Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1883-08-02
A MIND OBSCURED.
A Man Once Insane Describes His sonsas
tIOns.-ReAAOn ReRAined After Twelve
Xamrm.

1 was once insane and / often muse
over my experience. There are, of
course, many kinds of /. sanity. Some
mental disorders take place so gradual
ly that even the closest companions of
the victim are ut loss TO remember
when the trouble began. II must
have been this way in my case. One
evening, after an oppressiyely warm
day, day when ] experienced more
fatigue from the heat than ever before
or since, sat on the porch tanning
myself. This arm that is now in
days be dust. / wonder how long will
the time be-" Then | mused upon the
evidence had of Immortality. Icould
do things that other people could not
accomplish. | had gone through
battle after battle, and though bullets
sang and struck around NE thick as
hail, yet | remained uninjured. ] had
passed through epidemics of yellow
fever. Ny idea gained strength as /
unused, and | was convinced that !
should live forever. No, this cannot
be, for death follows all men alike.
Yes, | am to die like other men, and |
believe it is my duty TO make the most
of life; to make money, and enjoy my
self and TO educate my children. |
wanted to be rich, and | began to study
over an imaginary list of enterprises.
At last | hit upon radishes. People
must have radishes. They should he
in every store. They could be dried
and sold in winter. ] would plant
fifty acres with radish seed, and people
all over the country would refer TO me
as the 'radish king ! would form a
radish syndicate, and buy up all the
radishes, and travel around and be adj
mired. haStened TO the house to tell
my wife that she was soon to be radiSh
queen. At the breakfast table | said:
Julia, how would you like to be a
radish queen?'
~ what ~ she exclaimed
explained my plan of acquiring
great wealth, and during the recital she
acted so curiously that l was alarmed.
l feared that she was losing her mind.
Finally lhe seemed to understand She
agreed with me, but told me not To say
anything more about it. After break
fast l saw her talking earnestly with
her father, and | knew that she was ex-
planning to the old gentleman how she
intended to pay his debts when | be-
came known as the radish king. The
old man approached me, with much
concern, and told me that l needed
rest, and that | must not think of busi-
ness. He was old and sadly worried,
and l promised him that l would not
think Of business. Pretty soon !
went out to inspect my radish king
dom. Looking around / saw the old
man following me. From the field |
went to the village. | approached
prominent citizen, who had always
been my friend, and told him how in
tended to become rich. He seemed
grieved, and ] saw at once that he was
contemplating the same enterprise. 1t
seemed mean that he should take ad-
vantage of me, and l told him so. He
tried to explain, but he made me SO
mad that | would have struck him if
nv father-in-law had not come up and
separated us. / tried to calm myself,
but could not. Those who had been
my friends proved to be my enemies,
and l was determined to be avenged,
but before l could execute my will, j
was seized by several men. My father
in-law did not attempt to rescue me,
and / hated him. / was taken to Jail
My wife came to see me, but she did
not try to have me released. | de-
manded trial, but no lawyer would
defend me. Then l realized that the
whole community was against me.
became so mad that my anger seemed
to hang over me like dark cloud. 1t
pressed me to the floor and held me
there. Men came after long time,
and took me away, l thought, to the
penitentiary. One day cat came into
my cell, and l tried to bite it. She
made the hair fly, but l killed her.
don't know how long remained there
but one morning the sun rose and
shone in at me through the window
1t seemed to be the first time that l
had seen the great luminary for
months. A mist cleared from before
my eyes. My brain began to work,
and suddenly / realized that l had
been insane. l called the keeper, and
when he saw me, he exclaimed: "Thank
God" and grasped my hand. l was
not long in putting on another suit of
clothes, and turning my face toward
home. A physician said that l was
cured, and everybody seemed bright
and happy at my recovery. | boarded