The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-06-10

lACt1C l1lClOSs OQl JOu LII dot 1OL kCEA CT
so much on my account. In very
short time think my friends will take
me home"
He choked a groan before she could
hear it.
1.-THE poor little thingr he thought
''They all say that. And that decent
young fellow, the doctor. assures me
her case is very puzzling and her
friends fear incurable. l am SO glad
for YOU" he said "Would it not be
Jolly If we became friends in the world
as we have been when out of the
worldY'
Then he blamed himself again.
IF she really likes me-" he thought,
"and / think the unhappy child does.
should never had said that 1t is cruel
brutal, to put such thoughts in her
head"
She was looking at him with the
fearful smile we essay when we en-
courage one who does not realize that
death is near.
ut would be nice-very nice indeed"
They were silent again, each sorrow
ing for the other.
There were many other patients
strolling on the lawns or sitting in the
summer houses, patients of all kinds,
from the shaky narcomaniac to the op-
timistically cheerful paretic. Attend
ants, male and female, moved unobtru-
sively among them.
Miss Tracy and st. John stood to-
gether, silent now and unostentatiously
observant A sturdily built (all the at
tendants were that man was taking a
patient to the iron barred house. He
did not do it violently. He did it as one
may see policeman occasionally es-
cort quiet prisoner with light touch
on the captive's arm above the elbow
The patient was a little excited, but
there was no disturbance at all. A Wis
| itor might never have noticed it. The
strange thing was the unanimous back
ward withdrawal from the attendants
path of the patients encountered, the
look Of fright or dislike on their faces
directed not at the captive, but at the
guard.
How they all dread administrative
ly, it seems" said the young woman
who expected to leave soon.' HE is
polite enough and not i'll looking,
but
"a man of great experience in his
peculiar work. I'm told,' said ST. John
| musingly.
ITS his eye and mouth that do it.
fancy"
"a thoroughly i'll dispositioned man,
with a plausible exterior" said st.
John. II believe him capable of it,
"Of murder? Do-oh, what are you
talking Of, Mr.. St JohnY.
| ST. John looked very uncomfortable
Miss Tracy looked vexedly embar-
raised.
II heard some rumor of a strange
death in the institution just before
came. l was thinking of it. Were you
here? Have you heard anything of
| itY'
He was a little eager.
"How could l be here? We came on
the same day. don't you remember
"Ah, truep'
| So they watched the attendant out of
sight and turned to go inside them
selves.
| They shook hands, although there
was no reason for it. They would meet
at the dinner table in a few minutes,
but-they shook hands and that lin
geringly.
ITS awfully sad" st. John ponder
ed. $50 sweet face, seemingly so in
telligent. l wish--oh, pshaw! What's
the use of wishing? These things are
not to be remedied. wonder if-she'd
give me photograph"
Miss Tracy went to her room slowly.
81 am silly to be so affected by an
ordinary case There are thousands
like him. Butch, dear. oh, dearl If
I'd known / was to have this sad ex-
perience, | would never have consented
to come-neverr'
/ They had no opportunity to meet
alone for several days. Perhaps they
might have made opportunities, but
they did not. Doubtless it occurred to
each of these two lunatics that it was
the wiser thing to stifle at once any
friendship which each thought likely
to cause useless pain in the future to
the other.
! DR.. Bell found these two of his resi-
dents particularly interesting in those
days. and so did the attendant 1t was
: range that they both so markedly pre-
ferred the company of the sanitarium
people to that of their fellow unfortu-
nates ThSyoung house doctor thought
Miss Tracy charming and never was
abrupt with her when she sought him
in his office, as he was compelled to be
for self Protection with some who
wanted to see him half dozen times a
1 day.
'Now, why does she dwell so on that
recent death? 1t seems to excite her
too. That's morbidity, I'm afraid; bad
sign"
/ The doctor liked st. John too. st.
Johns friends acted very nicely in
sending him new books and boxes Of
cigars. The books were well chosen;
the cigars were unexceptionable.
Like all these paretics," he pondered,
In the nrSt stages you would not JnlnK
there was anything much wrong with
the man, but it is little singular that
he should be so interested in that I'M
lucky death also"
AS for the attendants, Miss Tracy
had flowers and little things and could
teach the women quite a number of
new fads in hairdressing and so forth.
For the men st. Johns cigar box and
full pocketbook sufficed to make them
extremely courteous. The man with the
wicked eyes and mouth benefited most,
however. 1t was wonderful what lot
of little things he could do for Miss
Tracy. 1t was strange that st. John
should find anything in the man to talk
about with common interest
Just once the two lunatics met. It
was just before bedtime in the music
room. He had sung to her accompani-
ment When she rose to say good
night. he almost whispered to her:
Il expect to go to New York tomor-
row"