Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-05-03

Nntn NO lOlu llt vi hnp linpuihb W hhtu
the blood of others. His words, q must
have human life-if l had pistol with
me | should have shot her-some day
soon shall take pistol on purpose and
shoot her-I should murder my keeper
and go straight for that Innocent girl
were spoken as calmly as though he said,
Il owe iye dollars-I must go and pay
them,' and at tho same time with toae
of deep confederation for the predes-
tined victims. They were to die for no .
fault of their own, but they were doomed |
10 death-if he lived. When on the |
other hand, he spoke of saving their lives |
at the sacrifice of his own, his manner |
changed. Ne one afflicted with suicidal |
mania ever treated self-destruction with |
the horror, the Consciousness ofits wicked |
ness, and the religious doubts as on Its |
being pardonable under any cireum-
stances, with which he considered 1t. |
He had never once spoken Of murder as
a crime.
CATER a long and careful consideration |
came to the following conclusions -
"He is not laboring under suicidal |
mania.
!'Iis impulse is real, and will have fa-
tai results.
confinement in an asylum would have
no curative effect.
"Then took down my books bearing
upon Tue anatomy oi 'ne au"ia,i n'aa'
"The next morning l addres sed him
thus -
'"Before I 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.
eco on he said.
"'When YOU consulted those doctors
did yoa tell them all that you have told
me =
"'No. | did not dare. said that
bad horrible thoughts and cravings, but
without entering into de. ails as TO VIII It
they were. Once l went so far rs to say
feared was becoming dangerous, and
the fool smiled
:" Good. Did they ever speak Of
searching for that ball 2
""Yes, they said it might be the cause
of my sufferngs, supposlng II had lodged
near the brain, but no one would take the
responsibility Of searching for it-so to
speak-in the dark
"They were right-the operation might
kill you, and the ball be not found after
ALL
"1e looked up, and the dull, detected
look that had become habitual passed
from his face.
"'And even ifit were found 1 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.
"Stil it would give you ehance-just
chance more than life. His grasp
tightened. ] could feel his heart beating
And submitting to such an operation
almost hopeless though ii be-would not
be quite suicide.'
"He fell on mis- knees and sobbed like
child. You'll do III be cried, God
Almighty bless you You'll do itr
"well," said my friend, lighting
fresh cigar, ''to make my story short,
did it with the assistance of young sur
geon whose nerve | could trust. We
found that miserable piece Of lead near
where had suspected it to be. IL was
lust a case of touch and go. Had my
knife wavered twice the breadth of Its
own edge-had the assistant been un-
steady with the forceps-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 l'
"No, and doesn't want to-"
s.By Jove / wouldn't be too sure OF
that. And so the girl he wanted 10 muir
der married the Major ~
''she did"
"Then If we're 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 us her husband
! does"
, ''Does he know l''
; "None b, tier"
"And doesn't care ~
I "Not bit"
, ''Then he's Il brute :"
! "You'd better tell him so-here h'
i | comes.o
. "Does she knowl"
4 "She does"
4 "And she's not afraid ~
"No."
" One other question. Does your in
J. terestng patient still live in this coun
; try I"
"He does"
l. SIN what State %
"rhis State"
"Near here Z"
81 "Very near"
"Then with all possible Difference 70
g. our friend the Major, think he Is Ner
foolish. Were l IN his place shoul.
d say, My good sir, admit that the bal
from which you suffered 80 long canno
C, get back into your brains, but l am b
t. no means sure that the ideas 1t engender
Ia ed may not return. At any rate you
II presence near my wife is likely to max
fy her nervous, and | appeal to you as
/ gentleman, to locate yourself in som
d. other part of the country. If you do so
o. shall have the highest respect for you
L. you do not, and ever have the mlsiortun
X 10 pass within mile Of my house, th
he interior of your skull will become NOR
I'd intimately acquainted than ever wit
d. lead i'm the usual form.'"
a every neatly put" said the Deeto
/ ''bnt our FREUD does not think Of con
u hitting suicide now"
d. 'Mercy Doctor !" l cried, ''you don
OF mean to say that the man who wanted
to murder the Majors wife is-is"-
ad "The Major himself. Yes, sir. ~
lis TiMslty's MagdziHs.