Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-05-30
HOW MAD PEOPLE REASON.

HOW MAD PEOPLE REASON.
They Are All Right Except When Talked
to on Certain Topics.
1t is impossible to fix n hard and
fast boundary limo between sanity
and insanity, to say exactly where
eCcCntriCity leaves off and madness
begins In my early days, said a
medical practitioner, ] was for some
timo with ono of tho visiting doctors
of n county lunatic asylum and fro
qucntly accompanied him on his Wis
it's.
havc played at ball, at chess and
other games with tho malc inmates
and found some excellent players
among them Nothing, indeed, sur
priscd mo moro than tho perfect san.
ity of many of them on all, perhaps.
but ono particular topic.
For instance, | remember ono man
who had u doggcd idea that he was
the emperor of China You might
talk with him for hours and find him
so reasonable and intelligent that
you would begin to doubt whether
he was mad at all Ho read such
newspapers rs he could got hold of,
was deeply interested in current
events and discussed them with YOU
moro lucidly and tolcrantly than
many n man who passes for sane and
Is allowed to remain at largo But,
sooner or later, the fatal topic would
be touched upon You could not say
precisely how it happened You or
he, probably, would refer to some.
thing relating to tho Chinese, and
instantly no became more thought
full, moro earnest That was tho only
change noticeable in his domcanor
Then ho would take you aside and
tell you contidcntially, with n quiet
deliberate air of conviction, that he
was the emperor of China, he had
been captured in the last war and
brought over here a prisoner. and
offcr you fabulous reward toaSSiSt
him to escape
This sudden turn from rational to
irrational talk was tho moro star.
Ting because thcro was nothing the
least irrational in the man 5 tones or
looks or manner once tried to ar
que with hun quietly and told him
no was mistaken He listened to me
patiently enough, and when ] ceased
he sighed and said he could quite
understand his statement might ap.
pear incredible to stranger, but he
was sorry ! should doubt his word
He Went on 10 inform me of Chinese
political affairs and court intrigueS
that had led to his downfall with
such sober matter of fact intclli.
goncc that he almost reasoned one
into kind of daZed belief in him.
And found tho samo character
istic III others Among tho utterly
imbccilc there were kings, poets,
prophets, politicians, through whose
dcluSiOns ran II tantaliZing vein Of
sense. have met various Millions
TennYSonS, WaShingtonS Shake
SpoarCS and mOnarchs of all nation.
alitirs, whose Authorizations wore
built up with such strange sanity of
detail that one hardly know what TO
make of thvm If Milton spoke to
you of his Charge of the Light Bri
gado' or his Martin Chuzzlcwit
you would have no doubt about him.
but when he calmly dlScourscs upon
his "ParadISc Lost, oven sometimes
quoting passages from 1t, and casual
ly refers to the time when he was
Cromwell = secretary il Chills YOU
with an Hncanny and bcwildcrlng
sensation that It is he who is sane
and you arc mad yourself
1t may surprise you TO know that
almost the COmmOncSt drluSlOn
among insane patients Is that they
arc Christ rrcollrct one such,
who, strangely enough. WAS Il WON
an, and III her too that sanity of do.
tail have spoken of was remark
ablo feature She had her fits of vlo
lence, but they were exceedingly
rare. AS rule she was as gentle
and as harmless rs possible When
tuS NlSlIlnS DOCTOR SuW Htr, she al
ways had the Same complaint to
mako TO HIM She was Christ. she
had been dIShclicvcd and imprison.
ed; why would they not let her go
and preach the truth to mankind?
One day the doctor, who was as
much struck with her pulling sam.
ty in matters of details rs had been.
put her to test that brought out
this pltiful popularity with "a dis.
tinctnCsS that fairly took his breath
away. Appearing to yield to her en-.
treaties and tlinging the door open,
he cried
Come, they shan { keep you here
any longer You shall goand preach
the truth as you wish /"
She hesitatod, looked at him irrcs.
olutely and then, shaking her head,
said, with "a dreamy smile
mo, no What would be the use
of it? They would not believe me !
am happier here If went out they
would only pcrsecute mo. New
York DiSDatCh