Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-02-16
JOY THAT BRINGS WOE
Shock of Sudden Glad TidingS at
Times Turns the Brain.
1T HAS DRIVEN PEOPLE MAD.
Some Of the Saddest Cases Of Lunaey
Arc Those Where the Mind Is I'm
able to Stand the Strain Of News Of
Unexpected Good Fortune.

Some CT the Sa0dest Cases OF lunScy
Are Those Where the Mind Is I'm
able to Stand the Strain Of News OF
Unexpected Good Fortune.
70 is no cSag%eration T. assert. Said
an asylum doctor OF long and varied
experience. that there are scores OF
men and women I'm Insane aSyiums
who have literally been seat tscre
through excess of joy. Many Of these
cases which are. in my opinion. the
saddcSt of all have come under my
own observation.
remember in the very first aSy lum
with which was conpcc ted one OF
the patients was strikmgly hand
some and very well educated man.
who was rs sane as You or | except
on one point lie was really Il man OF
considerable wealth. but lss dclusi0n
was that he was a p1upcr. and ne
would tell the most piticul tales Of his
restitution. begging. with tears in his
eyes. for few cOppers With which TO
buy bread.
According TO the story ted me. hc
was the only son OF a wealthy NOR
chant. In his youth he had fallen
among evil companions and had led
such n disSolute life that his father
not only threatene TO disiu herit him.
but forbade him ever Co enter his
house again. -After that he seems 10
have sunk into the lowest depths OF
poverty until he was glad to earn
few copperS 10y selling papers or
matches i'm the streets.
Ii was ut this last and lowest stage
that news came To him ti.at BIS IA
Their had died inteSta;c aad that he
was heir e. MI his vast fcrtui;e. The
sudden news completely tiTs.Cd the
mans brain ard brought on such
condition n excitement that ne had
10 be sert 60 an asylum. ahd Whga he
Gained down again he had lost al
recollec,iou of his ScoJ fortune. ard
nothing could shake his de'usion that
he was on Tie verge OF starvation.
Another patient I'm the same asylum
was "a young acd ia his lucid moments
n most intelligent fellow. whose brain
was turned" as the saying i. cE ,c.tvn-
ing that he had passed an eXamina-
ton. lie had sat for the matriculagicn
examination at the University Of Lon
don. on passing which he had set his
heart and had asked friend in Lon
don 90 Wire the result as soon as the
names were screened ut Burlington
House.
About three weeks later came IA
tai telegram. "Failed-Sorry." which
sent the yoans man into the lowest
depths OF despair. for he was too old
s-fs Ia. IL.
however came another telegram.
Passed honors-very sorry crush so
great ala not see name this morning"
The revulsion OF feeling was SO great
that the students reason gave way.
and he became so violent in his ex-
citement that he had 10 he confined
Fortunately he was not with us long
and is now. am glad To know. doing
very well as solicitor.
Disappointed love sends many people
60 asylums. but il is very seldom that
success In wOoing drives n man mad.
IT had this strange effect, however. on
one Of my late patients. The girl he
loved had gone out TO India 10 keep
house for her brother before he had
screwed up his courage 10 the point OF
proposing 10 her, but an offer followed
by mail very quickly after her
Weeks and months passed and no
answer came 10 the impatient lover
until. after waiting two years in de-
spair. he became engaged 10 girl who
had nothing but her money bags to
recommend her and for whom he had
not a particle of love. Scarcely. how
ever, was his fate sealed than he re-
ceived the long despaired OF letter
/ from India, accepting his offer and ex-
planning that the girls brother had re-
ceived and mislaid the letter. which
had only just been found and had
come into her hands.
Within an hour OF the receipt OF this
letter the man was raving maniac.
and, although his condition is improv-
/ ed, / doubt whether he will ever re-
cover his reason.
In another remarkable case il was
the joy at seeing her husband again
that robbed a lady patient Of her rea-
SON Her husband was the captain of
n merchant ship which was reported
TO have gone down with all hands.
The widow had deeply mourned her
husband for nearly year when one
day on returning from n walk she
found him sitting in the drawing room
as hale and robust as ever
With a shrek she fell unconscious
on the floor, and when she recovered
her reason was gone. 1t seems that
her husband, after floating for some
time, had been picked up by passing
tramp" and had been landed on the
west coast Of Africa, from which he
had returned home by the first avail
able vessel.-London Spectator.