Year: 1875

[st. Louis Republican,


One winter afternoon when the ther.
mometer was lowering about zero, a lady
about forty years of age came into my
drug store in search of some unimportant
information. She was stout and comely
and her appearance indicated that when
she was young and more sylphlike she
must have been very handsome. She
was richly dressed in velvet and, furs,
the latter being very full set of Russian
sables. l gave her the information she
sought, and naturally expected her to
take her departure, but she kept linger.
ing and chatting about variety of sub
jects for such length of time that
suppose my countenance began to show
surprise and perhaps annoyance.


At length the lady checked herself
suddenly aud remarked that no doubt
thought it very strange that she should
remain so long, but really she could not
deny herself the pleasure Of stopping
awhile to gaze in my sweet, pretty eyes
Madam, replied, may inquire how
long you have been out of the asylum?
About week, was her answer.


And did they discharge you cured?


Oh, no; ran away. But you must
not think was insane because / was in
an asylum; my husband sent me there
because l was trouble to him. You
see Charley was cold and undemonstra.
tive, and l craved affection. / liked to
be petted and caressed and that wasn't
Charley's style, and if / offered to put
my arms around his neck and kiss him, he
would put me away and tell me that that
was not ladylike. Do you like to caress
ladies?


Very much indeed, I replied.


Have you any objection to give me a
kiss? she continued.


replied that if she were old and home
ly would have no objection, but with a
young and pretty woman like her
hardly thought it would do.


l then suggested that she had better go
home to Charley, as he might become
uneasy at her prolonged absence.


Oh, bless you! he doesn't know that
am out; he thinks l am still in the asy.
lum. When he sent me away he went to
board at hotel, and when l escaped
got into the old home through the back
way, and have been living there by my
self ever since.


After some further persuasion, in.
duced her to 60 away, and that was the
last l saw of her until never-tO-be
forgotten occasion the next spring, when
lilacs were in bloom.


One evening a party of ladies and
gentlemen, all intimate friends OF mine
stepped in at my store for the purpose OF
taking me with them to choir rehearsal
at church where we all attended.
Among the ladies was one in whose good
graces was particularly anxious to stand
high, and it may therefore be imagined
how 1 enjoyed the following scene.


Just as we were preparing to leave, a
stout woman rushed into the store, fran.
tically. She was dressed in an old, faded
torn and soiled calico gown, and wore on
her head sun bonnet, with curtain
reaching nearly to her waist. Bonnet and
dress were alike covered with dirt, as il
the wearer had lain on the muddy ground
with them, and her hair hung disheveled
over her shoulders, and was clotted
together with clay. In her arms she bore
huge bunch of lilac branches with the
flowers wilted and soiled with earth
Hastily laying the half withered branches
on the counter she rushed up to me, and
throwing her arms around my neck
exclaimed, Thank God, have got back
to you at last, and they shall never teal
me away from you again." and then the
poor demented creature, in spite of my
endeavors to prevent her, fell to kissing
me all over the head and face, and
jumping around me for all the world like
a lost dog that had just found its master
l did not recognize her at first, for it was
impossible to conceive that this tatterde
malion was identical with the elegantly
dressed lady who had called on me before
When her ardor was a little abated, she
went on to tell how she had walked all
the way from Fulton up hill and down
dale, through woods and fields, sleeping
on the bare ground at night, and begging
food whenever she thought she could dc
80 with safety. The last thing she die
before leaving the asylum yard, was tc
break of this beautiful bouquet of lilacs
and she had brought it all the way dowr
from Fulton expressly for me.


The embarrassment of the position tt
me can be better imagined than described
How could my friends who were looking
on fail to suspect that was in some way
connected with and responsible for the
insanity of the poor creature before them
They had never seen or heard of hel
before and knew but little of my private
history except what ] had disclosed t.
them. The confusion which overwhelmed
ME as these narrowing thoughts obtrudeC
themselves to my mind was also to m,
disadvantage, and / could see by th'
countenances of the spectators that th'
verdict was against me. A look ofinquir!
passed among them, as if to say, "Wha
are we going TO do p and it was answered
by one of them saying, "Let's go;" ant
they went, leaving me alone with TIN
crazy woman.


OF how l spent the greater part of tn
night in getting her into the hands of he
friends, and how she died in less than
week thereafter in a raging delirium, it J
unnecessary to speak. utterly despaire'
of making any satisfactory explanation
of the affair to my friends; the circum
stances were too dead against me. neve
attempted any explanation but to one
and her reply was: cam l to understan
that you tell that to me for TRUTH"


The question was sufficient answe
to one that might have asked her at
future time, but never did. ID.