The citizen., 1896-10-02
AN ASYLUM DANCE.

are about as follows:
Mr.. Melton, young man interested
in the lumber trade, travelled on asubur-
ban train one Friday night to attend
the weekly dance at the asylum for the
insane.
Mr.. Melton is constantly longing for
"experiences.'' He would rather look
at an opium joint than donation party,
and would rather go "slumming" than
attend Sunday school picnic. The ball
at the insane asylum appealed to his
love for the picturesque. Lowry, the
politician. had promised to take him
out, and Melton had not allowed him to
forget the promise.
Lowry came aboard the train at one
of the stations on the way out, and the
two were warmly welcomed when they
arrived at the asylum, for this Lowry
was a companionable man of consider
able influence.
AS Melton stood in the doorway of the
ballroom and glanced at the rows of
well-behaved and rather-abashed peo-
pie against the wall, he could hardly
believe that he was so different from the
others. He reflected that if he were to
arise some morning and tell the other
boarders that he was the emperor of
China and had more money than he
could use, he might become one of this
company.
Except that many of them were pale
and melancholy and few of them were
heavy-eyed intent on studying the floor,
the assemblage would have compared
favorably with any chance gathering
of respectable everyday people.
He knew, of course. that the violent
patients or those totally dementcd
were not allowed at the ball The COM
pany was made up of Convaicscents or
those whose vision was merely twisted
so that they corlA not see things in
their proper relation. Some Of the
younger men hn1 Htt;red themselves
with part cuiai r.',.' Gnd wore tuition
hole bouquets Nan" of tn" women.
too bore the outward signs Of gayety.
Melton was lat,:-i disappointed. He
had wanted to wines something "un-
canny."
II want ynr 1n nce this evening""
said Surrriris,;'ai Lucas. standing
at his elbow "f'I." trouble with the
visitoN is that I,rl stand around and
stare at IL, ,uti,n.s us if they were
a lot of ircals Vow these people are
not dangerous l,u needn't believe
everything ihcy L you; but if you
MS up viii, ;h III and are friendly
you'll find tlrm NtrY easy to get along
with. Cone Oh. III introduce you to
some of them.
The little orchestra was tuning up,
and ii ra,ieni who had been installed
as floor m3na~cr WAS giving a correct
imitation of Il sane man who had been
thrown under he same trying respon-
sib:lity.
Melton had attended many evening
parties, but he felt a new embarrass-
meDt as he passed along line OF de-
mure women patients, and bowed to
each of them in turn. He shook hands
with several of the men, and then
backed up to the wall to watch the
opening. The superintendent, stand
ing beside him, said: ''Oh, by the way,
YOU must meet Miss Caldwell"
He beckoned TO young woman who
was talking to the leader of the or
chestra, and as she came across the
room Melton whistled to himself and
said: Here's a case of blighted love,
and she's not over 20"
"Miss Caldwell, l want to present
MIR. Melton" said the superintendent.
s'He's rather bashful in company, but
perhaps you can entertain him. Now
TIL go and look after Lowry"
Melton found himself staring at
very pretty girl, who returned his gaze
in half-frightened manner.
His head buzzed, and he never before
was so much in want of topic. How
was he to begin a conversation with a
young woman who might fancy him
to be the prince who had come to rescue
her from the tower?"
DO you dance?" he asked, in sud-
den desperation.
She gave a start, and he imagined that
she shrunk back a little.
I'D rather not" said she, timidly.
''Wen, then, let's sit over here in the
corner and watch the Others"
They found an out-of-the-way place,
and Melton, who had recovered little,
remembered the instructions given him
bn the superintendent.
"These dances are very pleasant lit
tle AFFAIRS" said he. ''They seem to be
attended by an agreeable lot of people,"
''I think it's good idea to have
them" said she. "You know most of
these people, of course"
'I've met a number of them,'' he re-
piled.
''You like Mr.. Lucas, don't your"
"Very well, indeed. Nice fellow"
'He didn'ttell you, did he, that was
q cousin of his?"
Mr.. Melton began to suspect the ma
ture of her delusion. He resolved to be
diplomatic.
''Oh, yes, knew that" he said. $50
you're cousin of Mr.. Lucas?"
"Yes, I'm here visiting him. I've
been here about two weeks. Mrs. Lu-
cas- is SO good to all the-people here.
isn't shc?"
"Yes, indeed She's very consider.
ate."
Melton now understood the situation.
This girl did not know that she was
in an asylum. They had told her that
she was a visitor.
"Jt's nice place to come for VISIT"
said he. .'I came out here with friend
OF mine, gentleman named Lowry.
I live in Chicago"