Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-10-18
NOTES FROM NEW YORK
sOht REFLECTIONS ON LIFE IN
the GREAT CI7Y.
The Man who Talks to Himself some OBJ.
ssryations ON Incipient Insanity The
Prevalence Of Gray HAIRED Men and its
Causes.
Correspondent ce to the Globe Re public.


ones self Is an evidence of incipient insanity
II that bo true hundreds. yes, thousands Of
well dressed Iunatics are rpamint the
streets Of New York. These soliloauizers
are men usually. Women. many of them.
may be quite as near the madhous,. but
they keep "A more watchful eve on their
facial movements Sometimes they forgot
| their surrDun ling, anI mumble AMI mutt-r
as they ride or walk, but not often The
aged only fall into this unpleasant habit.
But men, young and old, talk aloud to
| themselvei in all sorts of places Talk to
themselves | say. In reality they are
talking to imaginary PEOPLE, or rehearsing
the things they intend to say to people who
have an actual existence. ! have seen them
on tho cars, at depots, at theatres, on the
/ sidewalk in cates-wherever men are
thrown together without knowing each
other. Some of them are always moving
their lips frowning, Struggling their shoul.
ders-n fact, gong through tho facial
/ movement necessary to spirited cOnyer.
satiOn
They don't like to bo caught at this extra.
ordinary pastime though they frequently
whistle or a tune This deceives nobody.
They fancy, however, that it dissipates
every suspicion. Talking to oneself is
neither unlawful nor dsreputable, but no
mortal creature will acknowledge having
been guilty of it.
/ once occupied a room ad Joining that of
most dgnihed old gentleman, who sat at
the same table with ms in the dining room.
! thin door separated the apartments, and
as for hearing each others con versa ton We
! could not have been more favored had we
occupied the same room. For some weeks
thought two persons occupied his room.
heard him talking augrily with some one
every morning Will g he made his toilet and
| occasionally when no entered his room at
night. At such times he swore exCitedly.
! stamped about and made no end Of noise |
! never heard anv ans wering voice. but | sun
posed the other fellow spoke low and never
lost his temper. The old gentleman always
I seemed to protest against doing something,
! | knew not what IN never do it: never
as long as live" he would say with the
tiercest deter mination Then, "a though
urged by his silent friend to the poin Of ex-
aspcrat ION, hn would grow violent and as
+ sert that h would be hanged if he would do
| it. His temper being aroused. he went Oh
with the most overpowering volubility and
the strongest profanity, until the battle was
decided in his favor and his friend ceased
to demonstrates Ten minutes later, wheu
met hi in the breakfast room, he would be
selfpOssessed and dignified looking for all
the world aS though he never hal been out
of temper in his life sometimes wondered
that ! never saw his antagonist, but not
being greatly afflicted by the vice OF curios-
ity, made no inquiries
Later on discovered that his enemy was
purely imaginary. The repression of the
day was paid for by general relaxation
. when alone He fought, swore threatened
bullied AMI ravei to his hearts content.
| All the creatures who had exaSperated him
i'll business or elsewhere were arraigued be-
fore his minds eye and received tho chas-
tlsement they deserved 1t was his way of
getting through tho world smoothly. Out
side of his room he maintaine the strictest
self po, session He was a pattern OF polite.
ness, a paragon of courtesy anI en loved
an enviabe reputation for never getting
out of temper In the privacy of his own
apartment he was the prime, of fighters,