The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-18
ICY FINGERS.

The road ran through beautiful hall
cleared wood and at the end, on a slight
rise of ground stood the madhouse. OF
course it was not called a madhouse, OF
people would not have sent their mentally
unhinged friends there. 1t bore the eupho-
NOUS appellation of cdr Briefs Home
Sanitarium' and was consequently well
patronized- People usually dislike calling
thing by its proper name.
The perfectly kept grounds were sur
rounded by a high iron fence, within
which the harmless inmates wandered al
will during certain hours of the day.
On rustic bench sat young woman.
Her eyes were closed, and as she remained
in repose she was beautiful, with Span
ish type of beauty that no other nation can
equal.
Suddenly she started up with wild mo-
ton of the hand toward her throat as
though she were being choked. The dark
eyes showed intense fright, and the whole
face was convulsed. Gradually the frenzy
passed away, and she sank down upon the
bench again, with a weary little laugh.
Tho soft breeze rustled the leaves of the
trees and murmured a gentle lullaby.
Slowly the beautiful head sank lower and
lower until it was pillowed on a heecy
wrap which lay on the end of the bench,
and she slept.
At that exact hour it happened that
curious woman, accompanied by a friend
asked permission of one of the physicians
on the staff to be shown through the place.
He had the misfortune to be one of her
friends, so acquiesced, but being busy at
the time turned her over to the mercies OF
a young doctor, who finding the curious
woman and her friend rather amiable,
did his utmost to entertain them.
And so it occurred that after going
through the building they sauntered
about the grounds and saw the Spanish
beauty lying asleep, with her face as calm
and sweet as that of sleeping child.
'Oh,'' cried the curious woman ecstat-
tcally, "dO tell US about her.
The young doctor smoothed his budding
mustache and looked about him. No one
was visible.
eve don't often tell the history of ou1
patients, be began hesitatingly, fbut
this is rather peculiar case, and if you
specially desire''-
"Oh do tell u.s." cried the curious
woman with world of persuasion in her
voice; 81 assure you it will go no further.
Is she Spanish?'
They moved away slightly that their
voices might not disturb the sleeper. The
young doctor replied:
"Oh, yes. She was born in CASTLE and
while yet little more than a child-hardly
16, I believe-marriedf for wealth and posi-
ton a Spaniard three times her age.
affairs went smoothly for two years,
when the husband contracted q disease
which proved fatal. Now it would have
been much nicer and more like what one
reads in Sunday school books if he had
babe his relatives an affcctionate farewell
as he lay on his deathbed, but instead OF
doing that he called his young wife to him
and said, in tones so low that no one but she
could hear, 'Inez, if you marry again, I
shall come back from the grave and with
the icy fingers of death I shall choke you
choke your His face was convulsed
with passion, and shortly afterward he
died. He was buried with the pomps and
ceremonies required in a Spanish family
of position, and for two years the widow
remained in seclusion.
Eat the end of that time she came forth
more beautiful than ever and joined a par
ty of friends travelling in England. There
she met the man who was to be her future
husbanG-a handsome, athletic young
American of the Anglo-Saxon type.
'''Her former husbands dying words so
haunted her that at first she repulsed the
American s suit. However, he followed
her to her home in CASTLE, and at last,
sensibly concluding that these haunting
words were merely the rawlings of a deliri-
Gus man, she married the American.
'They came to America to live and for
a time were very happy, but after a time
they-that is, she"-
The young doctor paused and cleared
his throat The curious woman and her
friend exchanged chances.
She began to suffer from strange
halIucination, he went on. cat night
she often woke with a scream, believing
that the icy fingers of her former husband
were choking her The matter grew worse,
until she felt the fingers not only at night,
but also in her waking hours. Number
less physicians were consulted, but they
offered no remedy.
"Her husband was heartbroken and
tried everything in his power to save her,
but nothing avaiIed, and she gradually
| grew worse, until it was necessary to
bring her here. Do you notice the Grim
son roses pinned on the front of her gownf
They seem to be the only thing she cares
| for. Her husband comes every week and
brings a huge bunch of them. She likes
the flowers, but pays no attention to him.
| Some day the icy fingers will close tightly
together and that will be the end
''And can she not be cured?'' asked the
curious woman.
"Oh, mol" said the young dlotor.
''Quite hopeless Chicago News.
Special pains taken in doing lad
| les waists. Peerless Steam Laundry up.