Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 218, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1913 — Page 3

REMARKABLE City of Insane

THE most remarkable Insane colony In the world 1b probably that at the Gheel in Belgium. The system in vogue'there consists in no-restraint but tßat of kindly surveillance except in dangerous cases. The colony is in a village surrounding a church dedicated to St. Dymphe, the patroness of the insane. The insane patients are not referredto as mad. Always they are “the sick,” the malades. They are boarded in the homes of the inhabitants in order that they may enjoy the freedom and t intercourse of family life, the benefit of which is one of the fundamental ideas of the system. Nehriy every house in the colony contains one or two “malades” —more than two not being allowed by the medical authority in chief. "This fact makes a visit to Gheel somewhat weird,” says a writer in the Queen. “One constantly meets patients and never knows whether one Is speaking to a sane person or not. As 1 was taken round by the wife of a nurse I was very probably taken for the newest arrival in the colony. Enjoy Perfect Freedom. “Among Gheel’s mentally afflicted population are people from all parts of Europe—England, France, Holland and Belgium all send patients 'here. My guide kept pointing out to me a patient in the street, or a house where dwelt one or more of the malades. “A woman standing here, a man walking there, an old man with a scythe returning from harvesting—all were aliens, but all were enjoying perfect freedom, walking about like the rest of the world, working if they liked, or resting if they liked, though all were known and looked upon with kindly commiseration as sick in mind if not in body. “In the railway Btation I noticed a man walking up and down very impatiently waiting for the booking office to open; he, too, like so many others, was “not quite all there,” and this was one of his daily customs. I believe a ticket of some kind was given him, and he walked away quite happy, as the patients In this queer colony are all known to the inhabitants and their ldiosyncracies indulged with a kindly tolerance as far as possible “My guide, too, seemed quite amused when I expressed a fear of accidents, seeing that the Btation and lines, both of the tram and railway, are open. I found out afterward that there had been up till then but four fatal accidents to the patients on the railway at Gheel, one of which was due to a sudden fit of suicidal mania. Epileptic patients, by the way, seem to improve here, and in twenty years, out of no fewer than 3,000, only once had there ever been an attempt on life, and that not a serious one. “It must not, however, be thought, that the dangerous patients are allowed perfect freedom at Gheel. On the contrary, these are kept under restraint in the Hospice, where they are cared for by the kindly, sweet faced Sisters of Charity. But confinement Is only resorted to in those cases where it is absolutely necessary. “The history of the Belgian ■system Is interesting, as the treatment of the insane in the manner sketched is purely Belgian both in its inception and its realization. It has been copied by other European nations, as well as America, but England has held aloof, though Scotland tried it some years ago. The colony has been in existence* at Gheel as such since the beginning of the last century, though legend places Its origin very early indeed. “It has been visited by all the great mental Specialists of Europe, who have, of course, found fault with it. but have, nevertheless, often taken hints from it It consisted, at my visit, of about 2,000 maladies, out of which number an average of about sixty only were sequestrated, the rest enjoying perfect liberty, as 1 have stated above. How By*tem Originated. “The system originated at first la a ( ' . ; .. V .. ... 4 1 ; • u s •

question of cost. ‘We are not rich enough to build the big establishments you have in England,’ the medical director told me. The second and most important one was the desire for at more humane treatment of the ‘sick in mind,’ as they hold that shutting them up only irritates them and increase* the malady. It is calculated that each lunatic costs us in England £175. Gheel the cost varies from 300 francs to 2,000 francs per annum (S6O to $400), the sum paid depending on the position of the family of the alienated. “The colony 1b under , the direction of a medical director. Under him are six specialists, who live in separate houses, but are not allowed any private practice. “The medical director inspects the colony at least once a year. The members of the permanent committee, in two series, each pay a visit once a year. The doctor in charge of the sections visits the Incurables at least once a month, while those who show any signs of cure are visited once a week. “In addition there are seven gardes, who must visit all the patients of their section at least twice a month, while two others charged with the hydropathic service, and another garde complete the * service of surveillance. In addition to this, if necessary, other visits are paid, the incurables being visited in all about 450 times a year, those who give any sign of recovery being seen more often than this. Daily reports to the director and meetings at his house to receive instructions keep him courant with everything and every one in the colony. Amusements are arranged for the patients in the winter. •* “As the results of the system, it may be of interest to mention that the death fate (has averaged about four per cent, during the past few years, while in England and Wales the rate has been seven per cent, for the past ten years. With regard to recoveries, in Gheel these have been 19 per cent., at least since 1889, while in the two countries above mentioned ten per cent., I understand, has been the average.”

