Smyrna times., 1900-02-14
HELEN DACY'S
LUNATIC.
a Story of a Young Girls
Visit to an Insane Asylum


Helen Dacy went to Elgin not be-
cause she was insane, but because she
had a second cousin who was. Elgin
is beautiful town, but it's street car
service is not good, and Helen walked /
through the village up to the pleasant |
park with which the state has sur |
rounded the asylum for the insane. 1t |
is a walk of considerable length from |
the gate of the grounds to the building, |
and Helen was to encounter a melan- |
choly sight. As she went along the |
serpentine path a procession came to-
ward her. There must have been a
hundred men ia 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 a funeral process
sion, but n moment later she perceiv
ed that it was something more dis
tressing. 1t was the walk of those
who had survived their own death. In
other words, it was a body of insane
patients exercising the bodies that held
their perished minds. Helen shrank
aside and stood fascinated while they
passed her. Some of them looked at
her curiOusiy or witt lack luster gaze
or wistfully. A sudden appreciation
Of her own youth and health and sani-
ty came over her and made her all the
more pitiful toward these unfOrtu-
mates.
The procession had passed. and she
was about resuming her way to the
hoCnifol vx-h of fhn n1IiffQ6
the ranks and walked hurriedly to-
ward her. None of the rest looked
around. The attendants had not no.
ticed his desertiOn, and his steps on
the sward made no sound. He came
with a rapid, gliding step toward Hell
en-, showing his teeth in broad smile.
Helen decided that, however impert1-
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 a courtly air. 1t was evident that
the poor wretch had once been a gen
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 cautiously and fixed
an undertaking gaze upon Helen.
Madam" said the man in n particu-
larly quiet voice. lit is pleasant morn
ing
Something in the words suggested a
scene in Hamlet" to Helen and she
bethought herself of an experiment.
She would soon determine whether or
not the man had gleam of reason.
els it?' she asked, turning her eyes
to the sky. "Why. indeed, ] thought
it was rainingw
The man had a look in his face akin
to pity. Perhaps you are right" he
replied gently. 1T may be raining. 1t
is not always possible for me to tell
except when l see people carrying
their umbrellas"
"Sensory nerves are quite obtuse.
thought Helen. 'I have heard that il
is common with degenerates.' The
man moved a little nearer. and Heller
ventured to go still farther 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 higl
browl He looked as if he might have
been intended for a poet Probabl!
he had been, but had gone one stel
further. Helen had not read Lombro
so for nothing.
"Do you ever write poetryP' she ask
ed, with genuine curiosity.
The man blushed Helen had no
dreamed lunatic would blush
when l found a fitting subject" b
confessed.
"Ah! And what should you conside
fitting subject?"
"Why-youp' The words came ou
explosively. They did not seem to
meant for a compliment. The ma
spoke pathetically. 1t seemed as
there were tears in his eyes. Hele
answered as If he were a child:
"Do seem so sad to YOU" she ash
ed. "Does 1t make the tears come |
your eyes to look at me, poor manr'
Indeed 1t does," he replied quit
simply. 81 think you are the saddles
thing ever saw"
II wouldn't die for anything" she e.
planned. II like to live. find plent
Of things to laugh at" And to convinC
his wandering wits that this was til
truth she broke into merry laugl
which astonished the melancholy spir
Of the place.
"If l give you my hand" said I'll
man kindly, "will you not walk bac
v with me to the houseT
To take his hand, to let him get