The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-07-11

"You are in my asylum" said the tall
man in his even, ordinary tones.
Heavens! A mad-house! A private
mad-hocse!" exclaimed the artist.
"You may discover we know how to
deal with madn,en. 1t depends on your
behavior, altogether
"You are the proprietor, sir9 May ]
ask your name?"
"You can tell him, Hawkins,
"You know very well that you are In
DR.. Varek's Asylum. Now, come with
me-"
The man with hook nose led him. up 9
~yht or stairs, turned on into a oropv
passage, led Beauchampe into largs
room in which there was an iron bed
stead and large iron ring in the middle
of O large stone set in tile floor.
Hawkins coolly locked the door when he
pushed Beauchampe into this room.
Then he stood looking at him with
eyes that shone like glass There was
10 soul in Hawkins eyes; a cold, steady
glare was directed upon Beauchampe.
Then Hawkins removed the cord from
his wrists, stood back and contemplated
Beauchampe again.
ats juSt as DR.. Varek said. Cut
up rough and I'll bring you to your
knees. Now, go to bod That's all for
tonight"
Hawkins unlocked the door, turned,
looked at the artist second time with q
cold smile on his bloodless thin lips,
stepped outside and the key was turned
in the lock again.
Beauchampe sat on the side OF
the bed and put his hands over
his eyes. The thoughts that crowded
his brain at that moment rendered him
frantic. BE tossed his hands upward
and beat the air impotently. he did
not know that tears were streaming
down his cheeks until his hand acci.
dentally touched his face. Then he
tossed himself on the bed and moaned
in his helplessness and rage,
He did not remove his clothes.
He lay on the bed hours; then he paced
the room. At intervals he heard un-
earthly cries and sobs- One poor woman
-Beauchampe was startled with her
first shriek-uttered cries that made his
flesh creep
The broad light streamed into his room
through the window, but no one came
near him. He heard many footsteps,
derisive laughter, shrieks and blows,
but he was forgotten.
When he was sure half the day had
passed, he struck his door with his hand.
At last an attendant-a man-opened
1t, and stood looking at him.
"What do you want? What are you
making q noise abOut?"
II want to see DR.. Varek. Don't you
give people victuals? Am 1 to be
staryed?"
"Iou will be attended to in time"
"When do you call it time? Half the
day is gone now"
"Itis just O'Clock" "
"My God!" exclaimed Beauchampe,
sand 1 was sure it was noon at least.
Please tell DR.. Varek want to speak
to him-or Mr.. Hawkins"
The door was closed with o bang and
locked.
At the end of half an hour seemingly
but in fact, eight minutes, Hawkins
confronted him.
Beauchampe said: "Give me some
thing to eat, Mr.. Hawkins, and"-Hawk-
ins stood glaring at him-3give me pa
per and ink and pen-pencil-something
to occupy my time Do, for Gods sake,
Hawkins. must do something"
sCertainly-you can nave reams OF
paper. And all you can cat"
Then Hawkins disappeared, and the
first attendant returned with 3 large
bowl, in which Beauchampe beheld a
large piece of meat, two boiled potatoes,
and two slices of buttered bread. There
was neither knife nor fork. Presently,
Hawkins entered with paper and lead
pencil
aMust 1 eat like an animal?" Beau
champe asked.
aYou must comply with our rules"
aHawkins stood staring steadily at his
poor victim.
"Treat me like man." said Beau
champe u am not beast
Hawkins did not deign an answer, and
the artist suddenly seized the bowl that
was placed on the floor, and ere the at.
tendants could interpose flung it with all
his might on the floor.
The pieces flew in every direction.
~Very well.n said Hawkins without
moving a muscle. "Well 60 back to
pewter now. Dan, go and get the pail
and mop, and clean up the room. You
can make out on one mea! to-day. You
can starve tomorrow If you want to. :"
Then Hawkins and the attendant left
him alone again. When he was alone,
Beauchampe stopped suddenly, eying
the door furitively all the while, picked
up three pieces of the broken dish, and
thrust them at random under the bed
clothes.
In little while the attendant famed
Dan re-entered his room with pewter
dish large enough to hold a quart
on which was placed piece Of meat, a
single potato, and half slice OF unbut-
tered bread,
"Am to have nothing to drink, not
even water?" Reauchampe demanded
Dan did not even look at him.
He walked out and locked the door be-
hind him,
Beauchampe looked at the meat.
Then he ate the bread. Next he ate the
potato. Finally he took the meat In
his hands, and devoured it eagerly.
He was half famished. He had never
experienced such munger. Having
cleaned the pewter dish, he paced the
floor a score of times
Then he took up the paper Hawkins
had placed on the bed, and the pencil,
and proceeded to draw a human head
Spite of himself this head had re-
sembance to Hawkins. At least it was
Hawkins nose. He drew another, and
It too was like Hawkins. 1t had Hawk
ms eyes. He drew a house, and then
he sketched half q dozen chimneys.
what was it made his mind run on
chimneys?
He scattered the drawings made
quickly over the bed. Then he thrust
his hand under the clothes, brought