The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-03-28
WAS 1T MADNESS:

AN Y DEAR. If you will ke'

4 N y take a nap before 20 to the
bank. My head aches cruelty. Wake me
in half an hour"
It was costly home in when Mr..
6teadman, the great banker, lived and 1t
was in the most luxurious of easy chairs
in his handsome library tina. he now
sought repose. A loving and sympathetic
wife adjusted the curtains TO soften the
light for the suffering man and thea, with
her firm. soft hands she tenderly pressed
and stroked his throbbng temples.
Dwelling in an atmosphere of unbounded
love, surrounded with every comfort that
wealth could supply, he gradually lost
all consciousness in profound 7lumber'
Horrible visions. so unreal and yet 50
vivid, fit through Charles Steadman 5
brain. Hard, stern faces are about him,
restraining walls, an iron pallet!
At times a spirit of rage comes over hun
"a blind, unreasoning, overwhelming
rage. 1t fills his veins with running fire.
He feels a mighty strength through every
nerve and fiber of his being and longs to
grapple the threats of the bright-eyed de-
mons who stare at him through the grtGe
door of his lmprisoning cell.
Hands reach out and clutch him and
when he fiercely struggles to be free they
thrust him into a padded cage, scarce
larger than a coffin, in which he cannot
death it enshrouds him. Choking. suffo-
Gated he dashes his fists, his feet, , is
head against the yielding Sides then
comes oblivion, now complete, nov par
tal, through which his suffering con
seriousness Is charged with constant ter
ror and through which vibrate piercing,
lnhuman cries and awful laughter.
AT times a softer mood comes over him.
lie calls for wife and children; to his Gag
er inquiries for those he loves false hypo-
critical answers are returned. But The
dear ones never come, never come! An
now happy relief, at length he awakens.
What frightful dream
Mary" he cries; MARY"
But there is no answering touch, no an
swering voice!
Is he not then awake? Surely he is.
His pulse beats calmly; his eyes are open;
he feels that he has his full understands
ing.
Yet this is not his chair! Those walls,
that window, they are not In his house.
The floor is hard beneath his feet. Where
are the thick rugs, the decorated walls,
the rich draperies of his library? And
above all. where are the gentle hands anc
voice of Mary?
Upon my word, doctor; this is amaz-
ing! believe he Is himself. Look at his
eyes"
"Incredble! He is an incurable!'
'.But look at the expression of his eyes
tell you this man is sane
"Of course 1 am sane" says Steadman
"and what do you mean by this talk
why am 1 not at home? And how do
come here?"
Now he sees that he is in small room
sitting in an iron chair, which is fastened
20 the floor.
Startled, his eyes eagerly take in his sur
roundings-cold, gray walls-a little win
dow protected by iron bars-a door Will
iron grating-a narrow iron bed covered
with a neat white counterpane; all 81
strange, and yet strangely, strangely ia
miliar!
A quiet, elderly man, dressed in long
black frock coat, stands before him, ant
by that mans side is another who stoop
and peers intently into Steadmans puz
zled, frightened face.
what does this mean, gentlemen
What crime have / committed in my slee
that 1 am in prison? What will my wifi
think? And he endeavors to rise from hi
chair.
81 am very glad, Mr.. Steadman," say
the man in black, placing restrainin
hand upon his shoulder, "to hear you as
these questions You have been very sick
but now you shall go home. Your wifi
will be a happy woman to hear Of your re
covery.
But, doctor. if you are a doctor. VIII
should have been removed from home
1 were sick? Surely. home is the hes
place for a sick man, and my wife is IN
best of nurses. This is an outrage an
I'll teach you scoundrels that such thing
cannot be done with impunity."
He feels that old mad fury coming upo
him. He dashes aside the doctors han'
springs to his feet and hurls himself q
the iron-grated door. In an instant fou
hands seize him, well he remembers ths
hated touch-there comes the sound {
hurried feet, the door is opened and
rush two attendants. Despite his frant
efforts handouts are snapped upon h
wrists brawny arms hold him, pantin
and struggling, down upon the iron CO
oh, what does this mean? Those fearfl
visions. those dreams Of mad struggles,
stern faces OF resistless coercion, of prii
on surroundings flash through his min'
Were those dreams? Surely this is r.
atty. And IL this is reality, were NJ
those things real? Merciful Cod is
mad? Yet not now. If then. for lyin
there helpless as a child in the grasp
those terrible men, his reason assures hi
that he no longer dreams.
Doctor" he says pleadingly, "relea:
me- 1 will be calm. / will injure no on
Surely you do not wish to cause me VI
necessary suffering"
Release him." says the doctor, "an
leave the room"
They do so and he rises to his feet
Doctor, however things have been,
am well now. / wish to go home. Wi
you not permit me to do so? If you will,
will pardon all that is past Only let II
go to my wife,"
''You shall" returned the doctor. "in
rnediately. BE calm and patient and l w
procure a conveyance as quickly as I ca
and you shall be with your wife with
an hour"
The doctor leaves the CELL but faster
the door behind him, and Steadman fail
and sick, sinks back into the iron cha
~ool~- 20 oo1Iorf bfo fhouubfc