Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-09-26
WALLED IN A ROOM.

hti manu- Htpiht compress. Inc room wa
i plain and neat, with clean white wall,
: On table covered with a great napkin O
! yellow linen ] noted number OF stranQ
objects-rows OF little vials and brow
earthen jar filed with bits Of ice. Throug
the muslin curtains which bellied out iron
the windows In the balmy air could see
patch Of blue sky and the tops or gree
trees bending lightly ia the breeze Wher
was II It seemed like a long dream which
] bad had. My head felt empty, my limb
ached, and could not think
The man gently lifted my head and CAV,
me few drops Of some liquid, which
swallowed with avidity.
We'll, Mr.. Furniss" he said, chow ds
you feel now9"
''Eh, what2n cried. "Where am ~
"Nou are in my house, my dear sir, and
we shall take good care Of you. Now ht
added, replacing my head on the pillow
'be quiet and 60 10 Sleep
gazed at him for long time, and All al
once ! recognized DR.. Bertram, the cele
brated specialist in insanity. A shadder
| passed through my frame Why was in
| DIR. Bertram's hospital instead OF my own
home near Phoenix park, with my herds
and my microscopes around met His hos
| pital was for mad peoplel--and that Sister
| OF Charity, those walls, that bowl of ice
my God, must be mad But whyg How
How long have / been herep" / asked
after a time.
"For four weeks, Mr. Furniss. But YOU
must be quiet and sleep. Now do not try
to talk"
For a MONTH Was it possibles What
had happenedY But even as asked my.
self these questions little BY little went
off to sleep, and saw ia bilIowy meadow
a road covered with blood and bordered on
| each side with monstrous microscopes
shaped like trees, a road on which two lit
tie girls played at pitch and catch with a
severed head, while DR.. Bertram, comically
bonneted with religious cap, rode astride
Of dead body, which reared and pranced
and kicked till he could scarcely keep his
seat
The next morning l was better, and day
by day / improved, though that horrible
nightmare came to me each night. But it
grew less and less distinct, and after few
weeks it almost ceased to trouble me-
One evening the Doctor whom had rot
seen during the day, seated himself near
my bed.
We'll said he, feeling my pulse, you
are doing famously I'll have you out. az
good as new, In few days. But you have
had a close shave It has been one Of the
prettiest cases OF cerebral congestion ever
handled-a beautiful case. Why. Il ia a
wonder you are alive now. Tell me, how
is your memory. Can you remember what
happened before you were brought hereg"
IL don't know; I cannot think.
have passed through something fearful.
What it Is | cannot say. From the faint
glimmer Of recollection that comes 70 me
have the sensation Of having been dead
murdered Oh, it is frightfull MY brain
Is weak yet Then the child--a pretty
golden haired child-rolling on the floorn
Come, come, this will never do, said
the doctor You can tell me all about it
In the morn
mo- now, doctor" cried. 1T is com.
ing back to me. Yes, have Il nown
Here is an exact transcript Of my recital
as told il 70 DIR. Bertram and later to the
magistrates
You know my passion for natural his.
tory. Well, scarcely a week passes that
do not go into the country botanizinQ.
That day went to Glacnevin, where, as
you may know, the marshy meadows are
rich in curious plants, infusoria aud dia-
toms. was returning, and was almost in
Dublin with my box full Of rare specimens,
on which | expected to make a report that
would astonish the Botanica society, when
saw little girl, certainly not over five or
six years old, who was alone, crying rs il
her little heart would break / approached
her, but at sight Of me she red0ubled her
cries. could see that the little one was
lost and that She did not know where To
60, so ] spoke to her kindly, and, by dint
Of promising her unlimited bonbons, cot
her 70 tell me that her name was Lizzie.
and that she lived in Beresford place in
Lower Abbey street,
took her hand, and we soon started oil.
talking together like old friends. She was
a beautiful child, fresh and rosy. with
| great candid eyes and fair hair, which was
cut short over her eyes and fell I'll golden
ringlets about her shoulders She trotted
bravely along, her soft little hand ia mine.
AS we walked she told me remarkable
tales, In which figured big black horse, 4
little knife, doll aud number Of people
did not know.
Lizzie was afraid she would be scolded
when she arrived home, but she was not.
and II was received with transports 81
her mother, who was half distracted
Never was gratitude expressed So heartily
and pleasantly. Who was /. where did i
live, how did happen TO find her ana 4
thousand like questions were showered
upon me.
'Oh, Mr.. Furniss,n said the mother.
| 'yon are the savior on my child. How can
we express our gratitudea We are not
rich, but such a debt cannot be paid in
gold. How happy my husband viii be to
repeat my thanks to you. He Is still at
his Office, but--will You do a great kind
ness, will you honor our humble board to.
morrow shall have savant here like
| yourself, and you TWO will enjoy each
others company am sure And my hus.
band will be so happy to have You"
! thanked her for the invitation and
promised to be on hand.
AT the appointed hour was shown into
their modest parlor, and you may be sure
/ the husbands gratitude was no less warm
" expressed than the wife's. And little
Lizzie threw her arms around my neck
and showered on me the innocent carasses
Of a happy child. / seemed, indeed, 10 be
one Of the family.
The dinner WAS a merry one, the savant
| seemed to be an interesting MANN brief
passed an excellent evening.
The air had been heavy the whole dav
and in the erening a storm came on
Thunderclaps succeeded one another with
cut interruption and the rain fell in tor
rents. Whether 1t was the effect of tn.
storm, OF the suffocating heat, or Of thu
WINE had drank, felt strange melan
snoly-l could not breathe comfortably.
was about to set out for home. how
ever, Tor II was late and my house was a
some distance. but they insisted that
should stay. 1t would be foolish to expos
myself TO such a tempest when l was no
feeling we'll The mother begged me witt
such a good grace that felt forca5 ., -