The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-02-20
HELEN DACY'S
LUNATIC.
A Story Of . Young Girl's
Visit to an Insane Asylum

! had a second cousin who was. Elgin
is beautiful town, but it's street car
service is not good, and Helen walked
park with which the state has sur
rounded the asylum for the insane. II
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 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 a funeral process
sion, but a mom1nt later she perceiv-
ed that 1t 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 persisted 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 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
hospital when one of the men quilted
the ranks and walked hurriedly to-
ward her. None of the rest looked
around. The attendants had not mo-
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 imperti-
nent his intentions might be, at least
he was in good humor. This was con-
selling, 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 gen.
tleman, but even the most gentlemanly
of lunatics was not a 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 cautiously and fixed
an undertaking gaze upon Helen.
MADAM" said the man in particu-
larly quiet voice, sit 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 CLEAN of reason.
"Is itY she asked, turning her eyes
to the sky. "Why, indeed, thought
it was rainingw
The man had look in his face akin
to pity. Perhaps you are right" he
replied gently. ut may be raining. It
is not always possible for me to tell
except when / 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 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 high
brow! He looked as If he might have
been intended for a poet. Probably
he had been, but had gone one step
further. Helen had not read Lombro-
so for nothing.
"Do you ever write poetry?" she ask
ed, with genuine curiosity.
The man blushed. Helen had not
dreamed lunatic would blush.
when l found fitting subject" he
confessed.
"Ah! And what should you consider
a fitting subject?'
"Why-youT The words came out
explosively. They did not seem to be
meant for a compliment. The man
spoke patheticalIy. 1t seemed as if
there were tears in his eyes. Helen
answered as If he were child:
do seem so sad to your" she ask
ed. ''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 ever saw"
81 wouldn't die for anything" she ex-
planned 81 like to live. find plenty
of things to laugh at" And to convince
his wandering wits that this was the
truth she broke into merry laugh,
which astonished the melancholy spirit
of the place.
"If 1 give you my hand" said the
man kindly, twill you not walk back
with me to the house%
To take his hand, to let him get a
hold upon her-it was CHASTITY! he
moved toward her. There seemed moth
ing for 1t but to run, and run she did,
speeding over the soft lawn with
rapidity that astonished herself. She
could hear him calling to her, but she
sped on till finally a hysterical I'M
pulse, born Of her fright and fatigue,
took hold Of her. She began to laugh
| again, and the musical half weeping
laughter floated behind her as she fed
Then, breathless, she stumbled In a
ground mole's tunnel and fell fat. A
second later two arms were about her,
and she was lifted to her feet. She
faced the lunatic. They were Of a
height, and they stood looking at each
other, both Of them pale and trembling,
his arm still supporting her.
"Poor child" he murmured. How
sorry am that frightened you. Per
haps ought not to have run after you
But 1 was afraid you would leave the
grounds and come to some harm"
She would have liked to have ex-
plained to him that one need not come
/ to harm outside of their grounds, but
perhaps 1t was as well that she thought
otherwise. she would tell him the
truth about herself Perhaps he would
I understand All, what a pity that such
an engaging face should hide ruined
| mind!
''You must try to understand" she
said slowly, that do not live here in
the-the building, you know. / came to
visit relative who is here. 1t seems
pleasant place. Have you been here
longT
my dear young lady," cried he. u
am also a visitor. l also came to visit
an acquaintance, with whom was
walking moment since. approach
ed you to ask IL you knew when the
next train went to town, but when
addressed you | Judged from your re.