Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-02-10

| w IL Viz uoy AuLl loi tuS
IN |N insane. 1t is Q
~ wv walk of consider.
53s esgS able length from
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 hundred men in il
and they moved slowly and most OF
them walked with bowed h eads. Their
feet appeared to press the earth
heavily. At first Helen thought it
must be funera. procession, but a
moment later she perceived that il
was something more distressing. II
was the walk of those who had sur.
vived their own death. In other
words, it was a body of insane pa.
tents, exercising the bodies that held
their persisted minds. Helen shranl
aside and stood fascinated while they
passed her. Some of them looked at
her curiously, OF with lack luster gaze,
or wistfully. A sudden appreciation
of her own youth and health and
sanity came over her, aud made her
all 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 a
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 gen.
tleman, but even the most gentlemanly
Of lunatics was not n companion to
choose, and Helen moved behind a
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 aud fixed an undertaking gaze
upon Helen.
madam" said the man, in a par
ticuarly quiet voice, sit is pleasant
morning."
Something in the words suggested
scene in Hamlet to Helen, and she
bethought herself of an experiment.
She would soon determine whether or
not the man had CLEAN of reason.
"Is it," she asked, turning her eyes
to the sky. "What, indeed, | thought
it was raining"
The man had look in his face akin
to pity. perhaps you are right" he
replied gently. SIT may be raining.
1t is not always possible for me to tell
except when / see people carrying
their umbrellas. 49,
"Sensory nerves are quite obtuse, -
thought Helen. 81 have heard that
it is common with degenerates." The
mau moved little nearer, and Helen
ventured 10 so 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 long, 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 I find fitting subject" he
confessed.
"Ah! And what should you con-
slider fitting subject?"
"Why-you" The words came out
explosively. They did not seem to be
meant for n compliment. The man
spoke pathetically. 1t seemed as if
there were tears in his eyes. Helen
answered as if he were q child:
"Do 1 seem so sad to you?" she
asked. "Does it make the tears come
in your eyes to look at me, poor man?'
Indeed, it does" he replied quite
simply. 81 think you are the saddest
thing I ever saw"
81 wouldn't die for anything" she
explained. 81 like to live. I 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 I give you my hand" said the
man kindly, will you not walk back
with me to the house?'
To take his hand, to let him get a
hold upon her. 1t was CHASTITY. He
moved toward her. There seemed
nothing for it but 70 run, md run she
did, speeding over the soft lawn with
n rapidity that astonished herself
She could hear him calling to her, but
she sped on, till, finally, hysterical
impulse, born of her fright and ia
tigue, took hold of her. Sue began
to laugh again, and the musical, half
weeping laughter hoated behind her
as she fled. Then, breathlcss, she
stumbled in a ground mole's tunnel
and fell flat A second later two arms
were about her and she was lifted to
her feet. She faced the lupatic.
They were of a height, and they stood
looking at each other. both of them
pale and trembling, his arm still sup
porting her.
Poor child" he murnured, chow
sorry am that I frightened you. Per-
haps ousht not to have run after you.
But I was afraid you would leave the
grounds and COME to some harm"
She would have liked TO have OK
planned to him that ono need not como
TO harm outside of their grounds, but
perhaps it was as we'll That he thought