The Opelousas courier., 1883-07-21
THE FEELINGS OF INSANITY.
Twelve Years a Mssiac-Ihs Radish King.

[ was once insane, says Colonel
Weekly in Arkansaw TrareteF, and l
often muse over my experience.
There are, of course, many kinds OF
insanity. Some mental disorders take
place SO gradually that even the closest
companions of the victim are at a loss
to know when the trouble began. 1t
must have been this way in my case.
One evning after an oppressively warm
day, a day when I experienced more
fatigue from the heat than ever before
or since, I sat on the porch tanning
myself. "This arm that is now in
MOTION" unused, "must oneof these
days be dust. wonder how long the
time will be.,' Then I unused upon
the evidence [ had of Immortality.
/ could do things that other people
could not accomplish. | had gone
through battle after battle, and
though bullets sang and struck around
me as thick as hail, yet l remained
uninjured. Ihad passed through ep-
idemics of yellow fever. My idea
gained strength as / unused, and
Ii was convinced that | should
live forever. No, this can not be for
death follows all men alike. Yes l
am to die like other men, and l be-
lievc it is my duty to make the most
of life. I wanted to be rich and L
began to study over an imaginary
list of enterprises. At last I hit up
on radishes. People must have rad
ishes. They should be in every store.
They should be dried and sold in
winter. I would plant fifty acres
with radish seed, and people all over
the country would refer to me as the
"radish king" I would form a rad
ish syndicate and buy up all the
radishes and travel around and be
admired. Ihastened to the house to
tell my wife that she would soon be a
radish queen. At the breakfast table
I said:
"Julia, how would you like to be
a radish queen?"
"A what!' she exclaimed.
explained my plan of acquiring
wealth, and during the recital she
acted so curiously that I was alarmed.
I feared she was losing her mind.
Finally she seemed to understand but
told me to say nothing more about it.
After breakfast I saw her talking
earnestly with her father, and I knew
that she was explaining to the old
gentleman how she intended to pay
his debts when I became known as
the radish king, The old man ap.
preached me, with much concern and
told me that I needed rest, and that
must not think of business. He was
old and sadly worried,a and l promised
him that I would not think of bust.
ness. Pretty soon I went out to in.
spect my radish kingdom. Looking
around, I saw the old man following
me. from the field I went to the vii.
lage. I approached a prominent cit.
izen, who had always been my friend,
and told him how I intended to be-
come rich. He seemed grieved, and
I saw OF once he was contemplating
the same enterprise. It seemed mean
that he should take advantage Of me,
and I told him so. He tried to ex.
plain, but he made me 50 mad that
would have struck him if my father.
had not come up and separated
MS. / tried to calm myself, butcould
not. Those who had been myfriends
proved to be my enemies, and I was
determined to be avenged, but before
I could execute my viii I was seized
by several men. My father-in-laN
did not attempt to rescue me and ]
hated him. My wife came to see me,
| ut she did not try to have me re.
leased. I demanded o trial but NJ
lawyer would defend me. Then ] re
allied that the entire community wal
against me. I became so mad tina
my anger seemed to hang over me
like q dark cloud. Men came after /
long time and took me away, !
thought to the penitentiary. One
day a cat came into my cell, and !
tried to bite it. She made the hal
fly, but / killed her. I don't know
how long I remained there, but one
morning the sun rose and shone in a
me through the window. It seemed
to me the first time I had seen thu
great 1uminary for months. A mis-
cleared from before my eyes. NJ
brain began to work, and I suddenly
realized that I had been insane. !
called the keeper, and when he saw
me he exclaimed: "Thank God" ant
grasped me by the hand. I was no
long in putting on another suit O
clothes and turning my face towart
] home. A physician said I was cured
and everybody seemed bright ant
happy at my recovery. / boarded |
train with a gentleman and wen
home. My wife tainted when she saw
rae and learned that I had recovered
my mind. I asked for my little chill
dren, and two big boys and q youn,
lady came forward and greeted me
I had been in the asylum twelv
years"
A S0uthern Room.