Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-13
YOU CAN'T ALWAYS TELL.

YOU CAN'T ALWAYS TELL.
a Person Cannot Safely BE Judged by
His Surroundings.
"You have no doubt noted how complete
| ly the fclon a man looks the moment you
charge him with crime and lock him up?"
| 1t was Congressman from Ohio who ask
| ed the question of a representative of The
| Star. Without waiting for q reply, which
vas bound to be in the affirmative. he went
| en-:
There has been one experience in my
| wild career which led me to doubt the ac
curacy of our vision on these grated door
occ asions. I've been made to wonder
| whether it was not our imagination which
| furnished the felonious look which we see
| in these captives of the law. This is the
story. 1t was many years ago in Columbus,
| 1 was a member of the legislature. 1t &C.
| Cured that a couple of fellow statesmen,
| " no were on committee which had to do
| with the institution, were called by dint Of
business to pay visit to the state asylum
for idiots 1t was evening enterprise.
| and 1 was without any program l ac-
companied them. 1t CHANGED to be a
field day, or rather field evening, at
the asylum. The inmates were in a long
hall, with a hard floor, a cross be-
tween a ball room and gymua-
| sium. At the far end of the hall, on several
| tiers of seats, much like that luxurious up
| hClstery one finds at circus. were huddled
| the more irresponsible. But down in the
sons of both sexes. ranging from ten years
| to forty and fifty years, and who
| were equal in a mental way to going
| through a kind of drill in calisthenics 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 melodious 1 am bound to say that it was
| a good band; far better than many which
might boast more brains. The zany who
| operated the fiat cornet was wonder.
| l was much interested in all saw, and as
many of these weak-minded folk were girls
ard pretty ones at that. my reflections, as
| 1 gazed on the scene. were not without
cast of melancholy. 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 it 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 an informal dance, qua
| drlles being readily arranged. Every now
| and then a waltz or round dance OF some
| sort was pulled off. 1t all went smoothly
| off, too; the gentlemen seeking their part
| Eers with the most studied, If not labored,
| politeness, and the ladies' conducting them
|
| water.
my fellow statesmen had been over
| there before and appeared-like the horse
| thief in Louisiana-to feel perfectly at
| home. 1t was no time at all when beheld
them each with partner take their places
| in a quadrille. And to their credit be 1t
| said they did yeoman service and danced
| every bit as well as the idiots. While
| was feeling proud of them Mrs. Doren, the
| wife of DIR. Doren. the superintendent OF
this home of little light, and who felt
| rhat
| ment, asked me If l ever danced. l ad-
mitted that OF one or two occasions, cast
ing caution to the winds. had In the teeth
| of the advice of my best friends given way
| to this frivolty.
I'll get you a partner in a moment. And
before I could restrain her she called 10 a
very beautiful girl. seemingly about tweny
years old. who was dancing with st1ii
| younger girl for partner.
Here. Anna said Mrs. D., In pleasant
| sort of haste, here is Mr. G. and he mas
no partner. Won't Maggie excuse you and
| let you dance with him?
| "Annie seemed in no wise loath. She APP
preached with smiling eyes, ana the next
| moment we were part Of the waltz just
| then raging. -
II was very much pleased with Anna.
She was such dainty, beautiful creature;
that her mental shortages were made all
the more blow. I paid no heed to the
| rather informal Introduction which Mrs.
| D. bestowed upon US, rightly concluding
that where the wit of a person might DC
measured by a child of eight, elaborate so
ciaI obseryances would only serve to tangle
"As Anna and were circling down the
| situation we conversed. I hammered my
observations down so as to keep them
| within Annals reach, and we got along UP
top. After the waltz Anna and nromen,
AIDED the hall with the others. asked
| about her home and her parents, and pro-
| posed such other topics as child or hVe
might safely struggle with. 1 didn't want
to overload Annals brain.
| .Perhaps 1 was with her half an hour,
and it was the most sorrow-ptten' thirty
| minutes I ever added to my life. was
| younger then. and more capable OF the
softer sentimentalties. Anna was so beau
tiful and unfortunate. Without that
| luster of the soul; wanting that rich
warmth of color which springs from in
telligence: what could Anna be? My heart
| wept for her.
.Rut it was time to go back to the Neil
house. There were divers cares of state
| waiting for me to plunge into them l led
Anna to a seat, where there was quite a
| cluster of idiots and where she, therefore,
| would not feel SO keenly the pang of my
absence. Then l shook her poor. ihane
hand and after gently patting her on the
head told her to he good, and that before
long 1 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.
How did you find Anna as partner?'
asked Mrs. D., while were busy with
our coats in the reception room.
Excellent / said, excellent Then !
launched into eloquent regrets over the
twilight fate of so fair and SO af-
ficted.
"'why surely you didn't take Anna for
! one of the inmates? said Mrs. D.; and there
was horror in the lady's voice and ire
within her eye.
90 certainly did, replied, while alarm
began to curl at my heart
"'Why dear! dear" said my hostess,
what a horrible mistake! Anna is our
head teacher.
Il never went back, and never saw
Anna again. concluded the law maker
Il hear she is married now, and make nc
doubt she at times recalls me as the big
| gest idiot she met at the asylum.
NORTH CAROLINA POLITICS.
Democrats Resolve on an Aggressive