
only the one which he was using. Pre-
sently that Joined the rest. and then the
little man, after hunting about the table q
few minutes. gave 1t up and pushed his
paper from HIM.
THE servants hero arc very careless, y
said he TO DrGne. They always fail to
provide me with pens, although they
know the importance Of my work. And
y
know, that my forgetfulness has been the
ruin of my life? 1t is true"
He leaned toward DTane impressiyely
and continued II am a genius. ! once
wrote the greatest poem extant. Then
mislaid il. For months | searched for the
manuscript but without finding a trace OF
it. Ny cursed torgettulness Then tried
to remember what was IN Tiny forget
fitness again. ] couldn't think OF single
line. could remember only that 1t sur
passed Homer, Dante, or Shakespeare.
The thought that 1 had thus cast
away undying fame by mere care
lessness undermined my health, un-
til they brought me 10 this sanitarium.
Confound il, one might as well DO honest
about it. There's no sanitarium about II.
It's lunatic asylum, and for the sake OF
ycracity let's admit it. Here sit scrlb-
bling away every day, trying vainly TO hi
upon the single inspiration which for O
moment raised me to an intellectual height
no man lad ever before attained. Thus
far in vain. But who knows-who knows
What's your own special brand OF
iunacy?n
II am sane man." said D-ane. hall
angrily.
The short man shook his head.
"Wsit till you have been here awhile
1 aa,d ba "frhop ,,at,ii1 drcoro DRAINS and