The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1909-05-20
lotion
TWO LUNATICS.
BY p. Y. BLACK.

ION the part Of my people. The doc
Tors We're very careless In their dag
nosis. To shut me up in place like
this was really too bad. In very
Snort time. however. l expect to
leave"
Oh. dear she thought. her eyes
dimming. they all say that, To think
| thar the poor man will never. never.
never leave. | am so glad-for YOU"
she said aloud. You viii be over
| joyed''
''Oh, Yes. But do you know this
san1tarfum is not SO bad:"
DO you mean" she said gently,
surprised. that you will-er-have
any regrets In leaving:"
NO" he said. mot exactly that. Of
| course-not regrets so far as concerns
myself, for it is so humfliating to be
committed YOU know" He paused.
But he Went on. even in asylums
one makes friends, and-one regrets
| for them
He looked down with tenderness
and pity he could not hide and She
blushed. and for moment there was
| silence. Then she said. with an Obvi-
Ously strained laugh:
I'VE are friends. Of course, Mr. ST.
John. What an awful existence it
would be here If one had no sympa-
thetic friends. But you must not re-
gret so much on my account. In a
very short time think my friends
! will take me home''
He choked n groan before she could
hear 1t.
''The poor little thingr' he thought.
"Ihey all say that. And that decent
young fellow, the doctor, assures me
her case is very pulling and her
| friends fear incurable. l am so glad
| for you" he said. Would it not be
| jolly il we became friends in the
world as we have been when out of
the world:'
Then he blamed himself again.
If She really likes me- he thought,
land think the unhappy child does,
| I 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.
"It would be nice-very nice in
| deed"
They We're 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.
Miss Tracy and st. John stood to-
| gether. silent now and unostentatious-
| ~ observant. A sturdily built tall
the attendants were that man was
taking a patient to the iron barred
house. He did not do 1t violently. He
did tt as one may see policeman oc
casionally escort a quiet prisoner with
light touch on the captive's arm
above the elbow. The patient was a
little excited. but there was no dis
| turbance at all 4 visitor might never
have noticed it, The strange thing
was the unanimous backward with
drawal from the attendants path Of
the patients encountered, the. look Of
fright or dislike on their faces direct
ed not at the captive. but at the guard.
How they all dread him-instinc-
lively. 1t seems" said the young wom-
an who expected to leave soon" HE
Is polite enough and not Ill looking,
but
~ man Of great experience In his
peculiar work, I'm told" said st.
John musingly.
TITS his eye and mouth that do 1t.
fancy"
"A thoroughly i'll dispositioned man,
with plausible exterior" said st.
John. Il believe him capable OF 1t"
"Of murder? DO-oh, what are you
talking Of, Mr. st. John?'
st. John looked very uncomfortable.
Miss Tracy looked vexedly embar'
raised.
ri heard some rumOr Of strange
death in the institution just before l
came. I was thinking Of it. Were you
here? Have you heard anything OF
it?"
He was little eager.
''hOW COulu l. NC iiCA w ~esA~~N 80
the same day. Don't You remember
"Ah, true"'
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 min
= utes. but-they shook hands. and thai
lingeringly.
!. ..Its awfully sad.' st. John pom
dered. $50 sweet face. seemingly SC
intelligent. Iwish-oh, pshaw! What:
: the use OF wishing? These things are
! mt TO be remedied. l wonder if-she'e
; give me photograph
Miss Tracy went to her room slowly
81 am silly to be so affected by al
ordinary case There are thousands
like him. Butch. dear; oh, dear! L
. I'd known I was to have this sad ex
narience I would never have consent
cd to come-never..
They had no opportunity to NEE