The Portland daily press., 1873-08-09
Kill OF Cure.
A STORY OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

s'The Major is capital fellow, DOCTOR" I
said as we sauntered out to smoke our cigars,
after an early dinner; ''but he Onght to lie
more merciful to us wretched bachelors.
What with his charming wife and that exam
plary baby, he makes it difficult to respect the
tenth commandment
''You admire Mrs Layton?t'
'Admire her! IT she were not Charles
wife, should fall head over ears in love with
her. ] have seen fairer faces, but for dear
pretty, delicate womanly ways, l never met
her equal"
'You couldn't understand mans thirst
ing for her blood?"
"Good graciousl A wretch who could
touch one of her golden hairs roughly deserves
to be crucified."
And yet for many days she Was in deadly
peril of her life.''
"For her fortuEe?'
''She had none.'
"Don't tell me, Doctor, that an innocent
creature like that could give any cause for re-
venge."
mo; I won't tell you anything of the
sort''
81 think see. Some one was madly in love
with her?"
eff you were to guess till this day OFT you
would not find the cause" said my friend.
LET me sit down here, and | will explain.
It's no secret; l wonder the Major has not
told you''
Down here'' was on a rustic seat that the
Majors pretty wife had made at the end of
his garden, close to where little rill tinkled
its way through his grounds.
During the war began the doctor, 81
served in the army, in the same regiment
with au old schoolmate. He was as fine
soldier as ever drew sword Hale, hearty,
and sound in mind and body; eager to see
service--and he saw plenty. 1 thought he
bore charmed life, till one day he was car
RED INTO the hospital tent in a bad way. A
ball had entered his shoulder, glanced on the
clavicie what you call a collaI-bone), and had
gone-somewhere. That was all we could
tell, for there was no other orifce; but wheth-
er 1t had passed up or down, or taken some
cratic course round about, such as halls will
take, we knew not, ami no probing could find
out. Well, he recovered and went North to
regain his strength, and for nearly three years
1 lost sight OF him. When the war was over,
ana had begun to practise as civilian in
New York, met him again. But how
changed! He was living skeleton, and L
saw in moment that he had become habitu-
ated to opium. Do you know what that
means? No. Well, throw bucket of water
into piano, and then light fire under it,
and its strings will not be more out of tune
than an opium smokers nerves are out of or
der. He asked me if he might call ON me at
my Office, and of course l assented; but it was
days before he came, and when he did arrive
/ knew that he had been preparing himself
for fight with himself. Some foolish pa
TENTS come prepared to hide the truth, some
to magnify their ills. 1t is part of our bus
mess, in serious cases to examine mans
mind before we ask about his body; and har-
dened as surgeon must be, l confess that
the condition of my poor friend frightened
me. There was an expression in his eye that
had never seen in any sane being; and
what made this worse, was the calm, business
like manner in which he spoke. He told me
that soon after he had apparently recovered
from his wound, he began to suffer from pains
in his head, which increased in severity till
they became so agonizing that he lad re-
course to opiates to alleviate them. 'But I
have not come to consult you about this" he
said, ''this can bear-must bear Would to
God they were always tearing me! The
worst is when they are not"
"They leave you very weak?'' suggested
''rhey leave me-" he replied, quite calmly,
with burning, but unconquerabe, desire to
take human life.n
I am not generally nervous man, but 1
started and looked around me for some weap-
on of defence. 'Dont be afraid,'' he con-
tinued, with sad smile, ''the fit is not on
me now. l should not have come if it had
been. Ihave been nearly starved once or twice,
not daring to leave my room. l can conquer
my madness now; the question is, how long
l can continue to do so. I feel that it is
growing upon NE. feel my power of resist
ance becoming weaker and weaker-the
craving for blood getting stronger and stronger.
L am like man who has slipped over a prec-
lpice, and feels the earth and shrubs to which
he clings, slowly, slowly, surely, surely, giving
way with him. | have brought wretched ours
out OF the street, and killed them, in my
frenzy, in the hope to exhaust it on them.
1t is no use. 1 must have human life."
Amy human life,' 1 inquired, ''or some
one in particular?'
''Why do you ask this, Doctor ?' he cried.
getting suddenly excited.
mo matter; go on" 1
Sometimes" he resumed, sit seems as if
any life would do; and sometimes-Doct0r,
four days befote saw you met upon New
Jersey ferry boat, young sir. So pretty,
SO refined and nice! 1 followed her to hel
home-the devil that has taken possession of
me, led me. She went in, and soon came out
igain into her little garden, and tended her
fowers-poor child! Doctor, if L had had a
pistol with me should have shot her. You
may smile; but some day soon shall take "a
pistol on purpose, and sh DOT her."
Ii was clearly no use arguing with him.
The best way with such people is to admit
their facts and try to work round them.
Then said |, ''the only thing you can do
is to submit to the restrictions of an ASYLUM
till this feeling has passed.
1T will not pass. If l were TO 90 to
mad-house, l should sham sane. Sooner or
later, their vigilance over me would be relaxed.
Then L should murder my keeper, and 20
straight for that innocent girl.''
''Then leave the country
''Well. that would save her; but, Doctor.
one life is as dear to its holder as another If
l don't kill her, shall kill some one ese."
My dear felIow,' l replied, in as light
durable. Put yourself under skilled medical
treatment. You are all. TO bits, physically.
Set sound in body, and you'll get all right in
your mind"
Son the contrary, l am all to bits, as YOU
say. mentally, and my body suffers through
my mind. Medical treatment! have con
suited every practitioner of note here and in
Europe. Some think Pm fooling them, some
look wise, and talk as you do about treat
ment.' All have failed. Doctors are no use
to me-"
Then may l ask why you have come
here?'
$40 ask your advice as a friend,n he an
swered, drawing his chair nearer to me:
"and," lowering his voice, ''to ask YOU one
question as friend and God-fearing man.
and to which pray you to give me plain
yes or no..
$50 on''
FeeIng as feel, shall be justified before
y, %oo a., IN taking my own lifeF Will it be dead
y SIN ior me to do for myself what would
do to mad dog?''
repeat bis words almost as he smoke them.
canilos give you the faintest idea of the SOL
81. e,iin ueIoeratlon with which he put this avr
1ul question. For some moments could not
say word. Then 1 started un and toId ,, HU'
that would not answer him YES or no0t t,n
IL was not fair to ask me to take snch ra
ssponslbllity. Then he rose, too. and ss;d the.
ne must resolve it for himself. and T s San.
plainly I!n which way it woul: 60. "Giye saw INV
; ;1d to:morrow to think it out,'' said. detan.
.,,,,. tomorrow may be too Late, he re,,;od
know" p0n 'ne 10 hlgnt for all I
Come home with me; I'm not afraid w.,
Il would try very hard not to do so-h,,4
know myself: l cannot trust myself Don,.
you trust me.' '''A Doht
II acin trust you; but I'll do more. yo,,
are not armed, suppose?" Aou
NO. he replied, with a shudder. "not
now.' NV !
''Pll take care that you shall not be, and Iu
carry my Derringer in my pocket. On the