Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 28.djvu/74

66 and manners of a man of the world, of fine build and well dressed. He paid the honors of the house to us with the greatest politeness, and declared that he was well satisfied to be at Gheel, saying, "I am a little deranged, and the quiet of the place does me a great deal of good." lie had not the least desire in the world to go away. His wife had been there a short time before to take him to the sea-shore for a little while, but he would not go. It was not still enough there, and the life of the world would worry him.

On the road we met another lunatic, whose monomania was to go every day to the railway-station for a case of wine that he was expecting. It had never come, but the porter would always answer his questions hopefully, and he would go away satisfied, to repeat his errand the next day. Walking is one of the man's principal diversions.

We next visited the home of a peasant who had the care of two indigent insane women. One of them was sitting near the stove, much depressed, and silently weeping. The children of her hostess were playing at her feet, while the mother was attending to her household duties. The other woman was assisting the mistress of the house. Going out, we met a portly, dignified gentleman, who imagined himself to be a general. He entered into conversation with us. "Don't you know, Gheel is a very pleasant place? There is plenty of society here, and very enjoyable. Yes, it is good to be here. The air is pure and the life is quiet. I love it!" This man was sent here, several years ago, alone and unattended. The story goes that on reaching some city on the way, the police asked to see his papers. The "general" showed the certificate of insanity, which the physician who sent him to Gheel had given him, and the order for his admission to the colony. The gend'arme was not satisfied with these papers, which did not correspond with his routine, and asked for others. The "general" answered, with dignity: "I am mad; you see that from my papers. They have sent me to Gheel; let me alone, and I will go on!" He was at last allowed to proceed. He looks upon Gheel as a town where numbers of people come to take board to calm their nerves, and declares that the idea is an excellent one. Farther on we met two French lunatics. One, from Saint-Brieuc, had found things so comfortable at Gheel, that, having been restored to his family after getting better, he became discontented, and came back all alone, to join the colony again. The other one was a musical amateur who regularly attended all the concerts. The next case was a little woman about forty years old, a fluent and proper conversationistconversationalist [sic], who lived in constant expectation of her lover, who was to marry her as soon as he came, but that would not be till a railroad was built direct from his village to Gheel. She seemed to bear herself very cheerfully in her waiting. She had been discarded by her lover.

We next saw an English architect and water-color painter, who had been ruined by American whisky. He complained of being