Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-07-17


take him to the river side with the cen
viction that he will not breakfast with
crabs. If, in an exceptional case. sn;
eide is mentioned, it will either be treat.
ed lightly, as an act that is not a crime
or the patient will be very earnest IN
his assurances that he would never com
NIT it. Remembering my poor friends
manner, Roticed that he spoke of fat.
ing his own life with much more emo
ton than he eyinced when he told ma
of the impulse 10 shed the blood NJ
others. His words-I must have Inn
man life-it / had had a pistol with me-
/ should have shot her-sOme day soon
shall take pistol on purpose and sboof
herr should murder my keeper and On
straight for that innocent girl. '-rere
spoken as calmly as though he said. 4
owe five dollars must 90 and nav
them. and at the same time with tone
of deep commiseration for the pre5es.
tined victims. They were to die for nm
fault Of their own, but they We're doom
ed to death-if he lived, When. On
the other hand, he spoke Of saving their
lives at the sacrifice Of his own, bi,
manner changed. No one afflicted Will
suicidal mania ever treated self-destrue.
ton with the horror, the consciousness
of its wickedness. and the religious
doubts as to its being pardonable under
the circumstances with which he con-
sidered it. He had never once spoken
of murder as a crime.
"After a long and careful c0nsiler8-
ton came to the following conclu-
sions:
ale is not laboring under suicidal
mania.
"His impulse is real and will have ia
tai results.
confinement in an asylum would
have no curative effect.
Then took down my books bearing
on the anatomy Of the human head.
1.-THE next morning I addressed Lin
thus:
- Before l answer YOU as TO whether
YOU would be justified before God under
the impulse you told me of, in taking
your own life to save that of another.
YOU must answer NE several questions.
Go on. he said.
When you consulted those doctors.
did you tell them all that you have told
me?'
:. No. I did not dare. l said thatI
had horrible thoughts and cravings, bot
without entering into details as TO what
they were. Once l went 50 far as to
say that | feared I was becoming dan
gerous, and the fool smiled
"Good. Did they ever speak Of
searching for that ball q
=. Yes. they said it might be tie
cause of my sufferings, supposed that It
had lodged near the brain, but that IN
one would take the responsibility Of
searching for it-so to speak-in tle
dark
...They were right-the operation
might kill you. and the ball not boz found
after all
He looked up. and the dull detect
cd look that bad become habitaal. passed
from his face.
"sAnd even if it were found, ] went
on. its extraction might cause your
death all the same.
"He laid his hand on my arm. and
tried to speak but could not.
80 Still il would give You a clalce-
lust a chance of more than life. His
grasp frightened. l could feel bis heart
beating. And submitting 10 such 90
operation almost hopeless though il be
would not be quite suicide.
He fell on his knees and wcIt lhs
a child.
You'll do it, he cried. God A.
mighty bless You. You'll do it
well" said my friend, lighting 9
fresh cigar. ito make my story short j
did il. with the assistance Of a young
surgeon whose nerve ] could trust We
found that miserable piece Of lead near
where I had suspected it to be. It vas
Just case of touch and go. Had hoy
knife wavered but twice the width Of
its own edge-had the assistant been un-
steady with the fOrceps-it would have
been fatal I don't want 10 appear
vain of my success, so I'll say no NOR.
than this-he rfa0rered.
and hasn't killed anybody
mo. and don't want to.
by Jove, I wouldn't be too sur
of that, And so the girl he wanted ID
murder married the Major =
.'She did.
'sThen if | were her husband, I'll take
precious care that your interesting pa
tient didn't come into the same state
with her"
My dear fellow. if you were her Lls-
band. you would do exactly as her Aus-
band does"
docs he know ?"
''None better
''And doesn't care"
Not a bit"
Then he's a brute.
"You had better tell him so-hgre he
comes.
Does she know
ssSbe does .
And she's not afraid?"
No"
cone other o,1pstion Does your in
teresting patient still live in this section
of the country p.
"He does.
I'm what State?"
Inns Ihls state:
YEA, 1NeaI mere mere :,
~. Wy pear; -, ----.,,- 7-r--,-,o fl,
nsh' WIN an possible i'e1ll:-l. -.
our s,. IIlelG Ine ma JoI; lIllN Is y
Iooiis IL, ere ~ MS p.act l-51i
say Ny Boou SIT L dulHll LlldN A4-t -