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I believe she was "very troublesome," to some of Satan's kingdom; since she persisted so firmly, not only in giving no cause for offence, but in exhibiting, so far as the most blameless life could do so, all the "peaceable fruits of righteousness."

But it troubled the adversary much to know that she spent nearly all her time writing in her own room, some "Mischief," they had reason to fear, might come of it, "Othello's occupa-tion" might become endangered.

It had been discovered by the "powers that be," that her alliances were becoming quite too numerous for the enemies' forces. She was now securely entrenched by fortifications erected by the warm friendship of numerous partizans; and the daily accessions to her party were a signal of defeat to the enemies' forces.

Indeed we all felt that we had been drawn into a regular civil war with the Institution!

All the seventy patients in the Eighth ward who took the least interest in anything, sympathised with Mrs. Packard; and, so far as I could learn, every attendant, both male and female, in the Asylum, defended, and very highly respected Mrs. Packard.

This state of affairs created increased apprehensions in the camp of the enemy. Something must be done. Our potent commander, after holding a war-council with several of his allies, the chief of whom was Bonner, the Prime Minister, now issued officially from his "sanctum," a new and startling Pro-clamation. It was this:

"All intercourse between Mrs. Packard and the inmates of the west division of the Eighth ward, must be prohibited ex-cept under strict guard of an attendant! Mrs. Packard must not be allowed to go into the hall, except when accompanied by an attendant. She is to hold no more prayer meetings, lend no more books, and. those she has lent must be imme-diately returned."

This Proclamation was met in our hall with silent hisses of execration. Some, however, were far from being silent. A few swore loudly on the occasion, and prayed very loudly for a fresh instalment of curses upon the head of Dr. McFarland.

As for me, I wept more bitter tears than any I had ever shed there, knowing that now my life was to be deprived of almost its only earthly solace.

In a very few days I was suddenly ordered to leave my seat at the table next to Mrs. Packard, and take a scat at another table in the same hall by the side of an old lady who was known to be the fiercest and most dangerous of all the female patients in the Asylum! She had been recently conducted from the prison below.

I met this terrible order without trembling, but with a deep and inexpressible indignation, that of course was voiceless. I left my table immediately, without a word of demurring, and took a seat, as ordered, by the side of this fierce woman.

About this time all our rules were rendered much more severe than ever. We were seldom permitted to go out of the house at all; some were never allowed to go, but were kept constantly in close confinement. These were harmless patients too.

Rides were also prohibited. The balls were suspended, and only a very few were permitted to attend the chapel services. Company was also kept out of our ward for a long time. We were not allowed private conference with each other, and all who did not render instant obedience were severely punished.

I often saw Lizzy Bonner pull patients into their private rooms and shut the door after them. Then I would hear her beating them, and the latter screaming, and in a choking, stifled voice, begging:

"Oh, Don't kill me! Don't kill me!"

I did not let the attendant know I heard this.

One patient had become so disgusted with life under such circumstances, that she determined to destroy it by starvation. She had been a long time in close confinement in her own room alone. I many times knew that Lizzy was using violence upon her person, throwing her heavily upon the floor. She persisted in her resolve on suicide till she became emaciated almost to a skeleton; for many weeks taking neither food or drink except by force.

Her resolution thus to die was at last overcome by the fierce pains of hunger. She now was glad to eat, and a terrible reaction ensued. Her long abstinence had made her so fiercely hungry that it seemed she would devour everything she could reach. After eating as much as was assigned to the rest, she would clutch the food from the other patients, and devour it with the most terrible voracity.

But all were glad to see her eat, thinking she had now abandoned the idea of suicide. She now came constantly to the table with the rest, and behaved so mildly for several days that all were confirmed in the hope that she might yet live and recover.

One day at dinner, she startled every one at the tables, by suddenly seizing a knife and cutting her own throat!

Oh, I will not attempt to describe the terror of this scene!

The wound, however, was not so deep as she intended to make it; the knife was immediately taken from her bleeding throat, and she was led to her room and again put into a straight-jacket in solitary confinement. But no one, as yet, had ever heard her speak a word in that hall.