The sun., 1913-11-30

us. to whom I excitedly exclaimed that
though l had tried to escape | had
nothing to say against the doctor.
But I was to be involved in a still
more serious adventure. During the
heat Of the summer the majority of
the patients We're taken to the seaside
for change of air, but the loud voiced
patient and / were left behind in the
city. Two young men were In charge
of us. The doctor, l imagine divided
his time between the two places usu-
ally sleeping in town. l was bent on
escaping and was prepared to commit
what in other circumstances would
have been considered a crime in order
to do II. :iy idea was to set the place
on fire and to escape in the subsequent
confusion,
Being allowed to smoke. We naturally
had access to matches. One could not
be all the time under observation, and
taking advantage of a few moments
when l was alone ] set fire to some
cigarette papers and placed them in
| one of the loops of the thin muslin
| curtains which were hanging up in the
| smoking room. I then went out. al
| most closing the door. so that the fire
| should not be observed too soon:
| though by doing this I really lessened
1t was just before tea and we had
| about got through the meal before "A
smell OF smoke was noticed The Chin
ney was examined. ! Of course saying
nothing.
The doctor was in the garden at the
| time and it was either he or the gar
dener who first discovered that some
| thing was wrong. My fire had started
all right. the curtains set fire to the
| woodwork above the window and un-
| less II had been discovered az soon
as it was considerable damage would
have been done. even if the rest of
| the house had been spared As it was
no great amount Of damage was done.
| though 1t was some days before We
| could use the smoking room again. on
| account of the r,pairs that had to be
| made.
| Just outside the smoking room there
| was a small glass house. through which
We passed on our way to the garden.
Here was an apparatus with hose at
tached. intended originally, l believe for
watering the garden. but which was
used very effectively on this occasion
| to eXtinguish the flames Inconsist-
entity enough. I myself offered the doc
tor my assistance in putting out the
fire. But he did not seem to want this
and my one act of valor was tn rescue
the New Testament from a watery
| grave.
| Not long after this we had "A visit
| from THE board of governors and one of
them somewhat facetiously twitted me
on my escapade hy asking me if knew
the derivation of the word arson
soon after the return of the party
from the seaside great and delightful
change took place in my life l was
taken for long walks in the country
outside that terrible garden with all its
association of misery. was even
| trusted with little money to buy TO-
hacco. And once. at least my COM
panion strictly against rules. sun
pose, treated me to glass of beer,
Once l went to the theatre to hear a
comic opera and once | attended II
grand church musical recital
But now ! fully realized what had
been the matter with me and also wherc
l had been all these months But who
could he content in such place, In
deed the better I felt in health the
Mardcr II was to lear the restraint. for
! thought that | was well enough to he
allowed tn leave. No hint was given mo
when ! might go and the waiting
seemed interminable.
The real fact of the matter was tho,
was practically well but that I WAS
being kept on there to insure NV hay-
Ing no relapse.
ohe OF the Government commission
ers in lunacy visited the asylum obmn,
this time. He was n tall. kindly looking
an, met him in the passage and
implored him with tears in NV ewes to
let me 20" Looking kindly down on mo
and holding the lapcs of my coat in
both hands, he said:
, ferhaps you are not the best i,,dp,
OF whether you should go or not" and
, 1t was doubtless true enough
one red letter day came when my
l uncle visited me and ! was actuallx
t invited to dinner at the doctors house
Here, greatly to my astonishment he
. offered me wine. assuring me thai n
, little would not hurt me.
2 But little more remains to be to,a
. At last. through Gods infinite mercy
after some nine months, which
seemed more like nine years. the lonr
waiting and suspense We're over. Hone
r deferred had become hope realized. That
2 dear sister OF mine came and We wen,
Q together to hydropathic establishment,
. FOR few weeks, where l took the baths
and where the doctor visited me occa-
= sionally. just to see how ! was getting
on: and then We went to that best OF ali
places on Gods EARTH home, and In
j course OF time ] resumed once more nv
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