The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-08-10
How it Feels to Be Insane.

over my experience. There are, OI
course, many kinds of insanity. Some
mental disorders take place SO gradually
that even the closest companions of the
victim are ut a loss to remember when
the trouble began. 1t must have been
this way in my case. One evening, af
ter an oppressivcly warm day, u day
| when i experienced more fatigue from
the heat than ever before or since, sat
on my porch tanning myself. "This
arm that is now in notion" l mused,
unjust one of these days he dust.
wonder how long will the time be. -
Then | 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 thick us hail. yet remained
uninjured. | had passed through cpl
denies of yellow fever. NV idea gained
strength as ! unused, and Twas cOnvinc-
ell that ] should live forever No. this
cannot be-, for death follows all men
alike. Yes, am to die like other men,
and believe that it is my duty to make
the most of lie: to make money, and
enjoy myself. and To educate nv chill
dren. l wanted TO be rich. and began
to study over IN imaginary list of enter
prises. At last | hit upon radiSheS.
People must have radishrS. They should
be 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 IA
| the '.radiSh king would form a
radish syndicate, and buy up al the
radishes, and travel around and be adj
mired. FASTENED To the house to tell
my wife that she WAS soon to be a rad
ish queen. AT the breakfast table
said:
Julia. how would you like to be "A
radish queen!'
"A what?' she exclaimed.
explained my plan of acquiring
great wealth, and during the recital she
acted so curiou>lv that was alarmed
| feared that she WAS losing her mind.
Finally she seemed to understand. She
agreed with me, but told me not to say
anything more about il. After break
fast ! saw her talking earnestly with
her father, and knew she was explain
ing to the old gentleman how she in
tended to pay his debts when | became
known as the radish king. The old
man approached me with much con-
cern. and told me that needed rest,
and that must not think of business.
He was old. and sadly worried. and |
promised him that | would not think OF
business. Pretty soon went out to in
spect my radish kingdom. Looking
around, saw the old man following
me. From the field. went to the vii
lage. l approached prominent cti-
zen, who bad always been my friend,
and told him how intended to become
rich. He seemed grieved, and saw
at once that he was contemplating the
same enterprise. 1t seemed mean that
he should take advantage of me, and
told him so. He tried to explain, but
he made me so mad that | would have
struck him if my 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
avc.1 rcd -. heic, ter exec.s. :
-. &c. on. '%sssfe cG9lGfaY1 s1tr M
will, was seized by several men. Nv
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 realized that the
entire community was against me.
became So mad that my anger seemed
to hang over me like Il dark cloud. 1t
pressed me to the floor and held me
there. Men came after a long time,
and took me away, l thought, to the
penitentiary. One day cat came into
my cell, and tried to bite it, She made
the hair fly, but killed her. don't
know how long ! remained here. but
one morning the sun rose AMI shOne in
at me through the window. Ii seemed
to be the first time that had seen the
great luminary for months. A mist
cleared from before my eyes. NY brain
began to work, and suddenly ! realized
that had been insane. | called the
keeper, and when he saw me. he ex-
claimed: Thank God!' and grasped
my hand. l was not long in putting on
another suit of clothes. and turning NY
face toward home. A physician said
that was cured. and everybody seemed
bright and happy ut my recovery.
boarded Il train with a gentleman. and
went home. My wife tainted when she
SAW me and learned that had recover
ed my mind. | asked for my little
children, and two big boys and Il young
lady came forward and greeted me.
h"d been in the asylum twelve wears
Col. Vechiey, IN IrkansdW Trdccler.