The daily Alaskan., 1912-11-27
A THEORETIC
 MEDDLER
He Needed a Lesson, and
 tie Received lt
By E. A. riITcHEL

AuN EANoNNeA AANtNs e-N"'N " eA
 Co insane patients The professor claimed that shutting up a patient ag. gravated the disease. It happened that the college In which Van Wrinkle Ice tured was located in the same town with the state lunatic asylum, and, as was natural. considering his speciality, his opinions on the treatment of the insane confined there had great weight with the townspeople, from whom they were reflected upon the board of direc- tors of the asylum
 pr Swinbourne. the superintendent not only had the confidence of the stan of doctors and nurses-lndeed, oll the employees-but was very much below cd hy them. and they were always In terror lest some visitor to the institu- ton witnessing a necessary severity should. with the aid of Professor Van Winkle. cause the doctor Co be repri- manded and that he would resign. Finally this very thing happened. A mother saw her son put In strait jacket She complained Co Van Wlnkle. The profeSsor talked" The directors illuminated law against unnecessary severity and recommended the use or patients, so far as possible, for what ever work about the institution they were fitted. When these orders were received by pr. Swlnbourne he handed in his resignation
 While the matter was pending the directors invited the professor, who had made an the trouble, to go to the asylum, make an inspection pertaining especially to the treatment Of patients and report.
 During the professors visit he was given every facility for the perform ance Of his work, the stUG were not disposed to regard his presence there favorably. He had been there about half an hour when he was shown to a padded room wherein was confined man who showed no signs of mental or any other disease. The professor asked him why he was there.
 "I can't understand" replied the pa- tient. why l am detained here The management might better avail them selves of my services and save some Of the money they have been wasting I was for years chef in one Of the largest hotels In America and could do all the cooking required here. Instead of that | am being driven really insane by being confined alone with no occupa- tiOu."
 Nothing could have cOnformed more nearly to the professors theory.
 "why don't you give the man chancey' he asked Of Che attendant who was conducting him.
 He has been under surveillance, pro lessor" was the reply. and we have about concluded to grant his request What do you think about itl If you say the word we win put him In the Kitchen at once"
 'I win assume the responsibility of ycur doing SO" replied the Inspector
 The patient was at once let out Of confinement and went below while the profeSsor continued his inspection.
 There was great relief felt by the stan when the great mental eNperi- menter finished his work and was ready to depart While standing in the hall waiting for his carriage to drive up Co the door the patient he had released from the padded room in the white apparel of a cook stepped up to him and whispered in his ear that if he would come Co the Kitchen he would show him something he should see The professor went with him Co the kitchen. They had no sooner entered than the patient locked the door and put the key ln his pocket
 "I don't propose" he said, that any of these villains who have kept me a prisoner shall interfere with my show ing you what miserable rotten stun they have been feeding us. IT l gave them a chance they would come 10 here and on pretense that l show signs of relapse Elke me back to that mad room. Mad rooml That's what it is a room in which to make some people mad. Come herew
 Now, the locking of the door was To itself not especially grateful to Pro lessor Van Wrinkle, but when he saw the chef getting excited he felt cold chill run down his back. He went with the latter to the enormous range, capable Of cooking meals for a couple Of hundred persons. There was hot ire within, and the noon meal was being prepared. On the range a large cauldron Of soup was boiling.
 How many cooks do you suppose they had here when ! came inT the natient asked excitedly. There were ten cooks, and each cook had an as- sistant Besides these ffty cooks and assistant cooks. there were twenty sculllons. Just think of it-a hundred cooks and scullions to get the meals for not over I5O persons, and the peo- pie of the state taxed to pay 'eml l seized this"-taking up a cleaver-"and drove 'em all out"
 Professor Van Wrinkle had a theory as Co the management of luuatics when they became dangerous. lt was to humor them. The chef was grow ing more and more excited, and the professor thought It high time Co in- vent some way Of getting out