River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-12-31


haps she had only occasional spells of
madness or a distressing monOmania-
felt sure she could never be very vio-
lent
why not ask the usher or seek one
of the physicians?" | questioned of my
self But | shrank from the idea of
drawing the history of my loves life
from any but herself Ii seemed not
only unkind to do so. but positively in
delicate.
No: | would try to find out her story
from Sibyl herself when we knew each
other better.
Have you been here long?" ! felt
myself a clown, a stupid fool, as /
feelings of dclicacy had Just boasted
of TO myself? Her great. brown eyes
looked at me in an odd. surprised way.
'-Oh. no; Just a few weeks. ] shall
not stay much longer" she said. with
a sweet precision of speech. DO you
know" she said. coming little nearer
To me and speaking almost in whis-
per. Il sometimes fear if | stay here
much longer !, too. shall lose my
reason and be like those unfortunate
beings"
Poor girll She imagined those
around her insane-herself sane. She
imagined she had only come on a short
visit. instead of being incarcerated
there for an indefinite period
almost wept for the pity of il, but
answered her soothingly. aud talked of
the grounds which were laid off in
winding walks that extended in every
direction around the building.
DO yOu ever walk out alOne?'
asked.
Certainly" she said. seemingly sur
prised You do not suppose | spend
ala my time in here. do you? / should
perish if did not get out and spend
part of the mornings and evenings
alone"
| remembered then that the fences
We're very high. the gates massive and
securely locked There could. OF
course, be no danger in allowing the
patients a little liberty. if they had no
tendency To harm themselves or others.
l resolved To- watch for Sibyl and
talk with her alone during her walks.
felt positive that her malady was not
deep-seated. determined to return To
the sanitarium and search through the
doctors private library-to which |
had free Accession books ON insanity
Every day would try to see Sibyl and
study her case carefully. and, perhaps,
by devoting myself heart and soul to
the work I might be able to find
a cure. l fingered at the asylum near
ly an hour. She was so charming and
lovely, and talked so sensibly ana en-
tertainingly. it was hard to leave her
presence
At last ] went away. assuring her
that l would see her quite soon
The brown ewes took on a look of
surprise again. as if she wondered why
|. perfect stranger, should be SO inter
eSted in her But she answered me
kindly and left her.
There was no peace, however. in my
breast thought only of Sibyrs sad
fate a, | wendell my way along the hot
sands. and sent up a silent prayer
that the Ruler of all would help me
find some way To deliver my little
princess from the thralldom of insanity.
knew l had left my heart in her
keeping, and. come what might. !
would love her. My sudden passion
was indeed so great that | felt willing
to take her as she was. if no cure could
be effected. and knowing nothing OF
her antecedents or former life. The
! look in her sweet face was enough 10
/ convince me that she was a good and
Z pure woman. No woman could sin and
vet retain that indefinable expression
Z of purity that was hers. She was un.
/ fortunate. she might be poor aud friend
I iess-I cared for none of these things.
I | loved her; She must be mine.
! fastened homeward full of these
[ thoughts. secured the desired books
/ from the library. shut myself up in my
room and began to read. read stead.
[ lily until the shades of evening dropped
/ like a veil between the printed words
and my eager eyes.
felt bad clew; but was strange.
| liz weary. and my head ached terribly.
When the physician dropped in TO see
me before bedtime he found me lying
unconscious ON my couch. The rapid
I walk along the hot beach, following
INV excitement. and the strange things
/ had read. were too much for me.
/ / had a severe nervous attack thai
I confined me to my room for week
4 In the meantime | heard nothing oil
( Sibyl. Did she think of me and won
der why did not Gomez ! longed to
/ know. Often tried to speak to my
/ physician about her. but words refused
/ To come. had formed a theory in re
gard to her malady, and at last ques
an imaginary case.
/ Did he think such ease incura BILE:
[ Could the insanity be transmitted tC
pOsterity?' NV heart glowed with
7 jOy when he answered no to each ques
I ton forgot that | kHe,c absolutely
/ nothing about Silbyl's malady-that
/ INV theory was based on supposia.or
only.
Euoyed up with hope at the doctor:
/ words. I started out as soon as was a bl,
I to walk to the asylum. | was scarcely
I strong enough for the effort. but coulC
restrain myself no longer. The face o
B Sibvl was constantly before me-hel
/ image was enshrined in my heart.
/ l still remember how blue the slSie.
were. fiecked here and there with bit.
Of white. and how the sea-watei
SparlSled as the suns RAYS shone upoI
IL The waves. gently tapping agains
the shore. made an accompaniment q
the song Of joy my heart was singing.
When reached the gates. and the
lean old usher admitted me. ! gaze,
eagerly around. hoping that Shy
might be walking in the grounds
Y had formed no plans. but ] expected L
/ reveal my love in some manner.
\ little cloud came over the bright
ness of the day when discovered tina
/ she was not outdoors To tell one''
I love in a room where twenty pairs %
curious eyes may be- watching YOU i:
But. sitting INV regrets, | entered the
sitting-room-
All was exactly a on the day of my
! previous visit All-with one excep
tion. The graceful girlish figure, will
the crown of golden hair. was not
drawing melody from the keys of tho
grand piano
looked there instinctively at first
then NV eager eyes looked around IN,
room. But SIbyl was not there
namelesS terror seized me- Had they
confined NV poor darling i'm a solitary
cell. or. worse still. might her tender
body be lying in one of those crue
cribs ! Shuddered at the thought.
The middle-aged woman was sitting
ws-ssh ta.. 81 .