Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-16

| its being pardonable under any circumstan.
ees, with which be considered IL. BE had
knever once spoken of murder as crime.
CATER . long and careful consideration
came to the following conclusion: ss
"He is not laboring under suicidal mania.
"His impulse is real, and will have fatal
results.
confinement in an asylum would ha We
no curative effect.
"Then took down my books bearing
upon the anatomy of the human head.
"The next morning l addressed him
thus:
"sBefore answer you as to whether you
would be justified before God, under the
impulse you have told me of, in taking
your own life to save that of another, you
must answer me several questions
"'Go on he said.
"'When you consulted those doctors, did
you tell them all you have told me?'
"sNo, did not dare. ] said that l had
horrible thoughts and cravings, but without
entering into details as to what they were.
Once / went so far as to say feared was
becoming dangerous, and the fool smiled
Good, Did they ever speak of search
ing for that ball?'
"'Yes, they said it might be the cause Of
my suferings, supposing it had lodged near
the brain, but no one would take the re-
sponsibility ofsearching for it--so to speak
i'm the dark
"sThey were right-the operation might
kill you, and the ball not be found after
ALL"
"He looked up, and the dull, detected
To- tho&H a1 hahsf nal from
bis face.
"Aud even if it were found, went on,
sits extraction might cause your death all
the same
"He laid his hand on my arm, and tried
to speak, but he could not.
"'Still it would give you chance-just a
chance ofmore than life.' His grasp tight
ened. l could feel bis heart beating. and
submitting to such an operation-almo st
hopeless though it be-would not be quite
suicide
"He fell on his knees and sobbed like a
child. you'll do it?' he cried, God
Almighty bless you'll You'll do it?'
"Well," said my friend, lighting fresh
cigar, 'to make my story short, did it,
with the assistance of a young surgeon
whose nerve could trust. We found that
miserable piece of lead near where had
suspected it to be. 1t was just case OF
touch and go. Had my knife wavered
twice the breadth of its own edge-it would
have been fatal. | don't want to appear
vain of my success, so I'll say no more than
this-he recovered"
"And hasn't killed anybody ?"
HNo, and doesn't want to"
"by Jove! | wouldn't be too sure of that.
And SO the girl he wanted to murder mar
ried the Major ?"
"She did,"
"Then if l were her husband I'd take
precious good care that your interesting
patient didn't come into the same State
with her,"
"My dear fellow, if you were her hus-
band you'd do exactly as her husband
does"
'Does he know?'
"None better"
"And doesn't care?"
"Not Bit"
"Then he's bruter'
"You'd better tell him so-here be
comes"
"Does she know?'
UOtS-
"And she's not afraid?"
"No.n
"One other question. Does your inter-
e5ting patient still live in this country?"
ale does"
"In what State?"
'This State"
"Near here?"
avery near"
"Then with all possible Difference for our
friend the Major, think be is very foolish.
Were 10 his place should say, MY good
sir, admit that the ball from which you
suffered so long cannot get back into your
brains, but am by no means sure thasHhe
ideas engendered may not return. At any
rate, your presence near my wife is likely
to make her nervous, and l appeal to you
as gentleman to locate in some other part
of the country. II you do SO l shall have
the highest respect for you; il you do not,
and ever have the misfortune to pass with
in mile of my house, the interior of your
skull will become more intimately acquaint.
ed than ever with lead in the usual FORM"
"Very neatly put" said the doctor, shut
our friend does not think of committing
suicide now"
"Mercy, doctor!' cried, "you don't mean
to say that the man who wanted to murder
the Majors wife isis"
"The Major himself Yes, sir."-Tesa-
pie Bar.