Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-02-22

out. If the madness be complete
there will be put one break. That
Will occur at exactly IL o'clock,
when the prisoner will cease hun.
ming the waltz and re-enact the
tragedy. After a few moments
The Impression of the murder will
pass away, when he will again Ie-
sumo the waltz
was impressed by the clear
statement Davis 10 ade on what
seemed to me a most difficult case.
Lieutenant, officer of the guard,
was also struck by it, for lie asked
IT be should send the prisoner in o
the hospital.
"NO," replied Davis. "Keep bin
cOnf1ed in his cell and without
being observed watch him closely
about II O'Clock for the cOmplet.
ing symptoms. You can report to
me at sick call in the morning.
Then he replaced Henderson in his
cell, who at Ouce took up his mu.
scal prOmanade.
| was detailed that night to
watch him and did so from my
bunk in the guardroOm. | had
cautioned the trumpeter Of the
guard to warn me quietly when he
left the gnardhouse to blow "taps.'
All through the evening witnessed
the same mOnotOnous movement
aud listened to the same monOtO.
nous waltz, chanted slowly as al.
ways before. AT intervals l would
rouse myself and step outside the
sQuadrOOm aud stand IN the cool
sally port to assure mysef that l
was awake and my VISION un-
impaired, so drOwsy would | be.
come under the EFFORT of strained
attention. | must finally have
fallen asleep, Tor the truDpeter
touched me on the shoulder and
startled me. | did not see him en.
ter, but could have sworn | was
still viewing HendersOn's move
mrnts IN the cage.
l placed my face against the
lattced windOw, looking into his
cage, which be was still mechan-
lcally pacing. Then, as the first
note of "taps' sounded, he stopped
and reared as quickly as a stag is
startled when he first hears a hos.
ule shot that has struck wide and
knows not whence it came. The
waltz ceased, and iE a moment |
had all but seen the stabblng OF
Jenkins. Then, as always before,
the waltz again.
In the morning / reported. II
was clearly cnse of acute mad
ness, or no one who ever performed
a tour of guard duty with Hender-
son had ever seen madness, bat to
our astODishment and horror the
post surgeon thought otherwise
and so officially reported.
The colonel was furious. lie
had Inspected the man. The man
was mad. He called up DAVIS and
informed him of these facis. Davis
replied firmly, "The man IS sane,
colonel, and | so reported
"He's not sane," the commander
retOrted. ''Why influence me TO
stir up civil murder trial which
diSiDtegrates a command and dis
turbs discpline7 He should he sent
to an asylum"
Ten gears ago DIyis would have
explained and at length why be
thought Henderson sane, but since
these ca,low days he had once
offered gratultOus information 10 a
superior in command, so he said
simply, "Pm not influencing you
to anything, colonel, unless it is
permitting you to do your duty by
doing mine.'
Davis spoke with the gentle
frmness of one struggling to be re
specttuI and showed the effect of
severe staff training in duty un-
tainted by the despotlsm OF absolute
command. The word "permitting"
b al been delicately chosen and
passed below the colonels guard.
"That will do, DOCTOR" said the
colonel sttfly, bis color rising, as
Davis left the office. Even after
Arizona service has killed your
respect for man his opinions are
still entitled to if, for they are the
result of experiences that have
cost the mau. Yet my talth in
Dayis weakened. IL takes more
than FIVE years conf lence in
hum IN being to outweigh our own
fallibIe deductions even on sub
ects of which we are variOusly
ignorant. The egotism of being
ral iOnal is so pleasingIy pleasant.
Still the colonel sent Henderson to