The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-24
AS SANE As ANYBODY
Still, William RedfeId Was in
the Asylum Fourteen Years.
HE WOULD BE THERE YET
But for the Sublime Devotion
of an Old, Old Sweetheart.

For fourteen years William Redheld
has been dead to the world. Yet he has
been tortured by the consciousness of
| life. says the New York Journal
Incarcerated in the asylum for in
sane at Wards Island, he still nourished
the belief that he was sane.
On Wednesday last II was proved TO
him that out Of all the world one other
shared with him unremittngly this belief.
Suddenly, when his despair was deep
est. from the world beyond into his cell
in the midst of madmen there had flash
ed a name out of the pasta name sacred
TO the memories of his boyhood. In let
tiers that seemed blazened of gold there
had shone suddenly before his eyes the
name of Mary Board
One day, in the ward whore keepers
were always watching him stealthily, he
had picked up a paper a month Old.
CareIessly. indifferently. YEARLY he had
turned it over News of the world where
he was never to return. A strike here.
a death there. a new play, an accident
they were all chronicled as in the days
when he was free to go and come. TO
read and smoke and drink.
A cloud Of memories crowded over him,
and he was about 70 drop the paper, bit
terly. regretfully, when suddenly out from
among all the paragraphs stood one that
bore in it the name of Mary Board.
It announced that Miss Mary Board Of
Metuchen was going TO organize a party
to go 70 Alaska to seek fortune in the
gold fields.
If ever William Redfeld had. seemed in
sane 1t was not at that moment. For an
instant he remained with his eyes glued
to the page Then he threw Up his hands
and shouted a wild "Hurrahr' He
trembied as though with a fl OF ague.
Into the ears OF the keeper who came
rushing 10 MS side he screamed. Mary is
alive, Mary-rny Ma-y-she will help me.
She always believed in little Billy
know-Iknow"
No one needed the rawlings q william
Redfad. which were harmless and not
worth considering What mattered it IL
ne chose 20 talk o. Mary? II hurt no
one. So he talked and muttered 20 his
hearts content He ala more.
on a certain memorable dav from
Wards Island Mary Board received a let
ter that sent to her loyal heart a thrill a
horror In cit William Redfad told her
that FOR fourteen years he had lanEuished
among raadmen.
Mary Board received the letter at her
home in Metuchen. IN an old-fash}oned.
Iow-ceiliuged room she read f. with tear
dimmed eyes. The burning words scared
her heart. she Was the frs; human beng
who believed in the sanity % William
Reddeld- God helping" she cried 4
viii rescue him"
The familiar uar1e 81 William Re5de.5.
seen for me first time IN many years.
sent her memory with a single bound
back = her eirIao9d DAYS From the
very room IN which she nov sat she
could look out from the low. orosd win
doVs upon tha same expanse q New
Jersey country over which she and VII
liam Redfef5 had trudEed a. children
For years hey had lived next door %
each ether There Wa= the old house
standing nov Dslapl5atsd and worn.
SHABBY from lack ~ raln- ard care &
stiu bears the tokens - vsat vas ones
E-anaez- It. E-ay tower. s1rmoaniing a
eab.ed roof q stone. stands oat against
the sky n bold RELIEF
Back from the streets ihe ho2se in
grove - ~ trees. Just next door TO-DAY.
as II that lo1z ago i've sae Boards
-.Se~er was ;here 6ay. sz.f Mrs.
Board last week, "zhen the ResHe'd
children and mine we're r7t tagsths-
md Bslv - ,aats krsorn A. wlisz7
Redaala raE was aiEays ire han1sazrz-
IS. 81 the zhos 81 ~. WAS a x9e5-
looking 5oy b a. Sfr4iEht eTscf ~ a
soldier. x5in glossy ugHt h4iE and b--gat
blue eyes. ter y9- s. va 3 ple4s1re =
Iook a. hin
.'Os Al the toys n IRE neiEhhorhoo1-
be vas tbs dude
As cand-ea z@en ta~T had pasrss -
n coa1.sE. IS even ehr8-e- zt1 T. -
alssys sEsry ard BlEy shat ws-t ss-
Es,hsr
Ny B5ars sHz EEflaz R~.asls se1az
shsl- .eozrzsnx niTa us2a tweaty gears
ga rs zz-Z - 4-~sz GA-szaSS-