El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-07
HELEN DACYS
LUNATIC.
a Story of n 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 a beautiful town, but its 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 grouI as to the building,
and Helen was to encounter a melan-
choly sight. AS she went along the
serpentine path Il procession came to-
ward 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. At first Helen
thought it must be a funeral process
sion, but 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 Il 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 SAM
ty came over her and made her all the
more pitifuI toward these unfOrtu-
mates.
The procession had passed, and she
was about rcsuming 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 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 Il broad smile.
Helen decided that however impertf-
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 a courtly air. 1t was evident that
the poor wretch had once been Il gen
tleman, but even the most gentlemanly
of lunaticS was not Il 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 a particu-
larly quiet voice, lit is a 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.
rs it," she asked, turning her eyes
to the sky. why, indeed, l thought
it was raining,'
The man had look in his face akin
10 pity Perhaps you are right" he
replied gently. 1T may be raining. 1t
is not always possible for me to tell |
except when 1 see people carrying |
their umbrellas
''Sensory nerves are quite obtuse,"
thought Helen. Il have heard that it |
is common with degenerates." The |
man moved a 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 |
browl He looked as if he might have |
been intended for 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 a lunatic would blush.
when I found Il fitting subject he
confessed.
"Ah, And what should you consider |
fitting subject?"
"Why-your' The words came out |
explosiveIy. They did not seem to be
meant for a compliment. The man
spoke pathetically. 1t seemed as if |
there were tears in his eyes. Helen |
answered as if he were a child:
do l seem so sad to your she ask |
ed docs it make the tears come in |
your eyes to look at me, poor MANI
Indeed it does" he replied quite |
simply. Il think you are the saddest |
thing 1 ever saw"
II wouldn't die for anything" she ex-
planned. Il like to live. l find plenty |
of things to laugh at" And 70 convince |
his wandering wits that this was the |
truth she broke into a merry laugh, |
which astonished the melancholy spirit |
of the place.
eff l 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-it was CHASTITY, He
moved toward her. There seemed moth
ing for it but to run, and run she did,
speeding over the soft lawn with a
rapidity that astonished herself. She
,l,n