The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-24
YOU CAN'T ALWAYS TELL.
Person Cannot Safely he Judged
by His Surroundings.

FROM Ine washington star
''You have no dotibt noted how complete
ly the felon man looks the moment you
charge him with crime and lock him
up"' 1t was a congressman from Ohio
who asked the question of a representa-
tive of the Star. Without waiting for a
reply, which was bound to be in the affirm
ative. he went on
There has been one experience in my
Wild career which led me to doubt the ac-
curacy of our vision on these grated door
occasions. I've been made to wonder
whether il was not our imagination
which furnished the felonious look which
we see in these captives of the law This
IS the story; 1t was lIIlaIlYnyears ago, IN
Columbus was a member gof the legis-
lature. 1t occurred that a couple of fell
which had to do with the institution,
were called by dint of business to pay a
visit TO the state asylum for idiots. 1t
was an evening enterprise and as / was
without any programme accompanied
them. 1t CHANGED to be a field day, or,
rather, a field evening, at the asylum. The
inmates were in a long hall. with a hard
floor, cross between a bali room and a
gymnasium. At the far end OF the hall.
on several tiers of seats, much like that
luxurious upholstery one finds a { a cir
Gus, were huddled the more irresponsible.
But down in the body of the big room
were probably 100 persons of both sexes,
ranging from 10 GtO 40 and SO years. and
who were equal in mental way to going
through a kind of a drill in calsthenics
with wooden dumb bells. And they did 1t
very nicely, as l noticed from my place,
with my fellow visitors up in front. There
was a brass band, too; the instruments
being managed by inmates who had
taste for the melodius. ] am bound to say
that is was a good band; far better than
many which might boast more brains
The zany who operated the B-flat cornet
was a wonder. was much interested
in all | saw, and as many of these weak
minded folk were girls, and pretty ones
at that, my reflections. as / gazed on the
WI a n1 CT Of oil
choly. l felt sorry for them; their fates
seemed very hard. To be born into an
easy world like this one of ours, and then
TO not be granted sufficient wit to take
advantage of 1t was hard.
Perhaps an hour was taken up in the
dumb bell exertions Of the boarders and
the music Of their band. The meeting
then lapsed easily into informal dance
quadrilles being readily arranged. Every
now and then waltz or round dance of
some sort was pulled off. 1t all went
smoothly off, too; the gentlemen seek
ing their partners with the most studied,
conducting themselves in All respects
like bellies Of the first water.
MY fellow statesman had been over
there before, and appeared-like the horse
thief in Louis.ana-to feel perfectly at
home. Il was no time at all when |
beheld them each with partner take
their places in a quadrille. And. to their
credit be it said, they did woman service
and danced every bit as well as the idiots
While l was feeling proud Of them Mrs
OOGtn, the WlIG OF Ut. loren, the SLDeTln-
tendent of the home of little light, and
who felt somewhat responsible for my en-
tertainment, asked me II l ever danced
l admitted that on one or two occasions,
teeth of the advice of my best friends
given way to this frivolity.
:" Why didn't you tell me- cried Mrs
D, IN get you a partner in a moment
And before could restrain her, she called
to a very beautiful girl. seepingly about
20 years old. who was dancing with still
girl for. y
Here, Anna, said Mrs. D., in a pleas
ant sort of haste, here IS Mr.. c.. and he
has no partner. Won't Maggie excuse YOU
and let you dance with him?
Annie seemed in no wise 10th. She ap-
preached with smiling eyes, and the next
moment we were 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 ali
the more q blow. / paid no heed to the
rather informal introduction, which Mrs
d. bestowed upon us, rightly concluding
measured by a child Of s, elaborate social
observances would only serve to tangle
an abash.
situation we conversed l hammered nv
observations down so as to keep them
within Anna's reach and we got along tip
top After the waltz Anna and prOnnen-
AIDED the hall with the others / asked
about her home and Der parents.s and pro-
posed such other topics as a child OF five
might safely struggle with. / didn't want
to overload Anna brain.
Perhaps l was with her half an hour
and it was the most SORROW bitten thirty
minutes I ever. added TO my life was
younger then, and more capable OF the
softer sentimentalities. Anna WAS so beau
tifu and so unfortunate. Without that
luster Of the SOUL wanting that rich
warmth Of color which springs from In
tellieence. what could Anna be2 Ny heart
Wept for her.
but ii was time 70 20 back 20 the Nell
house. There were divers cares OF state
waiting Tor me 40 plunge into them ! led
Anna TO seat. where there was quite a
cluster Of idiots AMI whore she. there
fore would not feel 20 keeniy the panR Of