The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1900-03-31

DO i seem SO SAD to your" she
asked. ''Does it make the tears come
in your eyes to look at me, poor man q
Indeed, it does," he replied quite
simply. 81 think you are the saddest
thing I ever saw"
II wouldn't die for anything" she
explained. ''I like to live. I find
plenty Of things to laugh at" And to
convince his wandering wits that this
was the truth she broke into q merry
laugh, which astonished the melan.
choly spirit of the place.
eff I 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 ghastly. He
moved toward her. There seemed
nothing for it 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
impulse. born OF her fright and ia.
tigue, took hold of her. She began
to laugh again, and the musical, half.
weeping laughter foated 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 height, and they stood
looking at each other, both of them
pale and trembling, his arm still sup.
porting her.
"Poor Child" he murmured, chow
sorry I am that I frightened you. Per.
haps Iought not to have run after you.
But I was afraid you would leave the
grounds and come to some harm"
She would have liked to have ex.
planned to him that one need not come
to harm outside of their grounds, bM
perhaps it was as we'll 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
q ruined mind!
''You must try to understand" she
said, slowly, "that I do not live here
in the-the building, you know, Icame
to visit relative who is here. II
seems a pleasant place. Have you
been here long?"
My dear yonng lady!" cried ho, 81
am also a visitor. l also came to visit
an acquaintance, with whom I was
moment since. approached
you to ask if you knew when the next
train went to town, but when I ad.
dressed you I judged from your reply
that you wero one of the inmates. !" i
Helen sank gently down on the
grass.
'I think Impst rest q moment"
she said. "I-Im' much surerised!"
Her tone indicated something more
than surprise. 1t confessed to great
relief. She paid tier visit to the asy.
um, and she and Victor Law, her
unatic, went back on the same train
ogether. To both of them the after
loon seemed the most interesting OF
heir lives.
why were there tears in your
'yes?" she asked before they parted,
when you talked with me at first?"
"Why, it seemed to me that I had
'ever encountered anything so sad as
shattered mind beyond eyes So
'lease, pardon me-so beautiful as
ours. I know I am rude, but must
peak the truth. If you had been
mad, I should have remembered you
Vith sorrow all the days CT my life."
being sane, suppose you will
orget me?"
But she knew we'll that he would
ot give himself the opportunity. She
'as quite certain that she should see
i'm often. It would have been a
rotesque anti-climax not to have met
gain after that afternoon. Chicago
.ecord.