The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-06-14
DANCED WITH ANNA.
AN OHIO LEGISLATORS EXPERIENCE
IN AN IDIOT ASYLUM.

Ho Is Congressman Now, but He VIII
Never Forget tho Time When the Teach
or Had Cause to Consider Him tho Great
est Idiot In tho Asylum.
you have no doubt noted how COM
pletcly the fclon u man looks tho moment
you charge him with crime and lock him
upT' 1t was congressman from Ohio
who asked the question Without waiting
for reply, which was bound to be in the
affirmative he went on:
MANY years ago, in Columbus, while I
was member of tho legislature, couple
of fellow statesmen, who wero on a COM
mittce which had to do with tho inStitu-
ton. were called by dint Of business to
pay visit to the State Asylum For Idiots
1t was On evening enterprise, and Us was
without any programme I accompanied
them 1t CHANGED to bo field day, OF
rather field evening, ut tho asylum. The
inmates wero in n long hall with hard
floor, n cross between ballroom and u
gymnasium.
"At the far end Of tho hill, on several
tiers of seats, much like that luxurious
upholstery ono finds Mt u circus, wuro hud-
died the more irresponsible But down in
the body of tho big room wcro probably
100 persons of both sexes, ranging from 10
years to 40 and so years, and who were
equal in u mental way to going through
kind of drill in calisthcnics with wooden
dumbbclls. And they did 1t very nicely
as l noticed from my place with my fellow
visitors up in front. There was brass
hnnd, too, tho instruments being managed
by inmates who had ttisto for the melo-
dious l am bound to say that 1t WAS a
ftr hnf httn ,tfI,
might bo,tst moro brains. Tho zany who
operated the Is flat cornct was y wonder
l WAS much interested in all / saw, and us
many of these wcalimindcd folk wcre
girls, and pretty ones mt that, my rciloc-
lions, us l gazcd on tho scene, were not
without east of melancholy. felt sorry
for them; their fatcS seemed very hard
To be born into IN easy world like this ono
of ours and then not to bc granted sufli-
cicnt wit to take advantage of 1t was hard
Perhaps an hour was taken up in tho
dumbbcll exercises of the boartlcrs and
the music of their band The meeting
then lapscd easily into an informal dance,
Quadrillcs being rapidly arranged. Every
now and then waltz or round dance OF
some sort was pulled off. 1t all went
smoothly enough too, the gentlemen
seeking their partners with tho most stud
led, If not laborcd, politcncss, and tho Ia
dies conducting themselves In all respects
like bellies of the first water.
My fellow statesmen had been over
there before and appeared, like the horse
thief in louisiana to feel perfectly ut
home 1t was no time at all when be-
held them, each with partner, tuko their
places in u quadrillc. And to their credit
be it said, they did yeomnn service and
danced every bit as we'll as the idiots
Whilo / was feeling proud of them Mrs
Doren, the wife of DR.. Dorcn, the suporin-
tcndcnt of this home of little light, and
who felt somewhat responsible for my en-
tcrtainlncnt, asked inc If ever danced
admitted that on ono or two occasions,
casting caution to tho winds, had In tho
teeth of the advice OF my friends given
way to this frivolity.
Why didn't you tell mcY cried Mrs
d III get you partner In moment
And before l could restrain her she called
to very beautiful girl, seemingly about
20 years DID, who was dancing with u still
younger girl for II partner.
Here, Anna, said Mrs. d. in q pleas
ant sort of haste, hero Is Mr.. G. and he
has no partner. Won't Maggie excuse you
and let you dance with him?
Anna seemed in nowiso loath She
approached with smiling eyes, and tho
next moment we wero part of the waltz
just then raging.
81 WAS Very much pleased with Anna
She was such dainty, beautiful creature
that her mental shortages were made all
the more u blow. paid no heed to tho
rather informal Introduction which Mrs.
ID. bestowed upon us. rightly concluding
that where the wit of person might be
measured by child Of 8 elaborate social
obscrvances would only serve TO tangle
and abash
LAS Anna and l were circling down the
situation we convcrsed. l hammered nv
observations down so as to keep them
within Annals reach, and wo got along up
top. After the waltz Anna and promo
naded the hall with the Others. / asked
about her home and her parents, and pro-
posed such other topics rs n child of 5
might safely struggle with. 1 didn't want
to overload Annals brain.
Perhaps was with her half on hour,
and it was the most sorrow bitten 80 min
utes ever added to my life. was young
er then, and moro capable Of the softer
sentimentelitics. Anna was so beautiful
and so unfortunate. Without that lustcr
of the soul, wanting that rich warmth of
color which springs from intelligence,
what could Anna be? My heart wept for
her.
But 1t was time to go back to the Neil
House There were divers cares of state
waiting for me to plunge into them led
Anna to seat, where there was quito q
cluster of idiots, and where she, therefore,
would not feel so kcenly tho pang of my
absence. Thon 1 shook her poor, inane
hand, and after gently patting her on the
head told her to be good, and that before
long would see her again. She thanked
me nicely, and there was smile In the
corners of her mouth which made her ap-
pear almost intelligent