Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-04-02

the gate of the
grounds to the building, and Helen
was to encounter melancholy sight.
AS she went along the serpentine path,
a procession came toward her. There
must have been a hundred men in it
and they moved slowly and most of
them walked with bowed heads. Their
feet appeared to press the earth
heavily. At first Helen thought it
must be fuuera. procession, but
moment later she perceived that it
was something more distressing. 1t
was the walk of those who had sur
vived their own death. In other
words, it was a body of insane pa
tients, exercising the bodies thaj held
their perished minds. Helen shrank
aside and stood fascinated while they
passed her. Some of them looked at
her curiously, or with lack luster gaze,
or wistfully. A sudden appreciation
of her own youth and health and
sanity came over her, and made her
NIL the more pitiful toward these un-
fortunates.
- -, The procession had passed, and she
was about resuming her way to the
hospital when one of the men quilted
the ranks and walked hurriedly toward
her. None of the rest looked around.
The attendants had not noticed his
desertion, and his steps on the sward
made no sound. He came with
rapid, gliding step toward Helen,
showing his teeth in broad smile.
Helen decided that however imperti-
nent his intentions might be, at least
he was in good humor. This was con-
soling, but it did not keep her hands
from turning cold with nervous dread.
AS he approached he lifted his hat
with courtly air. 1t was evident that
the poor wretch had once been a gem
tleman, but even the most gentlemanly
of lunatics was not a companion to
choose, and Helen moved behind
low lilac bush. She felt that she was
white and that her eyes were wide
stretched, but she tried not to show
her alarm. Confidence, she had always
heard, was needed in dealing with the
insane. The man moved more eau
tiously and fixed an undertaking gaze
upon Helen.
Madam" said the man, in n par
ticularly quiet voice, sit is pleasant
morning"
Something in the words suggested
a scene in Hamlet to Helen, and she
5ethought herself of an experiment.
She would soon determine whether or
not the man had CLEAN of reason.
SIS it?" she asked, turning her eyes
to the sky. "What, indeed, L thought
it was rainingw
The man had look in his face akin
to pity. perhaps you are right" he
replied gently. "It may be raining.
1t is not always possible for me to tell
except when 1 see people carrying
their umbrellas"
'Sensory nerves are quite obtuse, :"
thought Helen. 81 have heard that
it is common with degenerates. The
man moved little nearer, and Helen
ventured to go still further around the
lilac bush. He stopped still, and they
faced each other over the low shrub.
berry. What an agreeable looking crea-
ture he was. with his soft brown eyes,
his .ong,, delicate face, and his high
brow. He looked as if ne might have
been intended for poet. Probably he
had been, but had gone one step
further. Helen had not read Lom-
broso for nothing.
''Do you ever write poetry?" she
asked with genuine curiosity.
The man blushed. Helen had not
dreamed lunatic would blush.
'When L find fitting subject" he
confessed.
"Ah! And what should you con-
slider fitting subiect?"
"Why-you!" The words came out
explosively. They did not seem to be
meant for a compliment. The man
spoke pathetically. 1t seemed as if
there were tears in his eyes. Helen
answered as if he were a child:
''Do 1 seem so sad to you?" she
asked. 'Does it make the tears come
in your eyes to look tine, poor man ?"
Indeed, it does" he replied quite
simply. "I think you are the saddest
thing L ever saw. "
81 wouldn't die for anything" she
explained. Il like to live. [ find
plenty Of things to laugh at" And to
convince his wandering wits that this
was the truth she broke into a merry
laugh, which astonished the melan-
choly spirit of the place.
eff ] give you my hand" said the