St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-10-14

reduce her charges, to give him better
furniture; to do anything in reason
Her terms were much more reasonable
than he could possibly find elsewhere
and he knew it, but superstition had
taken hold of HIM and he could not stay
That room had become to him prison,
of which Reality was the warden
DR.. Mayer paused to light fresh
cigar
80 that's his case" said L ale is
practically insane, | suppose. Delusions
of grandeur, and paresis just beginning
to get its grip on him. Heavens, but it's
apity. He is certainly one of the hand,
soonest men [ ever saw, and gentleman,
as one may see at a glance. Strange how
his deluson has stamped itself upon him.
He has dreamed of wealth and gained
the bearing of a young Crnsus.'
"Well, as to that" said the doctor,
''he really is rich.'
Then his dream came true ? at least
as to the money?'
eyes, and the event was surprisingly
like the dream. Just as he was ready to
move away from Mrs. Rogers house his
fortunes changed. 1t was an inheritance,
and it ran up into the millions The
legal business was done through Web
ster Il Hathaway. | knew Webster we'll.
"Ihe dcmeanor of Hall was such that
the lawyers doubted his sanity. In
the first place he seemed to know all
about it without being told. Webster
broke the news to him, and Clarence did
not move a muscle. Finally he said he
had been expecting it for long time.
Now, Webster had every reason to be-
lieve that Clarence had never before
heard of Leonard Hall, the Brazilian
merchant, whose fortune had been so
strangely laid at his feet. Oh, yes, Clar-
ence had known all about it; he had,
indeed, already selected bachelor apart
ments suited to his ample means; he had
gone the day before to assure himself
that they were still vacant. Webster
took occasion to verify this statement
the next day. There was no doubt
about it. Clarence had called at the
Croisic and had examined suite. He
had carried his dreams so far INTO
reality.
''At this stage of the proceedings I
was asked to look the young man over.
| made his acquaintance and examined
him at leisure. Well, he was insane, but
l could not bring myself to say so. My
report to Webster was such that Hall got
his money.
Il should have said it would have
cured him." said I. "Knowing that he
is rich, why should he dream2'
ut would have cured him, as you
say remarked DR.. Mayer. 1.-The trou-
bic is that he doesn't know it."
''Doesn't know that he is rich2'
''No, he thinks that it is all dream.
He has no notion that the luxuries by
which he is surrounded are realities"
''But does he not believe you when
you tell him so?"
Unfortunately, he doesn't believe
that | am reality. He thinks that am
n creature of the Imagination. Doubt
less he has the same thought of you"
''But other people must be continually
contradicting his delusion."
"No; for they are not aware of it.
Until told you, no mortal but myself
suspected it, You noted his dreamy
air, but it would never have led you to
guess the truth You sec he acts like
sane man; his life is incredibly we'll
ordered. He has a great advantage in
his two years preparation for the joys
and responsibilities of wealth. His
dream developed in his mind till the
follics were eradicated from it, They
could not fasten themselves upon him,
for they We're only the shadows of follies
cast upon the golden dust of dreamland
He passed on into clearer light. tell
you, Maynard, he's model young"
"Lunatic," | hastily supplied the
word. "Can nothing be done for him ~
81 don't know. Time may do some
thing. but whether good or evil, I'll be
hanged if know. Talking won't help
him. I've laid his own case before him
with bare, scientific accuracy, and again
with poetical trimming. But what's the
use. when he believes me to be a crea-
ture of his own brain?'
"Why trouble him at ala Is he not
happy"
himself to be insane, but that does not
grieve him. On the contrary, he is glad
Of it. His chief trouble is the fear that
he will recover his reason. and find him
self once more a clerk"
What is your theory?'
at is simply habit of thought har-
Tened into delusiop. Thought is moth
ng but a phenomenon accompanying
certain chemical and physical changes.
starts it in certain direc-
ion, and it tends to keep on. Take a
simple natural process as an illustration:
Rock candy is made by crvstallizing
sugar that has been dissolved in water. |
The crystals will be very small if you let |
hem alone; but put piece of string
nto the water, giving the pro less some
hing to start with, and big, clear crys-
ais result. Some string of association
vas dropped into his mind when those
title dreams began to form, and behold,
hey took greater size, and new and
shapes"
"And the cure2"
eff could find just what that string
vas might pull it out and start the pro-
ess going in the other way; but"
He paused and shook his head.
"You don't believe that you can find
IT, said l.
Perhaps may, but shall I dare to
Use the knowledge? He might go stark
nad. He would unquestionably feel a
endeucy to suicide. l don't know just
What will come of it. At present l am
tudying him, and doing nothing else in
is case"
"You spoke of his being in love-"
Eyes; there was a woman in his
reams, and it seems that he has found
er. She lives in New Haven. have
let her, and she is most beautiful and
:, rn, inr GIRL Glorapoo IF oo,,rce, b,c