Mexico weekly ledger., 1905-04-06

between them and within twelve
months they were married. My feel
ingS may we'll be imagined when /
became conscious of the fact that
had probably unwittingly been the
means Of bringing this about-the
marriage of this beautiful and worthy
young lady to a drunken husband.
My first thought was to help her save
him from a drunkards life. To do
this had nice supper prepared at
the asylum for their especial benefit,
and invited few friends from town
to meet them at this entertainment.
The hour arrived, the supper was
spread, the other guests from town
were present, but the bride and groom
did not appear. l leave my readers
to imagine the embarrassment Of the
occasion. The groom refused 10 come
and the bride, mortified befond meas
ure, made all the apologies possible
for their non appearance. But from
that time Henry C. Hayden became a
sober man, fine Christian character
and one Of the first lawyers OF the
State. have always been glad that
didn't tell Miss Binnie Grove the
whole truth in regard to her discard.
ed lover. 1t was an awful risk she
| took, but under Gods providence she
became the means OF saving the man
she loved.
Life 10 a lunatlc asylum is one that
cannot be anticipated or imagined be-
fore experienced. When ] entered up
on this life as an inexperienced young
man it was like being introduced into
a new world. There is no finer field
for the study OF human nature than
that furnished by the inmates Of an
insane asylum. There human charac-
ter is laid bare in all Of its features,
good two bad. It's an open book to be
read without disguise. do not mean
by this that the manifestations Of in
sanity are always an index OF the true
character Of the man or woman in his
or her normal intellectual condition
before disease has invaded the brain,
the vehicle Of thought and emotion.
The greatest distortions occur and the
most shocking contrasts are presented.
The lips Of the purest and most re-
fined young women are often polluted
by the yilest and most obscene lam
guage imaginable, and insanity thus
presents picture Of one of the great
est calamities that can befall the hu-
man race. On the other hand some of
the noblest traits Of character are
brought out by this dreaded disease
Some Of the finest intellects / have
ever met were in the insane asylum.
No grade Of intellect is exempt. l
have had for my patients the brightest
lawyers, physicians and ministers Of
the gospel. One OF the sharpest intel
lectual 6ombats and metaphysical dis
cusSions ever witnessed was between
Dr. S. S. Laws, then president Of West
minister College, and one Of our pa
tients, a Presbyterian minister from
St. Louis county, who subsequently
recovered. One OF the most profitable
companions Of my life was another
minister Of the gospel, often visited
by DR.. n. L. Rice, who loaned him
books from his library, which / read
with him 10 my room. He is a useful
minister Of the gospel In Missouri TO-
day. | remember with the greatest
pleasure OF companlonship two pro.
fessOrs from the State University at
Columbia, both Of whom died In the
asylum. one Of the most charming
companions Of my asylum life was a
physician from Boone county, who, af-
ter leaving the asylum, returned to bis
habit Of strong drink aud was found
dead on the road from Columbia 10
his home il the country One Of the
finest musicians and performers upon
the piano have ever known was Prof.
Phetfer, whom l often took 10 my
room TO play When in his widest mood
be brought out Of that old piano such
music as ! never heard before or since.
his recovery was remarkable. He was
alwas playing pranks upon other pa
tients, and one day when our carpen-
ter Mr.. Megoran, was at work on the
hall, Une Of the patients snatched up
hatchet aud sliced Pdefier's head ali
TO pieces. lie came very near bleed
Ing to death, but rapidly recovered
his mlnd. This beat the doctors pre-
scription. The shock and blood let
ting did the work. He was frequently
at my house in Palmyra and Fayette
after this and | bought a half dozen
pairs from him for my school, ''HOw-
ard College, He always called me
"the Savior o. his life" " lie lived
many years in Quincy, Ill, but finally
became insane again lie was one Of
the few cases of insanity caused by
disappointment in love. ! have an ex-
cellent photograph Of my friend and
,,.tcaTF 90. sFaa ear.n .Hafa