Little Falls herald., 1900-11-23
4 MUTUAL MISTAKE.
HELEN DACY went to Elgin-not be.
l cause she was insane, but because she
had A second cousin who waa

Ellen UACY went to Egln-not be.
! cause she was insane, but because she
had second cousin who was.
). It is walk Of considerable 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 it, and they
moved slowly, and most of them walked with
bowed heads. Their feet appeared to press
the earth heavily.
Helen shrunk aside and stood fascinated
while they passed her. Some of them looked
at her curiously, or with lack-iuster gaze, or
wistfully. A sudden appreciation of her
own youth and health and sanity came over
her, and made her all the more pitiful to.
ward these unfortunates.
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 deser.
tion, 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 impertinent
his intentions might be, at least he was in
good humor. This was consoling, but it did
not keep her hands from turning cold with
nervous dread.
As he approached he lifted his hat with
a courtly air. It was evident that the poor
wretch had once been a gentleman, but
even the most gentlemanly Of lunatlcs 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. The man moved more cautiously
and fixed undertaking gaze upon Helen.
"Madum,'' said the man, in peculiarly
quiet voice, cit is pleasant morning.
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 a
gleam of reason.
"Is t?' she asked, turning her eyes to the
sSy. "Why, indeed, l thought it was rain
ing!"
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 see
people carrying their umbrellas
'*Sensory nerves quite obtuse," thought
Helen. Il have heard that it is common
with degenerates.
The man moved little nearer, and Helen
ventured to 60 still further around the lilac
bush. He stopped still, and they faced each
other over the low shrubbery. What an
agreeabelooking creature he was, with his
soft brown eyes, his long, delicate face and
his high brow. He looked as if he might
have been intended for poet. Probably
he had been, but had gone one step fur.
ther. Helen had not read Lombroso fo1
nothing.
**Do you ever write poetry?" she asked
The man blushed. Helen had not dreamed
lunatic would blush.
*:When I find fitting subject" he con
fessed.
"Ah! And what should you consider {
fitting subject?"
"Why-you!" The words came out ex
plosively. They did not seem to be meant TO,
compliment. The man spoke pathetically
! 1t seemed as if there were tears in his eyes
Helen answered as if he were child.
''Do I seem SO sad to you?' she asked
"Does it make the tears come in your eye
to look at me, poor man?'
Indeed it does,'' he replied, quite sim
ply. II think you are the sadhest thing
ever saw"
II wouldn't die for anything" she ex
planned. Il like to live. / find plenty O.
things to laugh att And to convince hi
wandering wits that this was the truth she
broke into merry laugh, which aston
ished' the melancholy spirit of the place.
IF 1 give you my hand,' said the man
kindly, will you not walk back with me te
the house?'
TO take his hand, to let him get hoIc
upon her! 1t was ghast,v. There seem ed
nothing for it but to run, and run she did
speeding over the soft Ia wn with rapitlitA
that astonished herself She could hear hin
calling to her, but she sped on, till final,
a hysterical impulse. born Of her fright anl
fatigue, took hold IF her. She began tt
laugh again, and the musical, half weeping
/ laughter foated behind her as she Aed
Then, breathless, she stumbled in a GROUND
mole's tunnel and fell flat. She buried he1
face in the grass and waited, her heart pant
ing with the stress Of its work. A secont
later two arms were about her and she wa
lifted to her feet She faced the lunatic
They were Of height, and they stood lool:
ing at each other, both Of them pale ant
trembling, his arm ST.: supporting her.
'<Poor child!' he 'e,urmhred, chow sorr,
I am that l frightened you. Perhaps
ought not to have run after you. But
was afraid you would leave the grounds ant
come to some harm."
She would have liked to have explained
to him that one need not come to harm oil :
| side Of their grounds, but perhaps it wa
as well that he thought otherwise. Sh'
would tell him the truth about herself
Perhaps he would understand All, what
pity that such an engaging face shouie
hide a ruined mind!