Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-05

Lew Barker no doubt had in mind the fact
that all those who were interested in Mrs
Allaire's condition would consider it a most
fortunate thing that she should be in her
cousins care. Mr.. Andrew Hollister him
, self was forced to acknowledge that she
| could not be in better hands. Whenever he
| called he was careful to note whether there
was any tendency to improvement, for he
still INDUCED the hope that he might not be
| called upon to announce to Captain John by
cable to Singapore or to Calcutta the double
| misfortune, the death of his child and Of
| for was she not dead, too. And yet FIVE
weeks had now gone by and there had not
| flashed a single glimmer of intelligence
through that mental gloom. In the pres
ence of this calm, mild, Indifferent condi-
tion, UNMARRIED by any physiological dis
turbance, the physicians seemed to lose all
hope, and it was not long before they dis
continued their visits.
Whenever Lew Barker for some reason
or other was obliged to be absent for day
.the mulattress had orders to keep close
watch upon Mrs. Allaire. Without appear
ing in any way to interfere with Kate, she
took good care to leave her rarely or never
alone with Molly and to report faithfully
to her master whatever she had observed in
Molly's condition. She showed great in
genuity in getting rid of people who came
to inquire about the captains wife. She
assured them that the doctors had ordered
that no callers should be admitted; that
absolute quiet was necessary; that the
sound of a strange voice might bring on
fit of violence. And Mrs. Barker herself
was inclined to side with Nanny when the
latter thus got rid of callers whom possibly
nothing but idle curiosity brought to Pros
pect cottage. In this way the captains
wife gradually became isolated from the
world.
'tPoor Molly" thought Kate, ':if her
condition grows worse, if her lunacy loses
its mild character and she becomes subject
to outbursts, they will take her away from
me; .hey will shut her up in an asylum,
and she will be lost to me- Oh, no. God
grant that this may not happen. Who could
possibly care for her with the same deyo-
tion as I?'
During the third week of May Kate pro-
posed that they should try an occasional
walk in the neighborhood, hoping that her
cousin would gain some benefit from it.
Lew Barker made no objection, merely di-
recting that Nanny should 90 along with
them.
Mrs. Allaire therefore left the cottage
one day, Kate's arm being affectionately en-
twined in hers. She permitted herself to
be led forth like person without wish or
VIII, gong Wnltner Sne was conducted W1tn-
out taking any interest in anything. At
the outset these walks had no appreciable
effect upon the patient. However, the null
attress soon began to observe that Molly's
emotion gave evident signs Of modification.
Her habitual composure was interrupted by
symptoms of mental excitation, which
might be productive of harmful results On
several occasions the sight of little children
whom she met in the street threw her into
q state of violent nervous excitement Did
they not awaken in her recollection of
the one she had lost? Did not thought of
little Walt flash across her mind? How
ever this may be, and admitting that it was
natural to regard this change as favorable
one, yet the fact is that it precipitated
cerebral disturbance calculated to aggravate q.
the malady.
In one of these walks Mrs. Barker and
Nanny had conducted Molly to the summit
Of Knob Hill. She had taken a seat with
her face turned seaward, but it seemed
as if her mind was as empty of thought as
her eyes were full of vacancy =
Suddenly her face frightened, a tremor
shot through her form, her eyes lighted up
with strange glow, and, raising her trem-
bling hand she pointed at white spotaway
put to sea.