Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1900-07-14

s.She had been the Innocent victim
OF n brutal joke. Among the men
who visited the house were several
medical students All sorts 81 games
and sports had beer INDUCED IN FOR
amusement The most SenSeieSS was
telling sa,es that would freeze the
blood 18th horror. mt fortunately
they had always ended with laugh.
Nv poor girl was considerd the
hravest OF them all. and for this rcs-
son great efforts were made 20 shake
her courage.
Zone night after the usual amuSe
rnent 81 this kind. some declared they
were too frightened 20 sleep. Ny Mona
only laughed a. their fears as sht
said Good night"
"'She slept IN a room alone. The 4
house Is large one with wide halls
and a park OF trees surrounding n. Two /
Young women occupied room across 4
the hall from Mona. On this particu 4
Jar night they did not &C 20 bed. but
crept into the hall and waited to hear
the kew turn in Mona's door. They eN
pected every moment 20 see her rush
out or 20 hear her scream. An hour
paSsed and not hearing any sound, they
were disappointed and went TO bcC.
The next morning ne continued.
sorIdid not dare 10 interrupt him. Mona
did not appear. Breakfast PASSED and
she was supposed TO Se asleep. No one
was ever allowed 60 be awakened. The
/ afternoon came. and sd hen nothing was
heard from her maid was sent 90
her room. She could get no answer
+ Now. alarmed. they rushed 20 Mona's
4 room. and finding 10 locked. were obliged
to have the door forced open.
"'Oh. God. how cruel 20 tell. There.
kneeling by the bed. dressed in her long.
white gown, was my poor darling
I clutching and gnawiug piece Of hor-
rible human flesh. a human handl They
fled before the shrek she gave.
Then il was that my darling was
declared hopelessiv insane and taken 60
= mad house. Her beautiful courage
shaken AZ last. her noble reason gone.
None had the courage 20 write me, none
dared TO face me. for they had wrong TAI
the cruelest wrong ever inflicted upon
one OF Gods creatures
~'ThoSe two girls-devils-tc tcncs
call them not gir.s-in order 10 carry
out their infamous plan 10 frightcn
Mona had persuaded one of the mec.
ical students 10 bring them this eei.
dence OF human butchery. - human
hand. fresh from The dissscting room
That cay 1 repudiated my persona
connection with the profession, ans
challenged the instigator, or rather th'
executor. of this crime. but the coward
refused 10 fight. 1 DO not know VIA
became OF him. but he disappeared from
all possibility Of my ever meeting han
again
Months heightened into year
10 and my Mona was no better j oecam
: an old man in that year, just as yo
see me now. could never bring back q
her the slightest sign OF recognition
e "'Dr. Bogardus had theory tha
violence could only be lessened 10y IA
:. indulgence of the mania. where IL dt
not threaten human Nfe. The mani
was often extravagant and beyond tn
power Of the institution 10 carry ou'
Nh Mona liked 70 repeat the ghastl
scene of shat deadly night
she clutched at everything nea
ie her without seeming intention of doin
n harm. l had begged DR.. Bogardus th
D. privilege Of bringing her TO my ow
d house. where his slightest directio
Se could be carried out. The institutio
r decided that she could not have n
necessary freedom. and Dr. Bogardt
Il resigned from the statf-to my owe
u whelming gratitude, l need hardly sa
and brought with him the old non
an who had been Mona's faithful a
ig tendant For % years we three ha'
n lived here alone, cut of from asSoci
IN ton with every other living being.
az is DR.. Bogardus whom you have see
II He has never allowed any other ind
a enee in the house.
"'The substitution Of he ivory har
n was discovered after long experimen
vn Ii proved SO satisfactory that she a.
~ never been without IL day or mig
since she first received II. The oric
i dress softness in his eyes brougl
q mist over my own-'the bridal dres
ei he repeated, is also the result OF e
IT pertinent She refused over and ov
again to wear any dress until DR.. II
ic- gardus suggested this as a conneeti'
he with her old life. The effect was
nd yond our fondest expectations. )
he has worn IL nearly every evening I
m 20 years. and her delight gives me q
ed strangest happiness.
ne, when your message came / re-
up lied that YOU knew nothing OF my u
In happy story and my selhShness TO 5