DESPERATE ENOUGH TO MOVE

To Put It Mildly, Prisonej- Found His Quarters Considerably' Different From What He Was Used To. o . . Thiß is A prison story of Irvin 8. Cobb’s —in no way related except that a prison 1b back of the two. It began with a gun play and the consequent conviction of the defendant for murder. Everybody knew everybody else —judge, Jurors, lawyers on both sides, witnesses and all. The public prosecutor, at heart, was content with a nominal sentence which stowed the offender away for a short term. After this was in effect and the prisoner had had time to feel the htardshlps of the cell, his father called on the state’s attorney. He began with a rambling plea for further consideration and waß halted. Said the lawyer: “Henry had a fair trial. I hated to prosecute him, but I had to. He got off easy—you know that. The best thing you can do is to let him go along, lie’ll be out in three of four years.” “Three or four years!” repeated the prisoner’s sire. “He can’t stand it. Henry has always been used to the best of food. Your institution doesn't provide it. He’s always had a fine bed, and he’s got a hard one now. The place is damp, and he’s rheumatic. He's had plenty of friends to keep him company, and now he’s like an outcast on an island —dying of lonesomeness. He’s dispirited all the time, all in—dejected. In sect, I may say he’s plumb dissatisfied.”

Ordinary Hubby the Best.

Advice to women: In selecting a husband pick out a plan plug. Men of talent rarely make good husbands. Man of genius never da

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, IND.

EYES OF THE LAW

Why an Austrian Countess Fel} in Love With Her American Husband. By MAUDS J. PERKINS. "I think Elliot is on this train. I shall go on with yon as far as Bennington so he won’t suspect anything. Try and be agreeable at least*' Crosby sank into the seat beside his wife, and opened a magazine. She neverv even turned her head from the window, or showed that she had heard his words. The train moved out of the station, and on through the long tunnel. Through Tolande’s mind raced the whole Insane escapade, ever since she had left Vienna four weeks ago. The man beside her was her husband in the eyes of the law, yet the veriest stranger to her. She had almost begged him to marry her and take her out of Austria, anywhere in the whole world where she could be sure of never seeing Rlstbri’s ugly, smiling face > The weeks had passed Hike sqme strange, gray dream, the midnight Journey from Vienna when at every stopping place she had expected her father and Ristori to appear and reclaim her. The trip across the channel to England, the few days in hiding there, and then their marriage—such a mockery of a marriage! The words had fairly choked her as she stood beside this tall, lean-faced American, and vow&d to love, honor and obey him, to cleave to him until death, forsake all others, this when sho had told, him flatly the marriage was merely a ceremony for convention’s sake. Just as soon as they came to his land, she herself would break the tie, and leave him. It had never occurred to her what he must think of her, how she demanded everything, the shelter and prestige of wifehood, his care and protection in this darkest hour of her whole life, all in return for nothing. Elliot was the man they had seen last in Vienna. He was a friend of Ristori’s, she knew, and at every point along the line they had seen him silent as a shadow, and as certain to appear. Bennington was the little seaside place Crosby had Suggested their going to from New York. He had a bungalow there, J a rough sort of bachelor place, but comfortable, and she could rest in peace there until they had made definite plans. They had not seen Elliot in the four days in New York. Crosby believed he had lost the trail, yet there he was again on the same train. Yolande shivered, and pressed her face close to the pane of glasß. She wished she could have fallen out unseen into the darkness they were hurtling through, and so found oblivion.

