not get you to take my uncle under your special charge, with the hope that he may be restored to reason; but if this may not be, that he may be made as comfortable as possible. I have been reading some French writers on Insanity, and I have acquired some new thoughts in relation to it. Perhaps you would like to read them? If so, they are at your service." She pointed me to at least a dozen volumes which by their binding I knew must be French. What could I do? I could read French but very imperfectly-next to nothing, and I longed to get at the thoughts and views in those volumes, and yet I dared neither to say that I could or could not read French. I believed my face must have shown a troubled expression, for she said in a kind voice, "Doctor, perhaps you would like to think of our proposition a few days, and in the mean time I will send over the volumes, and you can dip into them or not as you can command leisure."

It appeared in evidence, as the lawyers say, that the history of her uncle's madness was as follows. At a very early age the two brothers, James and John Braisley, left their home among the hills to try their fortunes in the city; they were apprenticed to the same mercantile house, and served their time together. It was soon found that James was the boy for a bargain. If a forced sale was at hand, he knew it, and apprised his employers accordingly. If a lot of goods none the choicest came in, James would contrive to sell them without delay. On one occasion a large lot of molasses was to be sold on the wharf. When the first hogshead was put up with the privilege of taking "one or the whole," it was observed that a car-man, with his face dirty, and in his well-soiled frock, and a whip in his hand, was very eager to bid. He did not hang back and try to appear indifferent as the merchants did. He was prompt, and the merchants concluding that the poor fellow had contrived to scrape money enough together to buy "a whole hogshead," did not bid against him. Down came the hammer of the auctioneer, and, 'Well, car-man, how many will you take?" "I'll take the whole!" "The whole who will be responsible for you?" "Griffin and Lang." The auctioneers and the owners raved, but there was no help, and James Braisley, in the car-man's dress, had made two thousand dollars for Griffin and Lang, by that stroke. Griffin and Lang pocketed the money, praised James for his shrewdness, and promoted him in their store. On another occasion, being sent to the office of the commissary of the navy on some errand, and while the officer was out, he took the liberty to peep into his papers. Among them he found an advertisement soon to be printed, inviting proposals for a large quantity of vinegar for the navy, to

be delivered at an early date. What does the fellow do, but whip round to all the vinegardealers in the city, and engage so much of their stock as to render it impossible for them to throw in proposals. The result was, that Griffin and Lang, at an enormous advance, furnished the vinegar, and made it a very profitable job. On the contrary, John was so open, fair, and guileless, that though everybody liked him and respected him, yet he was not allowed to do much of the buying or selling. He was kept at the books of the concern, and they were well kept.

In process of time, the two brothers had completed their apprenticeship, and commenced business for themselves under the firm of J. & J. Braisley. James brought into it all the cunning and overreaching policy which had been called shrewdness and sagacity; and John that accuracy in accounts, and that urbanity of manners which gave the firm great popularity and respectability. It came to pass, too, that they accumulated property, and became rich, and they were caressed. Inspiration hath testified that "men will praise thee when thou doest well for thyself." After many years of successful business, at the desire of James, the firm separated. It was said that John was greatly grieved by the movement, but had to yield to the strong will of James. After the dissolution of the firm they both continued in business. At length the business of John led him to a distant part of the continent. There he was taken sick and there he died. His wife was just leaving the world when the news came, and it hastened her departure. Their only child was the orphan Lucy, in whose presence I was now sitting, and learning these particulars. On the death of John, James hastened to the place where he died, and much to his amazement and horror, found the estate of John so involved in a complication of speculations, that he was a bankrupt, and not a farthing was saved from the wreck. He came back not a little depressed in spirits, and taking the death of his brother harder than anybody supposed he could. Indeed, he never seemed to be the same man afterwards. But everybody admired and praised his conduct towards his orphan niece. He soothed her, and took her to his own house, and assured her that she should never want. She had never known the want of money, and the loss of her property made no impression upon her. It was for her parents and the endearments of childhood's home that she mourned. With her uncle she lived. His own children were sons, who promised to spend all the estate which he might accumulate. Gradually, however, his feelings towards Lucy seemed to undergo a change. He seemed to grow cool, then distant, moody,

66

"Dr. Asher is my name, if you please, Mr. Braisley," said I.

