The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-08-02
How it Feels to Be Insane.

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 remember when
the trouble began. 1t must have been
this way in my case. One evening, af-
ter an oppressively warm day, day
when | 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 unused,
must one of these days be dust. |
wonder how leng will the time be-"
Then | unused upon the evidence / had
of Immortality. l could do things that
other people could not accomplish. l
had gone through battle after battle,
and though bullets sang and struck
around me thick as hail, yet remained
uninjured. l had passed through epi-
denies of yellow fever. My idea gained
strength as / mused, and twas convinc-
ed that l should live forever. No, this
cannot be, for death follows all men
alike. Yes, / am to die like other men,
and L believe that it is my duty to make
the most of life; to make money, and
enjoy myself, and to educate my chill
dren. | wanted to be rich, and began
to study over an imaginary list of enter
prises. At last | hit upon radishes.
People must have radishes. 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 as
the ''radish king" l would form a
radish syndicate, and buy up all the
radishes, and travel around and be ad-
mired. | hastened 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
radish queen?"
"a what?" she exclaimed.
| explained my plan of acquiring
great wealth, and during the recital she
acted so curiously that l was alarmed.
/ feared that she was losing her mind.
Finally she seemed to understand She
agreed with NE, but told me not to say
anything more about it. 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 l 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 l
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. | approached a prominent citi-
zen, who had always been my friend,
and told him how intended to become
rich. He seemed grieyed, 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 l 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
enemies, and | was determined to be
avenged, but before l could execute my
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 l realized that the
entire community was against me. I
became so mad that my anger seemed
to hang over me like a 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 a cat came into
my cell, and tried to bite it. She made
the hair fly, but killed her. l don't
know how long / remained here, but
one morning the sun rose and shone in
at me through the window. 1t 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 Godr' and grasped
my hand. | was not long in putting on
another suit of clothes, and turning my
face toward home. A physician said
that [ was cured, and everybody seemed
bright and happy st my recovery. l
boarded train with 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 young
lady came forward and greeted me. /
had been in the asylum twelve years.
Col. Weekley, IN Arkansao IraUe5er.