The Topeka state journal., 1905-07-18
THE EVENING STORY
A Pair OF Lsanatics.


Ny chum. Charlie Fisher, soon after
taking his degree In medicine was ap-
pointed house physician at the Merton
Asylum for the Insane One day he
wrote me that there was to be a dance
at the asylum for the miider patients
anu asked me to come up. Curious to
MitnesS such gathering. 1 accepted
the invitation. arrived just in time
Charlie took me into the dancing hall
and said to me:
These patients are only insane on
some one subject, and we don't con-
slider them dangerous. You can speak
to any of them without an intreduc-
tion."
chatted with several patients, but
could not detect anything wrong with
any of them. At last I noticed a very
attractive looking woman apparently
about twenty-eight, who excited my
interest. Her face wore a thigh cast of
thought" expression, and it seemed to
me as I gazed upon it that sympathet-i
ically she was capable of taking in the
whole world. l Joined her and invited
her to dance. She accepted, and I
fancied she did SO fearing she would
hurt my feelings IL she declined. After
the dance we took seats together. :
you have a nice place here" re-
marked.
not seen you here before"
Il came up this afternoon
Yes, she went on, 1--WE think 1t q
very nice place. I'm much pleased
with it," Then she added more to her
self than to me ''in spite of the cost
above the contract
You seem to know all about it''
$50 should, 1 built it,
Indeed 1 said to her, then to my
self. AT last have found one whose
weakness is apparent
"How much did you put into it?"
asked after a pause in order to draw
her out.
"It cost a hundred thousand. The
contract called for 80 thousand
Are you very rich?"
Il have enough to make many people
happy
About a million"
I was surprised at the moderate esti-
mate she put on her possessions. 1 had
supposed she considered herself at least
multimillionaire.
What is your occupation in hfe7
she asked me presently.
She seemed so rational on all sub
jeets except her wealth and benefac-
tionS that I concluded to tell her the
truth. I informed her that I was a
scientist, and when she asked me what
Investigations 1 was then engaged in
1 confessed that I was struggling with
the problem Of producing conditions
similar to or the same as life.
What success have you had2" she
asked.
Il think I have produced the life
principle of the lowest order of plants. "
She drew a sigh and. rising, said
you now. I have a great deal to do.
The responsibility of this affair rests
wholly on me-
1 pitied her with all her fancied
wealth and cares and turned to a lady
who at once informed me that she was
heir to the throne of the Philippine
Islands and had been dispossessed by
the United States government. I took
her into supper and, having provided
for her refreshment, concluded I
would go on to the piazza and smoke.
While looking for a match heard
voices In the next room.
81 tell you he's as sane as you or L.
ler7 How. can man be sane who is try
ing to reproduce life?" taIf
The voices were those of DIR. Fisher
and the lady who had told me she had
built the asylum. At her reply Fish er
Fchuckled. That's good-mighty good
insane because he's trying to repro
duce life. You women will be the
death OF me. Why, don't you know
there are scientists trying to do that
very thing?"
II don't care If there are. They are
as crazy as this one"
While I listened a sudden succession
of thoughts struck my brain as shots
from rapid fire guns. The patient had
thought me insane. l had thought her
insane. Did she not have cause to con-
slider me insane? Was I not fit sub
ject for bedlam?
"Very WELL continued the lady. IF
he is sane he is certainly not a gentle
man. He asked me how much this
place cost me and how wealthy l am. !"
This was too much I could endure
it no longer. I rushed into the room
where they were and stood facing
them, my cheeks burning.
Billy" said the doctor, you've
been making a guy of yourself. Let
me introduce you to Miss Merton, to
whose rnunificence we are indebted for
this institution"
"I humbiy crave Miss Merton's par
don,'' said abjectly. "I should never
have presumed to ask her the ques-
tions I did had 1 not
"Consideerd her as crazy as yourself
You do her injustice. She is remark
ably sane The only evidence of insan-
she said yours was such an interesting
case. No case is interesting that is in
curable.'
Miss Merton biushed slightly and
apologized for her estimate of me. 1
gave up my smoke, and she and I
went back among the patients. and I
found that she knew every one of them
''Theirs are all harmless delusions," :"
she said.
ssWhereas l. a searcher for the
causes of life, you consider incurable. :"
"At any rate you are not dangerous,
she replied. land my curiosity has
been excited by the bare mention of
your attempt. You must come and see
me and tell me about it."
| And did. Miss Merton has now the
same mania as myself.
BRUCE PARKER
| -@D------