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Her neck was cold, as her dress was very low, and she had lost her cape. I sought for it in her room, but not finding it, asked the attendants for it, but they said that they knew nothing about it. I then lent this shivering girl a sacque of my own, and invited her to sit down in my room, upon my trunk, which I had covered with a cushioned top for a seat for my guests. She seemed rejoiced to have found a friend, and clung to me as to her last hope. She would not leave me without a promise that she might return. She said her father told her she should have all she wanted when she got here, and would see a great many nice things.

"But all I want is to be treated kindly."

I told her I thought the attendants would soon look for her things -- that they had many to look after -- that we must try to be patient.

She waited several hours; again her lost shoes began to trouble her, as she wished to go out, if I would accompany her; and if she might return again to my room. I offered to lend her a pair, and had just handed them to her, when Miss Bailey came in with the missing shoes and cape.

The other patients were now going to walk, and she wished to go too, but Miss Smith decidedly refused, saying: "I think it is best you should not go."

I tried to relieve her disappointment, by telling her:

"I presume they choose to wait a few days, to see how you behave. They may fear you will try to run away now; and besides, you have not rested from your long journey in the cars and they think it better that you keep quiet a few days."

She seemed easily satisfied, and remarked:

"I presume the bath will do me good, but I hope I shall not need another. If ever I have to take another bath, won't you be with me?"

She said she thought that was baptism; she had now been twice baptized -- once in a creek, and now by these two women!

She often complained of being hungry. I went to Miss Bailey, and asked her if I might take her key and go to the dining-room closet, and get her some bread and butter, as the By-laws allow the patients a piece between meals, if they need it.

Miss Bailey went and got some herself.

This was a very rare favor. Indeed, in all of my Asylum life I never knew it done in any other instance. The truth is, these By-Laws are merely By-Lies -- worse than none at all -- for they delude the credulous public into the belief that human kindness must be the inevitable result of such a humane code of By-Laws. Whereas, there being no link to connect the patients with the laws of our country, their rights may be ignored to any extent with impunity. These By-Laws are simply a dead letter when tested in their application to the patient's interests.

I devoted the day to her comfort and amusement, and she seemed, before night, to be quite cheerful and contented. She was uniformly quiet and peaceable, and disposed to do the best in her power.

I am fully satisfied that the scene in the bath-room was en-tirely owing to mismanagement on the part of the attendants. There is never any occasion for fighting a patient. The State has furnished a screen-room for the restraint of the pugnacious ones, and the room should be used for only such and at such times as they need restraint.

Another initiating process. Miss Smith said she thought she should be obliged to cut off her hair, since she had "creepers," in it. The patient did not wish to lose her fine hair, and I remonstrated against it, saying that I thought she had no right to do so without her own or her friend's consent, for they always felt bad to find it had been done, when they had recovered. Besides, the Institution furnishes ointment for the evil she deplored.

I made a thorough investigation myself, and found no cause for the excuse she gave for cutting her hair. I found the reason she wished it shingled, was to save her the trouble of combing it.

She yielded to my appeal, and thus was the long black hair of this young lady saved to her, by my interposition.

I had given my word to this lonely one, that she should find in me a friend, not knowing what disaster to my own interests might be the result. But, since I have nothing to lose, but my life, I am willing to risk it in defence of the oppressed and down-trodden.

I will simply dare to do my duty, remembering Christ's word, that if "I am ashamed of him and his words, he will be ashamed of me." I never was in any place where Christ's principles were so ignored and contemned as in this doleful prison house.

I have detailed this single case as a type of others of daily and almost hourly occurrence here, the bare mention of which would fill a volume.

CHAPTER XXXIX.
Treatment of the Sick.

I had for my dormitory companion for more than one year, Miss Emily Goldsby, who was sadly afflicted with epileptic fits. It was for this she was sent to this Asylum for treatment, and for this purpose she consented to come. But like all other similar expectations, this hope went out in utter darkness, under her Asylum experience.