“You are tired, countess,” Crosby’s voice roused her. He had never once called her by her own name, always with the touch of formal reserve, and by her own title. “Do you care for any food or refreshments?” “Thank you, nothing.” “I am going to leave you at Bennington. I have wired to Kusick, the old caretaker at my place, and either he or his daughter shall meet you at the station. I shall go on into the smoker where Elliot is, and distract his attention. He will think you are still on the train. Later I may return and see that you are well cared for, until we make final arrangements.” She shivered. She had always hated finality. And he spoke of their separation casually. Suddenly she turned and looked at him one swift, searching glance from her dark eyes. “How cold blooded you Americans are. Oh, I know it is nothing at all to you, no more than to myself, and yet —I am your wife.” "Well?” His tone gave her no clue to his thoughts. "Some men, men of toy land, would not permit a wife like myself to slip through their hands like a jewel in an unknown sea.” “We Americans do not care for women who have no love for us,” he answered. “We do not marry unless there is love on both sides.” “I know,” impatiently, “but you have no ardor, no perseverance. An Italian, a Russian, a Hungarian, If he loves, he knows he can make any woman love him in return if he can win her. You are very shy, I think.” He laughed shortly. This coming from the woman he had thrown up everything for to help out of a family row, was distinctly feminine. Her father had ordered her to marry Chevalier Ristori. Crosby knew the old count waß head over heels in debt, that he had fairly thrown himself on Ristori’s ‘mercy and offered anything, even his daughter, in exchange for a few canceled notes. He himself, had met the young countess at the embassy balls several times. She was a haughty youngster, only a few months out of convent life, and still new to the dignity of long dresses. She was motherless, almost friendless. He had never forgotten the night she had Bent for him, and told him briefly out of all the men she had met, she had selected Wins as her knight errant, because he was an American, and because he had not made love to her. Those had been her reasons, yet now she could sit there and deliberately tell him he had no ardor, after he had trampled down every impulse to seize her in his arms and compel her to love him, ever since that day In London when her cool musical voice had accepted him as her husband. The train stopped suddenly as the emergency brakes were Jammed down. The lights of the car went out Out

doors it was pitch dark. He knew they must be ont towards the shore line somewhere. People were rising around them. Instinctively, he too stood up, but felt her hand on hia “What is It?" V “I don’t know yet Stay here and I’ll And out” “I won’t leave you.” He felt her rise, and move slowly behind him. The vestibuled doors at the end were closed, he knew. Up at the forward end of the car a woman shrieked suddenly in nervous suspense. Yolande’s hand crept Into his palm, and stayed there. And suddenly from somewhere there came the smell of burning wood. * Crosby caught it first and made for a window. He smashed the glass out with his elbow. The gust of cold fresh air seemed to revive them both. “I will go first, then you follow,” he told her. She obeyed implicitly. He pulled himself through the aperture, and dropped to the ground below. She was beside him in another minute. The train curved on the sharp bend like a wounded reptile in agony. Up forward the baggage car was in flames. The engine rose in the air, ramming the train ahead it had collided with. Two cars lay on their sides in the steep gully at one side of the track, with the flames breaking through them. “Greqt heavens,” muttered Crosby, flinging ofT his coat. “There are men in these cars. One in the smoker, with Elliot.” YolandeNs arms reached for his neck and ‘ clung there. “Don’t leave me, Allan, don’t leave me,” she begged. And there in the darkness lit only by the distant flames, their Ups' -met for the first time. As he held ther close in the strange awakening marvel of her love, he felt her arms relax, and knew she bad fainted. Lifting her, be bore her along beside the track until the blaze showed .him the sand embankment at one side. Gaining thin, he laid her down, and covered her with his coat. Then he joined the men who were working like demons to get out the living creatures from the ■burning cars. In the gray dawn that morning, hours after, they stood in the little shore bungalow at Bennington. The rescue train had carried the survivors on, and Kusick bad waited faithfully at the station with the car until their arrival. “Elliot was dead when we reached him,” he told her, drearily. “There were letters in his pockets. I have them all, and made arrangements to have him cared for. He had orders to shoot me, .and send you back home.” She leaned away from him, supporting herself against the table, her eyes wide with horror, her face white and tired. “I will stay with you if you do not mind until noon. There 1b a train 1 can get back then.” Her hands reached toward him. “Do you want to go so much, Allan?” she asked, a little break in her voice. “You are too willing to let me go.” He leaned forward, looking into her eyes. “Can you truthfully say to me that you mean every word you spoke back there in London? Can you, Yolande?” / ’ “Death was near tonight. And I followed you, did I not?” “There was a tap at the door. It was Kusick, hat in hand, his face anxious. “There is an earUer train west, sir, at seven, if you wish that one.” Crosby nodded his head. Yolande was looking down at the blaze of driftwood on the 'wide old rock hearth. “I shall not take It, thanks, iiusick,” he answered. “Send to town for my luggage, will you?” (Copyright, 1913, by the McClure Newspaper Syndicate.)

