The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1900-01-20

Madam" said the man in pc
culiarly quiet voice, lit Is pleasant
morning"
Something In the words suggested
n scene In Hamlet" TO Helen, and she
bethought herself Of an experiment.
She would soon determine whether or
not the man had a CLEAN of reason.
us it?" she asked, turning her eyes
TO the sky. why, indeed, thought
II was rainingi'
The man had look in his face
akin to pity. perhaps you are
right" he replied. gently. 1T may be
raining. IL is not always possible for
me to tell except when / see people
carrying their umbrellas"
'Sensory nerves quite obtuse,"
thought Helen. II have heard that il
is common with degenerates." The
man moved a little nearer, and Helen
ventured to go still further around the
lilac bush. He stopped still. and they
faced each other over the low shrub
berry. What an agreeable looking
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 a poet. Proba-
bly, he had been. but had gone one step
further. Helen had not read Lombroso
for nothing.
'Do you ever write poetry?" she
asked, with genuine curiosity.
The man blushed. Helen had not
dreamed n lunatic would blush.
when | find fitting subject" he
confessed.
"Ah. And what should you consider
a fitting subject?"
"Why-you!" The words came out
explosively. They did not seem to be
meant for a compliment The man
spoke pathetically. IL seemed as ii
there were tears in his eyes. Helen an.
swered as if he were n child.
do seem so sad 10 you?" she asked
Does il make the tears come in your
eyes 10 look at me, poor man?"
Indeed IL does" he replied, quite
simply. II think you are the saddest
thing | ever saw"
81 wouldn't die for anything" She ex-
planned. II like TO live. find plenty OF
things TO laugh at" And 10 convince
his wandering wis that this was the
truth she broke into a merry laugh,
which astonished the melancholy spirit
OF the place.
IF 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 hold
upon her! IL was CHASTITY. lie moved
toward her. There seemed nothing for
il but 10 run, and run she did, speed
ing over the soft lawn with a rapdity
that astonished herself. She could hear
him calling TO her, but she sped on, till,
finally, hysterical impulse, born Of her
fright and fatigue, took hold of her.
She began TO laugh again, and the
musical, half-weeptng laughter floated
behind her as she fed. Then, breath
less, she stumbled in a ground mole's
tunnel and fell fiat. She buried her face
in the grass and waited, her heart pain
ing with the stress OF its work. A Sec
ond later two arms were about her and
she was lifted to her feet. She faced the
lunatic. They were of n 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 i was afraid you would leave the
grounds and come 10 some HARM"
She would have liked 10 explain
TO him that one need not come
to harm outside OF the grounds, but
perhaps il was as well that he thought
otherwise. She would tell him the
truth about herself. Perhaps he would
understand. All, what pity that such
an engaging face should hide ruined
mindl
"You must try to understand" she
in THEM the hospital. | am here for
the first time. | have not yet been up
TO the-the building, you know.
came 10 visit n relative who is here.
II seems n pleasant place. Have you
been here long?"
MY dear young lady!" cried he, 81
also am visitor. / also came TO visit
III WIN NnOHi WIZ
walking a moment since. approached
YOU 10 ask IL you knew when the next
train went TO town. but when | adj
dressed you | judged from your reply
that you were one of the inmates"
Helen sank gently down on the
grass.
III think l must rest a moment" said
she. IL am much surprised" Her
tone indicated something more than
surprise. IL confessed 10 great relief
She paid her visit TO the asylum and she
and Victor Law. her lunatic. went back
on the same train together. To both
of them the afternoon seemed the most
interesting Of their nyes.
"Why were there tears in your eyes"
she asked before they parted, when
you talked with me at flrst?"
"Why, IL seemed 20 me that | had
never encountered anything so sad as
shattered mind behind eyes So