Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-08-11
lis she never still?" the elder physi.

4 !.
clan asked.
Never wholly so. Nervous motion Of
soma sort Is necessary. Nothing but &C.
tual interference from without can stop
1t, even for an INSTANT
II happened then that an external in.
ter1erence unexpectedly occurred to il
iustrate the practitioner statement A
cat, winch had been curled up by the
hreslde, crossed the floor and snrano
into the girls lap. With a repetition Of
the peculiar cry and sudden intensified
ton OF the dominant expression in her
lace, the patient started to her feet. The
cat jumped down and ran away. The
girl gave no heed to his departure. Her
gaze was fixed immovably ON the SPOT
where she had seen him, and she contin-
ned uninterruptedly for several minutes
to move her hands as if driving back
some palpable object which persisted in
remaining in her lap.
| She secs the cat still" Whispered
the elder physician Just as thought
The impression produced on the retina
by an object that startles her-is too vivid
TO leave her even after its departure
This is more remarkable retention than
l had deemed possible. But there is no
evidence that she thinks at ALL
| Not as we think No"
Gradually the repulsing motion of the
hands gave place to the old nervous
clasping and unclasping The time came
when the poor creature seemed to forget
the special terror caused by the cat in
the general dread with which all things
seemed to inspire her. But she still con-
timed to stand.
Think murmured the elder physi-
clan. Why, she doesn't even know
enough to sit down when she is tired. ~
In truth, at that moment the girl be-
gan to sway violently, and had not the
foremost physician gone promptly to her
assistance she would have fallen.
Her limbs are too weak to stand so
long," said the younger man. But
| don't put her to bed yet. l want to try
an experiment.
"Of what nature?''
Simply to see what effect music will
have. have known downright idiots,
who responded to scarce another provo
cation than the sight of food, to have
their interest visibly aroused by the
sound of musical instrument. Miss
Maxey will favor us with few selec-
lions. I'll speak to her."
He raped at the door Of an adjoining
chamber and exchanged few words
with the person who responded. In a
few minutes pretty young lady with
black eyebrows and a dainask color in
her cheeks had taken her seat at the
piano. The two physicians had retired
to their former position behind the bed
curtains, and the patient, as before, sat
| ON the edge OF her bed
What shall l play?' tho young lady
asked.
Something loud and energetic.
There was rustling of leaves, and
then the drastic opening chords of a
Liszt rhaspody made the vases shiver on
the mantel. Tho sounds startled the pa
tent as blow might have done. The
dark eyes seemed to grow darker, the
pale lips Quiyered more perceptibly with
the utterance of that plaintive cry, the
pitiful all that was left to her of voice
| and speech. But she seemed to realize
the origin of her fright Her glance
went Immediately in the direction Of
the piano and remained there, fasci-
mated, as If she momentarily expected an
unknown horror TO rise up out of the
| cheerful red cover which adorned the
case Of the instrument. Never for an in
slant was the forlorn monotony of the
moving hands interrupted. Nevertheless
the younger physician seemed satisfied.
We've got her attention. Now let US
change our hunor. No more of that
kind, please, Miss Maxey. Something
quieter and more soothing"
Miss Maxey chose a volume of Bee
thoven and began favorite sonata. The
clasping hands still moved; the dark
eyes still watched for the coming of the
unknown horror, but there was q change
in the indescribable details that went to
make up the dominant expression of the
patients face-slight, gradual, scarcely
perceptible except to practiced eyes ex-
pecting it-but still change
The younger man whispered energet-
ically, "She's listening!''
Slowly, SO slowly that it seemed an
age to those who hoped to see the end
the clinging fingers forgot to separate
themselves and take up new positions;
the heretofore incessant motion of the
nervous hands became less and less:
ceased altogether; the palms rested
against each other, quite still
The younger PHYSICIANS growing ex-
citement could restrain itself no longer.
''Seer' he cried ''She sits quite mo-
tionless! 1t is the first time in days. And
there is another means which we have
not yet tried. Won't you sing to Us,
Miss Maxey? Sing us the most tender
and pathetic thing you know
The sound of the piano stopped abrupt
~. But the patient did not change her
attitude. In all the many minutes, while
Miss Maxey was searching for the song,
she sat, seemingly inthralled, rs if she
listened still The men of science felt
themselves in the presence Of something
of which their learning told them moth
ing. Gradually, as the music went ON,
she had inclined her head little to one
cif Il iv,f tho ca % N Ee<a,,,,