ERECTED BY DEVOUT INDIANS

Statue In Village of Jamay, Mexico, Unique Among the Monuments of the World. In the heart of the main plaza of the little Indian village of Jamay, on the shore of Lake Chapala, in the state of Jalisco, Mex., stands a remarkable monument. The pedestal is built of brick and concrete, while the statue of Pope Pius IX., which crowns it is made of concrete. There are two noticeable features about this monument. Firstly, the pope faces in two directions, having no back to his figure; and secondly, the monument, costing something like 15,000 pesos, was erected in fulfillment of a vow made by certain devout Indians of Jamay some 50 years ago, when a terrific pestilence, probably smallpox, carried off more than half the inhabitants of the village. The survivors prqfyed to the saints to avert the pestilence, but apparently without result. They then prayed to the pope at Rome, vowing to build the monument should the curse of the plague be removed. The pestilence disappeared soon after, and the monument, the result of the contribution of some article of jewelry or a day’s labor of every Indian left alive in Jamay, was promptly erected.— Wide World Magazine.

Particular Customer.

“You are very young to be a registered pharmacist,” said the lady with the massive jaw. “I wish the proprietor to wait on me and not any young clerk.” “Where is your prescription?" inquired the proprietor, coming forward. “I have no prescription. What I want is five 2-cent postage stamps.” .

False Alarm.

“It is absurd tor Bixby to have such a loud horn oh that little automobile of his.” “Yes. He makes pedestrians think something is coming and then disappoints them.”

STO RIES of CAMP and WAR

FIGHTING BY JERSEY BOYS

Many Illuminating Side Lights on Operations of Army of Potomac After Crossing Rapidan. John P. Beech, sergeant, Co. B, 4th N. J., First Brigade, First Division, Sixth Corps, Trenton, N. J., writes the National Tribune: ‘1 have been wondering If there was a Jersey brigade in that magnificent Sixth corps and whether they took any part at the Wilderness or Spotsylvania, as no mention was made of them. May 5 the 4th N. J., on the extreme right of the Sixth corps, alone prevented the Sixth corps from being flabked while getting into position. We drove them back, capturing a number of rebels and receiving the congratulations of our beloved General Sedgwick. Later in the day, with the 6th Md., we drove them back by a gallant bayonet charge clear to their works. In a little pamphlet of the 16th N. J., Colonel Campbell claims his regiment was the only one in the Sixth corps to go ‘over the works at the Angle, but in this he is in error, as the 4th N. J. was the first to charge through the abatis, the 15th N. J. being on our right. Of 35 men my company (B) lost 20 men, five of whom were killed, 15 wounded, two of whom were captured. Both commissioned officers, Captain Johnson and Lieutenant Brooks, were wounded, a loss of about 60 per cent. “As Metcalf’s battery went into position horses and men began to go down. We had opened a heavy fire upon the enemy, but it seemed as if his section was in danger of being captured or destroyed. Realizing its condition, I threw my musket down, and appealed to Capt.- Howard Ring, Co. C, who lay and the only commissioned officer I Baw, to tell some of the men to get up and help work the guns. I started at once to serve ammunition. At this time there were but four rounds of canister left. I carried the word to the officer, and his orders were to use shell with onesecond fuse. SergL Wm. E. Lines says they fired 14 rounds from his guns. When Lieutenant Metcalf and he were unable to work the guns they withdrew, and I rejoined my regiment

"Your narrative says the battery went into position with the Vermont Brigade. The battery went into position on the right of Upton’s Second brigade and left of the Jersey brigade of the First division. Sergeant Lines saye he was assisted in firing the last four rounds by an officer of the 95th Pa. and a Vermont officer, both of whom were shot. There were others who assisted, for Captain Gaul, who succeeded to command after Colonel Ewing wqs wounded, says Captain Ring and Peter S. Shemelia and othere of the regiment whose names he does not remember responded, and some of them were killed and wounded around the guns. , “For my conduct on that day I was recommended by Colonel Gaul, Colonel Hufty and Captain Howard for a medal of honor, which I now hold. Captain Gaul said, in recommending me for the honor, that It eeemed certain death to serve the guns. It makes me shiver to this day when I think of the missile-laden air that day. My regiment alone lost about 100 men that day and the 15th N. J.s loss was very heavy, more so than the other regiments of the brigade. The field presented a sickening sight; dead lay all around and blood and rain mingled. Where Metcalf was in position horses and men lay in heaps, literally torn to pieces by bullets.”

