Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-06-16
CHAPTER XII.

80 ftOs% " - Sftt reftl~
lam a physician aud surgeon by pro-
fesaion- Az one time l was one of the
deputy county physicians OF the county
OF New York.
IL was while I occupied this position
that received note from Mrs. Clark
Melville requesting a short interview
with me at her own residence. Mrs.
Clark Melville was not a lady whose re-
quests were 10 DO ignored. and l lost no
time IN placing myself at her disposal.
Il have sent for you in your official
capacity" she began, after l had been
seated in her elegant parlor. 81 desire
10 call your attention 10 strange case
which IS to me of the greatest impor-
lance. | have taken this step only after
days Of careful deliberation. and | ask
at your hands a painssaking examina-
ton OF the whole matter. want you
10 tell me what ought TO do.
when | leave this room a lady will
enter from the library ON tho right At
this moment she Is there waiting TO come
10 you That lady is Mrs. Caroline
Green. You have undoubtedly heard
her name mentioned in anything but ia
vorable terms In connection with muir
der which recently took place in this
house. Ii you have read the daily news
papers need say no more to you in this
connection
II want you to talk with her, with a
mind as to sanity. Ipnesume you ply
sicians have set rule Of procedure in
such cases. Therefore / must leave the
details 10 you
You understand, Of course, that Mrs
Green IS still in my employ and under
my protection. Only for this, instead Of
being in my library at this moment she
would DO In prison awaiting the official
Investigation Of my coachnans death
The reporters, through their respective
newspapers. have been blind enough to
accuse me OF shelterns and protecting
an insane criminal. have called you
in to secure final and official decision
on that one point.
Summon all the assistance you re-
quire at my expense. In case You find
tine poor creature TO be insane it is my
purpose TO provide for her in a private
asylum II your report shows her to be
in her right mind and in the full possess
sion of all her faculties. l shall no longer
interfere with the officers, Who have thus
far kindly allowed mo to have my own
way
Almost at tho same instant that Mrs.
Melville left the parlor the library door
opened and Mrs Caroline Green ad-
vanced TO the cerHer of the room
saw woman whose hair was whittier
than that Of her mistress. who was a
good twenty-five years her senior. Her
face was pallid and wrinkled. and there
were dark circles under her eyes, which
seemed u mo To BE- faded and dull to an
unusual degree. Her form was slight
and shrinking. AS she stood before me.
with her hands clasped tightly together
and her eyes turned downward, she APP
peared hardly able to maintain her up
right position. She stood there the
wreck Of once handsome and spirited
woman.
l hardly know how TO record the con-
versation that took place between U.s. l
began by saying that had been sum-
moaed A. a physician to inquire into the
state of her heath.
Yes. know" she said. YEARLY sink
ing into chair MRS. Melville todd me
that you had been called. She is very
kind"
At first could do nothing but make
the usual inquiries.
You have every appearance Of being
out II health | said to begin with:
''can You locate your dificultyy
Il am not III. she replied. II am not
in pain. In the kindness Of her heart
Mrs Melville puts too much stress on
my temporary inability to perform the
services for which | am paid. VIII you
b. kind enough to say that 10 her when
you make yoSrr reportT'
tired 20 explain to her that there
were Diseases Of the nerves and Diseases
of The brain which at times bsffisd the
skin IT the abie~t PHYSICIANS. and that
these were the most fatal 81 all diseases,
unless treated in time and treated by
tlr~e having the confidence OF the pa
tent to the fullant extent
"AIl the world knows I said. and
God knows endeavored TO say it Kindly.
that recent events in this house have
tssed your mental and physical strength
- the utmost. Try 20 believe that
am not here - Try into your sorrows,
but rather 70 give you strength 10 endure
and overcome them Conffle in me.
anil y0u may have long N useful life
before zen Refuse IN All me IN nv eff
forts % assist you. AID the end Is not far
away
i see how IL Is she said. "Ycu have
h--n resding che reporters sccounts az
my condition The newspapers have
decided that | ann insane. Have yen
e,.uae ~ verify thst de-rision--
Ny dear madam She interrupted
u,e before 7 could complete the s.sateBoe.
stop she safi L Rave h~srI That
between the honorable phvsicisn md his
prsrrsns thsxe sxi<ss a ccafii-rre - Scored
a Toe confidence % slss confessionsI.
Tegl me 4 sais 4 true /.