The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-09-18
WAS The WOMAN
NEARER RIGHT?
Two Persons Maze a SINH
lar Mistake.


taking his degree in medicine was ap.
pointed house physician at the Merton
Asylum For the Insane. One day he
wrote me that there was to be n dance
at the asylum for the milder patients
and asked me to come up Curious to
witness such gathering, accepted
the Invitation. l arrived just in time.
Charlie took me into the dancing hall
and said to me:
''rhesc patients are only insane on
some one subject, and we don't con.
slider them dangerous You can speak
to any Of them without an introduc-
ton.
| chatted with several patients but
could not detect anything wrong with
any Of them. At last | noticed very
attractive looking woman apparently
about twenty-eight. who excited my
interest. Her face wore high cast Of
thought expression, and it seemed TO
me as l ga2ed upon it tlst sympathet-
Ndill sit Was tNpHbic VI ldNlli5 III Nlu
whole world joined her and invited
her to dance She accepted, and | fan
cied she did so fearing she would hurt
my feelings If she declined. After the
dance we took seats together
You have "A nice place here" | re-
marked.
Yes. When did you come? have
not seen you here before"
II came up this afternoon"
yes she went on, we think il
very nice place. I'm much pleased with
It," Then she added, more to herself
than to me. lin spite of the cost above
the contract
You seem to know all about it."
80 | should. | built it,
"lndeedw said aloud Then to my
self, "At last ! have found one whose
weakness is apparent
"How much did you put into itT'
asked after pause in order TO draw
her out
ut cost a hundred thousand. The
contract called for ninety thousand"
"Are you very rich?"
Il have enough to make many people
happy"
"Ilow much are you WORTH"
about million
was surprised at the moderate esti
mate she put on her possessions.
what is your occupation in lifei"
she asked me presently.
| ! Informed her that was a scientist.
! and when she asked me what investi-
| cations I was then engaged in con
fesScd that | was struggling with the
| problem of producing conditions sim
liar TO or the same as life.
what success have you had?' she
| asked
II think | have produced the life
| principle Of the lowest order Of plants"
she drew sigh and, rising, said
with great kindlincss: II must leave
you now. have great deal to do.
The responsibility Of this affair rests
wholly on me-
took her into supper and, having
provided for her rcfreshment, conclud-
CO | would go on to the piazza aud
smoke While looking for match
heard voices in the next room.
81 tell You he's as sane MS You or l."
How can u man be sane who Is try
ing to reproduce lfcf"
The voices were those Of Dr. Fisher
and the lady who had told me she had
built the asylum. At her reply Fisher
chucklcd That's good-mighty good
Insane because he's trying 10 repro
ducc life. You women will he III,
death Of me. Why, don't You know
there are scientists trying TO do thai
very thmg;"
II don't care II they are. They ar,
MS crazy as this one"
While listened sudden successor
OF thoughts struck my brain MS shot,
from rapid FIRE guns. The patient hue
thought Inc insane. | had thought hel
Insane.
VERY we'll" continued the lady. az
he Is sane he is certainly not n gentle
man, He asked me how much thi,
place cost me aud how wealthy am.
This was too much. could cndur,
It no longer. | rushed into the room
where they were and stood faclnl
them, my cheeks burning.
"Billy," said the doctor. you've beer
making n guy Of Yourself Let me In
truducc you 10 Miss Merton, to who's,
munIicencc We are indebted for TILL
Institution. You have taken her for
mild case. and shc considers You an In
cuUblc confess that of the two sh,
Is the nearer right. \ man with n
Wild scientific notions as YOU should h
Gagged"
~ humbly crave Miss Mcrton's par
dom" said ablcctly. II should ncve
have presumed to ask her the question
| did had not"
considered her n crazy rs yourself
. You do her injustice. she il remark
e ably sane. The only evidence Of insau
lty she has ever displayed was whc
she said yours was such mn interesting
case. M ease l. Interesting that Il IN
curablo"
Miss Merton bushed slightly an
apologlzed for hrr cs,lra;a of me.
gave NJ my smoke. and 7hc and wen
hack among the Patients. and foun
= that she knew every one Of them nm
the especial failing Ut each "rhcir
apr nll harmless drnsions." she saidi