Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1909-01-23
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TWO LUNATICS.
BY p. Y. BLACK.

1t was shameful trap" he said
con the part Of my people The doc
tors were very careless in their dag
nosis To shut me up in a place like
this was really too bad. In very
short time, however, 1 expect to
leave"
"Oh, dear" she thought, her eyes
/ dimming, they all say that To think
that the poor man will never, never.
never leave! l am so glad-for you"
she said aloud. you viii be over
Joyed."
"oh, Ives. But do you know this
sanitarium is not so badT
"Do you mean" she said gently,
surprised, that you will-er-have
any regrets In leavlngT
mo" he said, mot exactly that, Of
course-not regrets so far as concerns
myself for It is so humiliating to be
committed, you know" He paused.
But" he went on, seven in asylums
one makes friends, and-one regrets
for them"
He looked down with a tenderness
and a pity he could not hide, and she
blushed, and for a moment there was
silence. Then she said, with an obvl-
ously strained laugh
"We are friends, Of course, Mr. st
John. What an awful existence Il
would be here If one had no sympa-
thetic friendsi But you must not re-
greet 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.
"The poor little thingp' he thought.
"They all say that And that decent
young fellow, the doctor, assures m,
her case is very puzzling and her
friends fear incurable. I am so glad
for you" be said. would It not be
jolly If we became friends in the
world as we have been when out of
the world?"
Then be blamed himself again
IF she really likes me-" he thought.
land I think the unhappy child does
l should never bad 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.
at would be nice-very nice in
deed"
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
Miss Tracy and St. John stood to-
gether, silent now and transformations
ly observant A sturdily built (all
the attendants 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 a policeman oc-
casionaily escort a quiet prisoner with
a light touch on the captive's arm
above the elbow The patient was a
little excited, but there was no dis
turbance at all. A 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
'HHow they all dread him-instinc
lively, It seems" said the young wOm-
an who expected to leave soon" HE
is polite enough and not III 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.
1 fancy"
/ "a thoroughly Ill dlspositloned man
with a plausible exterior" said St
John. 81 believe him capable of it."
"Of murder? Do-oh, what are you
talking Of, Mr.. st. John2"
/ st. John looked very uncomfortable.
Miss Tracy looked yexedly embar-
raised.
! eI heard some rumor Of strange
death in the institution just before !
came. was thinking of it. Were yo'
here? Have you heard anything Of
it?"
4 lie was q little edEtl'
How could l be here? We came on
the same day Don't you remember
"Ah. truer
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 few min
utes, but-theV shook hands, and that
llngeringly.
! "Its awfully sad" st, John pom
dered. $50 sweet a face, seemingly so
intelligent. I wish-oh, pshaw! What's
the use Of wishing? These things are
not to be remedied. wonder if-she'd
give me a photograph
Miss Tracy went to her room slowly
~ am silly to be so affected by an
ordinary case There are thousands
like him. Butch, dear; oh, dear! II
I'd known I was to have this sad ex-
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