"Well then, Asher, Dasher, Thrasher, Smasher, whatever you be, you're a queer one. Why, don't you know for what they put these things on me, eh?"

rub my face. You'll pay all

up and began with both hands to "A good night's work, truly. your debts soon, at that rate!" "Debts," said he with a start, "what debts?"

"You may well say that. Why, Doctor, I bought all the cotton in creation; I have stripped the country of clothing,-I have ruined thousands and thousands of families, widows, orphans,-ay, orphans !-Thousands and millions of orphans !-no wonder they put me in irons. All ruined, starving, ruined!" And horribly did he gnash his teeth, and shake his irons. I calmly repeated my question, "Will you be quiet and gentle if I'll take them off?" "I'll try, Doctor."

In a few minutes the irons were off, he stretched himself up to his full height, and lifted up his arms, as if to strike. But it was just as I expected. His arms were so stiff from long confinement, and felt so strange that he knew not what to make of it. The men who brought him hurried out, as if a tiger had been unchained. I bade my men show him his room, and to my joy, he followed mechanically. I had fitted up a neat room for him, with a door so strong that he could not break it, and with iron bars across his window on the outside. He was about fifty years old, a powerful frame, and a man of great muscular strength. He evidently tried to restrain himself for a time, and to keep his promise. But by night he was howling, screaming, and tearing his clothes. I did not go near him that night, though neither he nor I slept much. But in the morning what a sight! He had torn everything in the shape of clothing into the smallest shreds, and rubbed the straw in his bed till it was literally powder. Bed-clothes and all were used up, and there the creature was without an article of dress of any kind. I went into his room alone, leaving my men just at the door, and ready to jump at my call. "Well, Mr. Braisley, I hope you find yourself well this morning, after a comfortable night's rest. How soundly you must have slept, not to have heard any of my insane patients."

"Why, Doctor," still panting from exertion, "I have n't slept a wink all night."

orphans! Oh, the orphans !"

The

I now left him, directing my men to dress him, soothe him, and prepare him for breakfast. To my surprise, he made no objections to being clothed, or to have his room cleansed. To humour him, the dirt was put into a clean flour-barrel. Just before his breakfast, Fairlong and Stacy presented him a tumbler, desiring him to drink it, with my best wishes for his health. It was an ounce of Epsom salts dissolved in water.

"The Doctor wants I should drink that stuff! The Doctor! Tell the meaching, cowardly, ignorant rantum-scantum scaliwag that I won't, that's all!"

"But you don't mean to send that word to the Doctor, do you?" said Stacy.

"Yes I do, though."

In an instant Stacy and Fairlong chucked him down in a chair, had his arms and body lashed in, his mouth open, and the salts down. He could make no resistance; all he could do was to swallow. He was then liberated, much humbled at the victory, and amazed at their quickness. At the breakfast table I had him with me, but neither of us made any allusion to the salts. My men were at hand, but not in sight. I treated him, not as an insane man, but as a visiter. He was very talkative, and had to go over all his story of having ruined so many thousands of widows and orphans. After breakfast, I merely said, "Mr. Braisley, Fairlong will show you a pleasant walk, and I think it will be beneficial for your health to take a good long walk." I saw by the flash of his eye that he thought he could now run away, and the proposal was received with glee. To Fairlong my instructions were,-keep in sight of him, and let him walk or run to his heart's content. But don't lose sight of him. Away they went, Braisley half running, muttering to himself, and steering right onward, while poor Fairlong had need of all his legs, long as they were, to keep up with him. On they went, walk-walk-walk,-five, six, eight, and nine miles out. There seemed to be no tire to him. Suddenly he stopped, and waited for Fairlong to come up with him. "There, now, you pill-smeller, what do you think of that? Don't you wish you had a pair of legs,

till at length we heard him singing! We found him in a tall grove, perched in the very top of one of the tallest trees. We tried to coax and flatter him down, all to no purpose. At length I called for an axe and began to cut the tree down. He rubbed his hands with delight: "That's it, Doctor! that's it! Now I'll have a good ride!"