Lincoin Tells Story.

“It seems to me,” remarked the president one day, while reading over some of the appealing telegrams sent to the war department by General McClellan, “that McClellan has been wandering around and has sort of got lost. He’s been hollering for help ever since he went south —wants somebody to come to his deliverance, and get him out of the place he’s got into. “He reminds me of the story of a man out in Illinois who, in company with a number of friends, visited the state penitentiary. They wandered all through the institution, and saw everything, but Just about the time to depart this particular) man became separated from his friends, and couldn’t find his way out. “He roamed up and down one corridor after another, becoming more desperate all the time, when at last die came across a convict who was looking out from between the bars of his cell door. Here was salvation at last Hurrying up to the prisoner, he hastily asked: “ ‘Say, how do you get out of this place?’ ”

Easily Fitted.

Colonel Jenkins, having a new pair of shoes that hurt his feet, decided to give them to one of his negro servants, who had left the old plantation to be with his “marsa” in the war. The old fellow shambled around wearing a pair of tattered shoes that looked like sandals. “Zeke, what Bite shoes do you! wear?” he called to him. The old negro stopped short in ex-; pectation. “Any size, Cunnel,” he exclaimed •wnestly; “any size.”

HENPPr HOWLAND Bh® smiled at me, tb® summer sky wm» fair. And busy people hurried here and ther®; The bundle which had fallen at h®r feet I picked up gallantly, there In tb® street And gave It to her with a courtly air. j It was not much to do, I am aware; We ne’er had chanced to meet before* and ne’er Again by chance or otherwise may meet; She smiled At me. She knew naught of the ills I had to bear* Nor of the triumphs which 1 hoped tb share; If she had been, say, twenty-four and; sweet, I might have said thing® she would still repeat. But she was not, and so I didn’t care; She smiled hi me.

MERE OPINION.

Some men claim that it is just as* noble to get rich by spending less as by earning more, but it is generally pretty hard for them to make their' wives believe it. There are people In this world who Insist on thinking that the self-mado! man who has the gout is merely trying to show off. It has come to pass that people ar») not awed by a man merely because’ he has a safe in his office. The author of 20 historical' novels’ may not know enough to fill a book., Not all eyes are the mirrors ofj souls. Some are merely the red win-i dows that Indicate the presence of! ▼ice. Somehow a man always has a Iln- 1 gering doubt or two when a woman: says, “I want you to understand that ij am a lady!”

Disgusting Inquisitiveness.

“How long did you hold public of-i fice?’’ “Four years.” “And your salary, I believe, was $4,000 a year?” “Yes.” “I can’t figure out bow you went in with nothing, and retired with SIOO,000.” “It’s queer how many people are bothering over that matter just as yob are. 1 can’t understand why it is that men waste so much time trying to figure on things that are none of their business. Sometimes lam so disgusted with my fellow eitizens because of their inquisitive ways that I am almost tempted to go far from here and never come back again.”

Thoughtful.

“Poneonby is one of tile most thoughtful men I eyer knew. He never leaps before he looks. When he was married he bad both a carriage and an ambulance waiting at the door.” "Why did he have the ambulance V’ “Both he and his bride were very popular, and there was, of course, no telling what their loving friends might do to them.”

Lonely Father.

Mother has gone to the mountains. Sister has gone to the sea: Father works on in the office For mother 'and sister and me. I'm to stay six weeks at grandpa’s. Far from the town and the noise; Here I have oceans of pleasure With Uncle John's two little boys. Last night I heard grandpa complaining; - He said with a pitift/l sigh That he couldn't help envying father: Since then I’ve been wondering why.

They Left Nothing.

"And what," asked the bereaved lady, “were my husband's last words?” “He didn’t say anny lasfit wurrode, ma’am,” replied Pat “Aftber the doctors got through wid him on the qperatin’ table he hadn’t aven a wurrud left in him. poor soul.”

Argument.

Many a lawyer who putt up a good argument ip court fails to he convlna lag at home.