Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-08-04
AN AERIAL
ENTHUSIAST
By LUCY K. WYNKOOP
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

]
large enough determined to endow
some institution. A member of the
board of directors of an insane asy-
lum, a lady, persuaded me to give her
| pet project 100000.
! l drove one afternoon to the asylum
with check for the amount l was
to give. The lady haze mentioned
went with me and had arranged for
her attorney to be there with the nee
essary legal papers.
! When we arrived we found a tele-
gram from the attorney saying that he
would be delayed. Learning that the
patients We're to have a dance the
same evening, we decided to remain
and have a look at the dancers. No
patients were received in the institu-
ton except those who were considered
homeless. Indeed, most Of them were
unbalanced on but one subject. We
were given tea in the apartments of
the medical director, and his wife
made us at home till the ball opened,
which was very early in the evening,
for 1t must end at 10 o'clock.
and my gift were known, and moth
ing would do but that 1 should take
part in the festivities. l danced sew
eral times, when a young man Of very
prepossessing appearance came up to
me and asked if l would be his part
ner. There are occasions when girl
will meet man to whom she IS espe-
cially drawn. l had not been in COM
pany with this young fellow long be-
fore felt a pang that he should be
insane. He charmed me at once.
Naturally 1 wished to discover his
weak point. I tried him on several
subjects, but saw nothing abnormal
until struck aviation. Then he began
to talk wild. He said that he had
some views about flying machines he
hoped to work out which would bring
aeroplanes nearer to the construction
of birds. A birds wings were not rigid.
Why should those of an aeroplane be
rigid? He had in mind a plan by
which the wings of the machine should
| flap like those Of the bird.
True" he said, birds often soar
without using their pinions, but since
they flap them at all 1t indicates that
| Tapping is necessary"
why do you wish to go up In tho
ARP l asked. II am quite content on
the earth"
IT only know that l would love to
sail up in the clouds, to pass over the
tops Of high mountains. I would
love-
I shut him off. I was quite satisfied
with having discovered his weakness.
/ had no mind to get him to raving.
excused myself and Joined some one
else. But later, shortly before the
close of the entertainment, he joined
me again and asked for last dance.
I declined. His personality had
thrown a spell over me which thought
If yielded to would grow upon me. In
other words, felt that had met my
fate in one of unsound mind and it
would be dangerous to my comfort to
yield to what might soon become
serious infatuation. He gave me
half reprOaChful glance-a glance sug-
gesting to me that he had been i'm
by him-and left me.
When the evenings amusement was
ended my friend the directress told me
that we would proceed to the superin-
tendent's room, where the attorney
was waiting for US to transact our
business, and then go home. went
with her, and, ON opening the door Of
the office, there, sitting at table look
ing over some papers, was the young
man who had gone daft on aviation.
l stopped short, paralyzed with aston
ishment. He arose and gave me one Of
those pleasant smiles that had helped
to charm me.
"Why," said, al didn't expect to
l find you here"
1t was his turn to look surprised.
81 supposed you knew who l was" he
said.
Il did not. thought I stopped.
He looked very much amused. Il
see," he said. You mistook me for
one Of the patients. I'm not sure but
; some Of them might change places
with me to my advantage" Then.
turning to the work before him, he
read me several legal documents, now
and then stopping to explain some
thing, l knowing not half as much Of
what he was talking as when he was
discourSing on aviation. When he had
finished he gave me a lot of papers
and took my check, which l had made
payable to the trustees.
The lawyer or lunatic-I was so
confused that I was not yet certain
in my mind which he was-rode in
the same carriage with Us to a rail
, road station, where we dropped him,
he taking 4 passing train, while we
drove on to my home.
I went to bed with my mind in Il
good deal Of a whirl, but above it all
was a feeling of thankfulness that the
man l had met was not a lunatic, for
1t was possible his mental condition
might make a great deal of difference
to me.
1t was not long before he expressed
through my friend the direCtress a de-
nire to continue our acquaintance, and
l sent him an invitation to call on me.