The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-03-17
The Esthetics OF Suicide.

the line arts. Until a comparatively |
recent period, indeed, no attempt at
any establishment of the act has been
made by those persons who have chosen
to expedite their departure, or their in
dlvldual star-routes, as one might say,
II there were not painful uncertainty
that the road taken leads starward. All
that has been sought, apparently, has
been the most speedy way of what our
friend Joseph Cook so frequently alludes
to as going hence The primary
object of suicides being, Of course, to
60 and to go quickly, 1t is but natural
that the first thought of the person
concerned should be of the surest and
most direct means of severing the
earthly bonds. Especially must this
be so in the State of New York, where
the unfortunate bungler who fails in
the attempt to kill himself is subject
to severe legal penalties.
In seeking the most expeditions
method it too often happens that little
or no thought is given to other consider.
atoms almost equally important The
candidate for self-destruction is apt to
select a mode of taking off which is
crude and entirely out Of keeping with
the present advanced stage Of culture
and civilization. He shoots himself
through the brain, regardless of the
effect upon his facial beauty; he cuts his
throat, without rejecting that it makes
him horrible object, or, dashing from
an upper window, he is crushed out of all
semblance to humanity. This is all
Snfn . 81, l.
WEAKNESS of life, but it may be asserted
that, in nine cases out of ten, the per-
petrator has in mind some whom he
hopes viii be grieved, or at least
shocked, by the deed. Not seldom it is
done with a direct view Of bringing re-
greet or remorSe to some individual,
usually 4 recreant lover or. sweetheart
To suppose that the person thus sought
to be moved would be less deeply af-
fected if the act were done decently and
with regard for the fitness of things is q
great mistake. The grief of the surviv-
ing friends of a suicide is not often of
| that overwhelming character which the
| departed one has flatteringly anticipated.
| Ii the act is done in such way as to jar
upon the retSled senSibilities their sor-
row is not untinged with resentment
Any twinges of conscience which they
might otherwise offer are quoted by the
conclusion that the deceased was q
greater lunatic than they had ever
| thought him, and that if he was capable
| of such atrocious conduct the kindest
treatment could not have ayailed to
save the fool from his folly. 1t occa-
| siOnally happens that q man removes
| himself from life in manner which is
| in harmony with the most artistic enyi-
ronment. The lamentations made in
| such cases are of a nature to prove that
the friends, having less reason to
nurse their shattered aesthetic nerves,
have a keener realization of their loss
and more time to devote to a cOnsidera-
ton of the virtues of the one voluntarily
| gone before. 1t is women, however,
who most deeply offend in this matter.
| There is no doubt that many a woman
who would like to spite somebody by
| drowning herself has been deferred by
| the knowledge that she will be dragged
out, moist unpleasant body. Others
refrain from pistols and razors because
shots and cuts are both disfguring and
|
singular that the favorite agent for sell
| destruction among women Of all classes
is rat-poison. But poison is sure, since
none seem to recover from it. 1t is not
disfiguring, and, so far as known by
those who have not INDUCED, it is not
unpleasant to take. Nevertheless, its
use for any but its legitimate purpose is
an outrage upon the community, to say
nothing of the shadow left upon the
! reputation of the partaker. Any tender
: recollections that one might otherwise
have of deceased friend are buried at
= once by the thought that rat-poison
caused her death. No one will willing
" own to even q distant acquaintance
| with q woman who has eaten rat-pOison,
much less openly mourn for her. She
may have lived her life without being
suspected Of depraved tastes or capa-
bility Of offending the most fastidiOus
by word or deed, but her past will count
nothing against one fatal act. An ap-
!. parentIy self-re5pecting woman, who
would not for worlds meet an ignomin-
ious death by being run over by street
= car mules or a garbage cart, will YET
E calmly exterminate herself by q druG
4 intended exclusively for Vermin Why
she viii do it is q mystery beyond com
prehension. In these days when the
artistic and aesthetic attributes of the
mind are so assiduously cultivated, it il
difficult to understand why thi!
pursuit is so lacking in what might be
. its finer features. 1t may be urged tina
Il suicide is not thing to be encouraged
under any circumstances, nor is 1t. Iht
| few words of advice and warning hert
| offered should not be SO construed
Suicide is common and apparently in
creasing. and since this is so, it SEEM
necessary to urge the removal Of SOM
Objectionable features, Ii any thine
can be said which shall induce womel
to abandon rat-poison, it will be lont
step in advance. Not only do the.
o shock the commurity's innate sense o
n propriety by its use, but there is pos
= sibility that its effects may be more far
reaching than they have dreamed. |
may be the serpent in Eden, or the ra
= in the celestial meal-bag, which vii
cause the unfortunate shade to wish sh
= had waited and come in at the from
o. door. The woman who went beyon
the gates, as related by Miss Phelps, ha
most affecting reconciliation with
Iong-l0st lover. What lover, love h
T. never so wisely, will wish to take to hi
al spirit bosom bride who once ate raj
ss poison 1t will be rough on her to dc
ed cline, but it is doubtful if he can d
II, otherwise. Think Of this We wOme
Al who yearn to die and join your beloved
g, and 60 some other way.-indianapotl
nd Journal.
as