Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1892-01-07
asylum" and felt it was because the
insane had violent dislike for that

asylum, anu 1olL IL WAS because the
insane had violent dislike for that
word.
I answered that it was my first visit,
and complImented her on her singing,
saying that words could not express the
pleasure it had given me.
She accepted my praises very serene
ly, and said it was her one gift. Then
she turned the conversation to the
piano, which was a very fine instru-
ment with remarkably pure tone.
| felt an almost uncomfortable desire
to know more about her. She was
seemingly sane at the moment; perhaps
she had only occasional spells Of mad
ness, or distressing monomania. |
felt sure that she could never be very
violent.
"Why not ask the usher, or seek one
of the physicians"' l questioned OF
myself. But shrank from the idea of
drawing the history of my loves life
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?'' I felt
myself a clown. a stupid fool, as | asked
the question. Where were the feelings
of delicacy had just boosted of to my
self? Her great brown eyes looked at
me in an odd, surprised way.
ooh, no; just a few weeks. [ shall
not stay much longer" she said with a
sweet precision of speech. s'Do you
know" she said, coming a little nearer
to me and speaking almost in wkis-
per, 81 sometimes fear if [ stay here
much longer I, too, shall lose my rea-
l. w.t., TO Hn-
ings."
Poor girl She imagined those
around her insane-herself sane. She
imagined she had only come on short
visit, instead of being lncarcerated
there for an indefinite period.
almost wept for the pity of it, but |
answered her soothingly, and talked OF
the grounds, which were laid off in
winding walks and extended in every
direction around tie building.
"Do you ever walk out alone ?" [
asked.
Certainly" she said, seemingly sur
prised. ''You do not suppose spend
all my time in here, do youo [ should
perish if l did not get out and spend
part of the mornings and evenings
alone"
l remembered then that the fences
securely locked. There could, of
course, be no danger in allowing the
patients little liberty, if they had no
tendency to harm themselves or others.
/ 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 sanitarlum and search through the
doctors private library-to which l had
free accession books on insanity.
Every day I would try to see Sibyl and
study her case carefully, and perhaps
by devoting myself heart and soul to
the work | might be able to find a cure.
fingered at the asylum nearly an hour.
She was so charming and lovely, and
talked so senslblv and entertaining it
was hard to leave her presence.
At last | went away, assuring ner
that I would see her quite soon.
The brown eyes took on look of sur
prise again, as if she wondered why 1, a
perfect stranger, should be SO interested
in her But che answered me kindly
and left her.
There was no peace, however, in my
breast. | thought only Of Sibyl's sad
fate as [ wendell my way along the hot
sands, and | sent up silent prayer that
the Ruler of all would help me find some
way to deliver my little princess from
the thralldom of insanity
| knew ] had left my heart in her
keeping, and, come what might, would
love her M sudden passion was, in
deed, so great that / felt willing to take
Der as she was, if no cure could be
effected, and knowing nothing of her
her sweet face was enough to convince
M
woman. No woman could sin and yet
retain that indefnable expression Of
purity that was here. She was unfortu
nate, she might be poor and friendless-
l cared for none of these things. |
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 veil between the printed words
and my eager eyes.
felt had clue, but | was strange
lv weary, and my head ached terribly.
when the physician dropped in to see
unconscious on my couch. The rapid
walk along the hot beach, following nv
excitement, and the strange things i
had read were too much for me.
| had severe nervous attack that
confined me to my room for week. In
the meantime | heard nothing of Sibyl.
Did she think of me and wonder why |
did not come? | longed to know.
Often l tried to speak to my physician
about her, but words refused to come.
| had formed theory in regard to her
malady, and at last questioned him
about it, as if it were only an imaginary
case.
did he think such case incurable:
Could the insanity be transmitted to
posterity ?" My heart glowed with joy
when he answered no to each question.
| forgot that | knew absolutely nothing
about Sibyl's malady-that my theory
was based on supposition only.
Buoyed up with hope at the doctors
words, / started out as soon as | was
able to walk to the asylum. | was
scarcely strong enough for the effort,
but could restrain myself no longer.
The face of Sibyl was constantly before
me-her image was enshrined in my
heart.
T still remember how blue the skies