Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-09-16

the week grew into a month.
Two, three, four months the de-
tective kept at it. He exhausted every
resource, sifted every semblance of
clew, and finally at the end OF five
MONTHS refused to work longer
Its waste of my time and your
money" he declared, and MIR. Mansfield
reluctantly ncquiesced in the detectives
decision.
MY opinion" said Mr. Ferret, sis
that your wife is dead. think you had
better accept that as fact"
II will not accept that as true until
know it is true" declared Mr.. Mans
field, and, unable to produce proof that
his theory was the correct one, the de-
tective said no more, but babe the sor-
rowing man good-by and returned to
the city.
A couple of months later, as he was
sitting at home, turning over in his
mind different cases that he had been
engaged upon, Mr.. Ferret's mind re-
verified to the Mansfield case and he gave
a start, as a sudden idea occurred tC
him.
II have it!' he exclaimed, aloud.
''I'll wager 1 have fathomed the mys-
terry of Mrs. Mausfield's disappearance!
Why didn't 1 think of it before, l
wonder? Let's see," and he looked at
his watch, 81 have just time enough to
catch the train. 1 believe I'll run down
and put the matter to the test at once"
Two hours later Mr.. Ferret stood in
the presence of Mr.. Mansfield. The
detective was shocked at the change in
his late employer. He was aged a
score of years, and his hair, lately a
beautiful brown, was silvered with
gray. He had a hopeless expression of
countenance that was pitiful to see,
but frightened up a little, at sight OF
the detective.
"Iiave you-do you bring me any
news?" he asked, eagerly.
Mr. Mansfield, wish to ask you a
/ question or two," said the detective.
do you know anything regarding your
wifes ancestors?"
"Only that they were excellent peo-
ple," quickly. 81 never heard aught
said against any relative of hers"
"Well, answer me this: Did you ever
hear of, or know of any relative of
hers being afflicted with insanity?'
This shot struck home. Mr.. Mans
| fields face paled, and he reeled back
against the wall.
Her uncle" he gasped, lis an occu-
pant of an insane asylum now. My
God! Do you think-do you suspect"
THAT your wife was insane when
she disappeared so mysteriously? Yes,
that is what 1 think, and now 1 would
advise that the different establishments
for the care of the insane, that are dis
tributed throughout the country, be
looked through for your wife; she
might be found. Mind you, l say might
be found; my own opinion is that she is
dead"
wen begin the search tomorrow"
declared Mr.. Mansfield. Name your
price to help me and consider yourself
engaged"
The search through the different in
sane asylums began next day, and in a
private institution of this kind, near
ly hundred miles from her home, Mrs.
Mansfield was found
She was sane, too, as any body, but
prematurely old, from confinement in
such horrible place; but how happy
the two were over their reunion, after
being separated for so long.
Mrs. Mansfeld's story was soon told.
She had been taken with a sudden in
sane notion that her husband hated
her and wished to make away with
her. She thought that, instead of go.
ing to the opera, her husband was go.
ing to take her off somewhere and
murder her. With this fear to urge
her on, she had returned to her room
on that evening, two years before,
locked the door, climbed out of the
window, descended by the lightning,
rod and made her escape. She haC
wandered away, through the timber
and across the country, to the rail
road; boarding a train, she rode to 8
town nearly hundred miles distant
Here she left the train, and wandered
again, until picked up by kind people
and sent to the asylum for the insane
. She came back to her right senses {
few weeks after entering the asylum
but when she told them she was sane
and gave her name and address, they
laughed at her, and never even though
of writing to the address she CAV,
them. SO despairing, and almos
hcartbroken, the poor woman wa
forced to remain an inmate of mad
house, a companion of mad men ant
women. 1t was terrible, and her 10,
at regaining her freedom and being re
stored to her homo and the arms of he
= loving husband, can be better imag
ined than described.
She never had second touch of tn
dread malady, and among all thei
many friends, there was never one VIII
was n more welcome visitor than tn
= man who, sitting at his home thinking
= had figured out the cause of Mrs
= Mansfeld's mysterious disappearance
: Mr.. Ferret, the detectives. A. I
Cox, in Yankee Blade.
a Evening Things Up.