The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-24
MANAGES PRISONER.
WATTS HORRORS UNDzR AN
-HsANB WoMAN'S SPELL

5eld Prisoner OAANSA
H-.,,o,e Experience of a Writer Sent
rost,qate the Conduct OF the
S,.rrton, Va, Insane Asylum.
I'm the Philadelphia Times.
..v,nm for the insane near Staun-
". there is q man who, under the de-
' 'OI, that he is famous mlneraIogis''
Iu'i0. his time wandering about the farm
speuu' =, the institution collecting the
s''S 's,,.. sandstone OF the country, which
"OI -, and arranges with infinite pre-
Nc ,,,on some rough shelves in his little
Cl'iOI nj He is an old man and very
apo sometimes he returns exhausted
i 11,n these expeditions and sits painting
l'yr nj, narrow bed, wiping the beads OF
upyr from his brow.
p' tii. hand too, trembes visibly as he places
Nv .,onas in order, but nothing diverts him
t t-o his purposes, and day after day he
tolls on. ,.,,-Doso -.
o, an account of the methods em-
WIZ At the asylum in the treatment OF
plv'ins.ne and made daily visits to the in
w In one the wards where the less
syl. SILL Darients weres onfined, there was
N.",aD for whom | seemed TO possess a
rs fascination. She followed me
sh,nt rom place to place as l talked
n~;,b the different inmates, recounting TO
ma brokenly the sorrowful hfe-drama
which had brought her Where she Wes.
" Great tears cursed down her cheeks as
,hs tod of the unfaithfulness of one at
arSose feet she had lad all the wealth Of
49, neture. The attendant would have
osacsed her but she could not Withstand
nv syIdent sympathy, and clinging to me
-onrsd her sad recital into my ears.
She might have been beautiful, but for
.bs look of blank hopefulness upon her
conntensnce. Her features were good, her
ava, large and dark and her closely cropped
hair thick and glossy. She shared, indeed,
tbe peculiar vacancy of expression common
to the insane, but it was like the vacancy of
a bnilding which had known tenant and
bore the traces OF occupancy.
This is dreadful, dreadful place." she
said to me one day in a shuddering whisper,
rIsncing around with "a sudden look Of
alarm as though afraid Of being over
heard
III looks like nice place to me-" said
wishing to soothe her.
Nice :" she repeated, with bitter laugh,
an angry light like the sudden, lurid flame
of smoudering embers leaping TO her eyes.
then you will see how it is. These attend
ants are cruel to US. Cruel" she reiterated
vehemsntly. clasping her hands. Cruel"
| had taken lodgings at a country place
not very far from the asylum grounds, and
in some way after this visitation l could not
get this poor creature out Of my mind.
Were they really unkind to her, these at
PENDANTS, or was this, too, but fgment Of
her brainF'
"Isit necessary that this woman should
bekept herep asked the physician. ''She
seems sane enough-only wretched."
Necessary" he said. 81 should think
60. She is subject to periodical hts Of de-
Tangement, and is one of the most danger
Gus among our patients. Sometimes she is
obliged to lie kept for days aud days in
straght-jacket to prevent her injuring her.
self and others"
l was standing at my open window one
morning soon after this conversation when
group of these wretched creatures passed
BY heavily guarded. In the midst of them
Recognized my friend, dressed as was her
wont 10 a faded pink calico short enough to
display her sunbrowned feet and ankles,
and unbuttoned at the throat and waist as
though any structure was unbearable. An
old black straw hat adorned with purple
ribbon and disheveled feather was pulled
down over her face and there was sullen-
ness in her aspect that had never seen be-
fore
Some sound attracted her attention as she
came opposite my window, aud looking up
and catching my eye she gave me q nod Of
recognition, then hung her head as before.
They had gone, as afterward learned, to a
strip Of forest in our rear for a mornings
recreation.
The day had been a fatiguing one to me
and, buried among downy pillows beneath
my chlntz canopy, | slumbered heavily.
am usually light sleeper, barely crossing
the shadowy liue which divides conscious
ness from Inconsistencies, and when
aroused there is no gradual return of the
scattered senses
1t was perhaps past midnight when l YVES
aroused by some sudden sound. what know
not 1t was followed by death-like still
ness OF scarcely a moments duration, aud
then heard deep. stentorous breathing as
OF some one slumbering uneasily. | was
terribly startled, and my heart stood still
Tor an instant. Then reassuring thought
gave me courage 1t was doubtless Rover
the house dog, who had gotten under my
Ded during my absence.
dined out that day, and returning home
!ete In the evening went direct to my roon
II was remote from the other chambers and
opened from an upper porch that ran the
length OF the house. The building was an
O!u-Lashloned one. with deep window seats
ana lofty ceilings, aud there was a combine
Iloh OF the old styles anu the new in the
furnishing Of this apartment that produced
queer lncongruity of effect. The bedstead,
uatlng century back, was large and high
ana tnickly curtained with Powered chintz
tne WARDROBE and dressing table we're Of
mahogany and very massive, but the chairs
nuu light lounge at the foot of my bed
were graceful and modern.
Grew box OF matches from beneath
my pillow and lighting the candle upon a
sn.al table near my bed prepared to in
sVteSugate. AS did so the snoring ceased i,
eaere was a scrambliug sound as of some one
sNugghtg 10 his feet, and there, photo
sraPned upon the darkness, whicn the
Cauules faint light made visible rather than
TTIIpsiIed vas the wan visage Of the woman
T T seen at the asylum.
g. uers was a strange, unnatural glitter in
Slo pafk eyes usually so blank and express
S.ouieSs' aud the hopelessness of aspect had
tpo9n exchanged for the look of one animated
~ distinct purpose. For a moment lay
s 'iohless, not daring to breathe, my eyes
, n4eI with horrible fascination upon my
s%ssu-eyed visitor. Then with a mighty
' vnor1 OF the will started up and sprlnging
~ ~ tle noor on the opposite side of the
~ ~, rushed toward the door and would have
tb peTeu It, II was locked, fast looked, and
'ue key was gone.
-, As turned in q frenzy of despair from
t er!' my only place of egress the woman con-
boused me- Plunging her hand into her
r nGsom she drew forth the key, and, with a
.ltn.uless laugh, more like the cry of some