"Mr. Braisley," said I, resting as if exhausted with fatigue," Mr. Braisley, I always thought you were a gentleman before!"

"And why ain't I now ?"

"Would a gentleman sit there to ride, and make me cut down the tree! No, he would come down and cut it down himself."

In a minute he was down and pecking away at the tree. We then assured him that the axe was too dull, and that dinner would wait too long, and thus we got him home.

He had been with me about eight months, gradually growing calmer and better; but there was something which I could not understand. He was moody, solemn, and gloomy during the day, and restless during the night. He would start, and talk in his sleep. During this time my interviews with the niece, Lucy Braisley, were frequent-to report progress, to express my hopes and fears, and to explain my reason for such and such treatment. Her aunt, the wife, was too feeble and too nervous to attend to it, and so she resided in the city, and left it all to her niece and myself. Was it wonderful that she should think my plans wise and judicious, and that I should admire a beautiful orphan who was watching over a maniac with so much interest, and who could so readily appreciate my services?

It was evident that my calling him a villain had made a deep impression upon Braisley. I could detect him fishing for my real sentiments on that point, and so apparent was his desire to know what I thought of him, that my own suspicions began to be awakened. He had now, ten months after he came to me, become almost entirely rational; and yet there was a dark streak from the cloud still left, which I

could not explain or fathom. This I was anxious to unravel, and I set myself to work accordingly. After he had retired to his rest and was asleep, I slipped into his room in the place of Stacy, every other night for a fortnight. These were sleepless nights to me, but I was well compensated. Before this, I had offered an empty hand but a true and sincere heart to Lucy, the portionless orphan, and she had consented to unite her destiny with mine. We looked forward to privations and perhaps poverty, but youth looks only on the sunny side of the future, and hope peeps out from the darkest shade. Without telling her

or any one my suspicions, I laid a plan of my own. Braisley was so nearly recovered, that he began to talk of resuming his business. He evidently felt grateful to me for what I had done for him. But he never spoke of Lucynever inquired after her any more than if there had been no such person created. And now the time had arrived, when my patient was pronounced by all to be cured, and was to leave me on the morrow. I had one test yet to apply. If he could bear that, he was cured. He did bear it. It was thus. The day before he was to leave me, I sent for him to come to me in my little parlour. He came in and sat down in a chair which I had designedly placed in a strong light. I arose and locked the doors and put the keys in my pocket. I then sat down before him and looked him full in the face. He was troubled, but said nothing.

"Mr. Braisley, months ago you used to talk and groan about having ruined and robbed orphans! I want to know how much of it was insanity, and how much was living truth?" "What makes you ask me such a question ?" said he haughtily.

"Yes. I have slept in your room, or rather watched in your room, while you were sleeping, for a fortnight at a time; and I have heard the revelations of a conscience which sleep could not quiet." He was now pale, and shook in every joint and limb.

"What do you suspect, Doctor?"

"That you have robbed Lucy of seventy-five thousand dollars."

Hardly gasping as he tried to breathe, he added, "This is all you suspect?"

"No, sir, I suspect you murdered your brother John for the sake of robbing his child." "How could I, when he died away from home?"

He said not a word, but sank down on the floor like lead, faint, and hardly breathing. Now, then, thought I, a few moments will decide whether he is to be a maniac for life or not. I threw water on him, and after awhile he opened his eyes and looked anxiously round. It was not the eye of a madman.

"Doctor! Oh! just heavens! I am in your hands. What shall I do? As you would have mercy at the Great Day, show mercy to me!"