The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-07-17

an oppressively warm day.. day when
4 experienced more fatigue from the hea
than ever before or since. I sat on my
porch tanning myself This arm that il
, now in motion. | unused, must one o.
these days be dust. l wonder how lonE
will the time be. There is spot where
the grass doubtless grows, that will one
day be opened to receive my body-my
body that is now alive. The man Is
probably now living who will part the
grass and dig my grave. There are peb
bles under the sOd-pebbles there no"
that are waiting to be disturbed by the
spade that lifts the clay from my grave.
! | don't see how | can die. | see how
easy, how necessary it is for others to
die, but when it comes to me, cannot
see the use. I wonder if l am actually
compelled to die. Wonder if there wont
be an exception to this great rule. ]
believe that death was intended fol-
others, but that cannot die Then
l unused upon the evidence l had OF
Immortality. l could do things that
others could not accomplish had gone
through battle after battle, and though
bullets sang and struck around me thick
as hail, yet l remained uninjured. had
passed through epidemics of yellow fever.
People all around me were stricken as if
by an avenging hand, yet l passed through
the terrible scenes, coming out, 1t seemed,
all the healthier for my experience. My
idea gained strength as unused, and ]
was convinced that | should live forever
1t all seemed so plain that thought Of
telling my wife. but then I thought how
bad it must make her feel 10 know that
she must soon pass away.
The next morning, while | walked in
the garden, the sun came up in cloudlesS
splendor, and | again fell TO musing. i
am mere worm / thought. This great
sun is immortal; not l. But l may be the
son. Perhaps it is part AT me. feel its
warmth, and no matter how fast run OF
which way turn, it follows me. No this
cannot be, for it follows all men alike
Yes, am to die like other men, and
believe that it is my duty to make the
most of life; to make money and enjoy
myself, and to educate my children A
great load of oppressive concern seemed
to be lifted from my mind. | wanted to
be rich. and began to study over an
imaginary list of enterprises. AT last | hit
upon radishes, They should be in every
store. They could be dried and sold in
winter, l would plant fifty hcres with
radish seed, and people all over the
country would refer to me as the radiSh
king | would form a radisd syndicate,
and buy up all the radishes. and travel
around and be admired. FASTENED to the
house to tell my wife that she was soon
TO be radish quisn AT the breakfast
table said;
F." julia, how would you like to be Il
radish queen?
A whatY she exclaimed
Il explained my plan ofacquiring great
wealth, and during the recital she acted
SO curiously, that was alarmed fear,
ed that she was losing her mind Finally
she seemed TO understand She agreed
with me, but told me not IL say anything
more about it, After breakfast saw her
talking earnestly with my father. and ]
knew that she was explaining To the old
gentleman how she intended to pay his
debts when became known as the radish
king The old man approached me, with
much concern, and ted rue that ] needed
rest, and that must not think OF bust
ness. He was old and sadly worried. and
l promised him that would not
think of business Pretty soon went
out TO inspect my radish kingdom Look
ing around | saw the old man following
me. | humored his within by paying &c
attention to him From the field went
to the village. | approached promi-
nent citizen, who had always been my
friend, and told him how | intended Ia
become rich. He seemed grieyed, and
saw at once that he was contemplatine
the same enterprise, 1t seemed mean tina,
he should take advantage Of me, and
told him So He tried To explain, but he
made me so mad that | could have struck
him if my father in-law hadn't come ul
and separated US. tried to calm myself
but could not Those who had been m!
friends proved to be my enemies, and
was determined 10 be avenged, but before
| could execute my will, | was seized by
several men, My father iu-law did no
attempt to rescue me, and hated him
was taken to jail My wife came to see
me, but she did not try to have merelcaseC
demanded atrial, but no lawyer woulC
defend me- Then | realized that the en-
tire community was against mel became
80 mad that my anger seemed to hans
over me like cloud Men came, after a
to the penitentiaTy. One day cat came
into my cell, and | tried to bite it
she made the hair fly but l killed
but l 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 frs
time that had seen the great luminary
for months. A mist cleared from M
eyes. My brain began to work, and sud
denly l realized thstI had been insane
called the keeper, when he saw me, b.
exclaimed, Thank GodP and grasped N,
hand. | was not long in putting on au
other suit of clothes, and turning my fac
toward home. A physician said that
was cured, and everybody seemed brigh
and happy at my recovery. boarded
train, with a gentleman, and went home
My wife tainted when she saw me ant
learned that had recovered my mind.
asked for my children, and two big boy
and q young lady came forward and gree
ed me had been in the asylum twelv
years.
OSCAR WILDE.
1t has heen cabled To this country tina