The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1899-03-12
HUMOR OF LUNATICS.
AsANE MANS EXPERIENCE IN AN IN
SANE ASYLUM.

81 never knew until went out 70
California this time that insane people
have powerful sense of humor. said
q Washingtonian who recently returned
from trip to the coast. Il confess that
I've always found morbid sort Of in
terest in going through noted insane
asylums. and so / armed myself with
the proper credentials in San Francisco
and went up to Napa county to have a
look over the splendid asylum for the
insane there. Inasmuch as wanted To
see few things without the attention
of guide. didn't present my letters.
but inst rambled around the beautiful.
spacious grounds for awhile. / hadn't
spent three minutes examining the ex-
traordinary rose gardens in frcnt of the
main asylum building before a tall.
slender young man. well dressed and
exceedingly well groomed. emerged
from clump of oleander trees and ap-
preached me.
Taking look around. ehs' said
he to me.
" Yes. l said. L only arrived here
few minutes ago. and I'm taking the
liberty of nosing about without any
official guidance.
We'll. the tall young man said.
pleasantly. I don't suppose 1 fall out
of the classification ''oficial guidance, -
seeing that / am the assistant superin-
tendent here. yet should be pleased to
show you about and at the same time
try not to place any restraint upon you
by my awe inspiring presence.
well. the young chaps manner was
so pleasant and winning that l could
only thank him for his kindness. and
we started over the grounds. We
hadn't gone far before a middle aged
man. also well dressed and well groom
ed. appeared some distance in front Of
us down the gravel walk. and he beck
oned to my companion. The young
man excused himself courteously and
went up to the middle aged man. The
two conversed earnestly together for a
few minutes. and then. linking arms.
what do they do but coolly walk of.
leaving me standing there in the mid
die of the gravel path. a good deal nom
plused
a. Surprised over the way they de-
serted youl' said a voice right back of
me. You mustn't mind little thing
like that. though. Both of those men
are as crazy as looms.
Il turned around. and there. stand
ing behind Il hedge about ten feet to my
rear. was title old gentleman. neatly
dressed in black. and with quizzical
smile on his features
"'Surely, / said, 'you cannot mean
that that rational speaking, pleasant
hammered young man who was conduct
ing me about the grounds is bereft of
! his witsr'
" Mad as a March hare, repeated
the old gentleman fatty. 'Incurable
case. Harmless, but incurable. The
man that he went off with is also .
very sad case-very. Thinks he is the
Maharajah of Bludblud. or something
like that. But You mustn't mind EN-
Lots of visitors are taken in the same
way Ii y0u care to. I'll just show you
around. l am one of the board of visit
ors of this institution and Just happen
to be here j. ny unofficial capacity to-
day
Much n:5-rtiing over what the old
gentleman told me. | fell in with him.
and we rambicd around the huge gera-
MUM arbc-s, and finally entered the
enormous glass building where the call
tivation of violets is carried on.
Mice array of flowers. isn't it ?
! the old gentleman inquired of me, wav-
ing his hand at the beautiful beds of
violets in bloom. L am not inordinately
vain, my friend. L hope you will under
stand. and yet 1 cannot but cOngratu-
late myself upon the introduction of
this violet raising feature here. for
myself was responsible for it and only
succeeded in having this hothOuse con-
structed after enormous exertiOns with
the authorities of the institution.
II congratulated the old gentleman
upon the result of his labOrs and was
just about to ask him to take me into
the main building and introduce me to
the superintendent when he suddenly
excused himself. saying that he had
left his spectacles on a bench in the
gardens and would be back directly. l
waited for him for fully ten minutes.
but as he did not return / started on
out of the glass building
"'You didn't really expect him
back 1 heard voice say. and then
pleasant faced man. dressed as la
borer and carrying a watering pot.
came from behind a group Of palms
Ee spoke with a Scotch LrOgue.
"'T,.a old Gentleman You were with
is very bad up here said the man with
the wate-i-y pot. tonching his fore
head. Hes boon here for 30 years. and
he faaeic5 he owns thu pi1cc. / ari tho
head garin her-. AID he tries his
best - rrn ire. EUa me doa 't-no. sir.
he don't He can't No crazy man CA
ruu me And the Scot rhn.an went do.-a
thc length OF the r,l-sea, violet beds. :. D.
tering the plants.
II passd ont Jf ,hc inss building
and started fer the en,rau-e - the main
buildiuz there to Vrsei. = letters