Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-01-14

AhOiO 10 oohSVhiiS ~ OH S"ioi "oouo
the developments of monomania, and
the strong tenacity with which it clings
to the mind, that emotions of wonder
are excited by the mere contemplation of
them, and to witness them is to be i'm
pressed with sensations of unmixed
establishment. Cases of this sort are
set down to greater or lesser extent
in our medical journals. A case we
recently noticed was of peculiar ma
turc. The subject was a citizen of West
ern New York-one of family distin-
guished for intelligence, some of which
have been identified among the first pro-
jectors of those stupendous works of i'm
provement that have made the State
a marvel to the nations. The gentle
man in question was something of a
disputant in polemics, though alayman.
Like Paul at Athens, though without a
1.-THE of that great apostles JUNCTION. or
power, che disputed daily in the market
with them that met him." BY de-
grees he ceased to obtrude his
verbal dispositions upon his neigh
bors and fell into habit of walking
along the street and wearing look of
wisdom as if unutterable things were
brewing in his mind. At last his NAL
ady began to be apparent He rose
every morning precisely with the sun,
slept in room which faced the orient,
and had his bed so disposed that he could
receive on his pillow the first
smile of the great luminary. The
wonderful design which he conceived at
last came to light. He had become a
monomaniac on the subject of Mount
Zion and Jerusalem. Upon all to whom
he spoke he tried earnestly to impress
the fact that the Savior was still living
incarnate at Jerusalem, that he had
received direct intelligence from Him
and was about to visit the Holy City to
obtain personal interview. Animated
with this sublime hallucination he dis
posed of fine estate and converted
nearly all his chattels into cash. He
had family, an amiable circle, consist
ing of several sons and daughters, in
telligent and accomplished. The re-
monstrances and even ridicule of the
former, and the bitter tears of the latter,
were unavailing. Oddly enough, he
would never converse or dispute on the
subject of his mission after the eleventh
hour in the morning. Some computa.
ton of Jewish time, which he considered
vastly important, led to this resolve.
He was a magistrate. but no considera-
ton could induce him to attend to any
professional duties until after eleven
previous to which his whimsical skill as
quodlibetarian was exerted potently
to the chagrin of all his friends and to
the WEAKNESS of every one who fell in
his way. After the probation ended his
lips were sealed on that theme, and hi
was as sane, agreeable a person as The
village could show. No symptom of ,
disordered mind exhibited itself. H,
performed his duties as citizen
husband and father with stric
propriety. In conversation he wa.
mild and pleasing, somewhat ready o
wit, and altogether, to appearance, a!
sound in mind as any of his compeers
The sacred journey, however, was no
lost sight of. Having positively deter
mined on going to the Holy City, h
turned all his money into notes, leavin!
sufficicncy for his family, and, on on
fair morning in May, departed for tn
land of his heart, accoutred with KNAPP
sack and cane, staff and scrip.
He reached New York in i'll health
and held many interviews with clergy
men-but always before eleven o'clocl
a. m.-on the subject of his mission
Singular to relate he never seemed +
know or think of his intention after tina
hour. He could not imagine what oh
ject brought him to the city; he ha
forgotten, he would say, when asked
land must sleep before he could remem
ber.' In the meanwhile his famil
We're deploring his absence, and the wi
lage was without Judge of the law, tn
shoemaker of the place being the onl
citizen on the bench. The monomania
engaged passage in ship bound 70
Betrout, and was within day or tw
of his embarkation when he received
letter from his wife imploring him to r,
turn and stating (by the advice of
physician that she was DESTROYS of a,
companying him to Jerusalem. He wa
overjoyed at the proposal, for he woul
cheerfully have taken his whole housC
hold. But plan was formin
under his own roof to break u
his delusion and restore him to reason
He reached home in better health tha
when he left it. His wife warmly (,
vored his enterprise, and wondere,
seemingly. at her former opposition |
his will. In the meantime systemat
sttack was made upon his malad
through his corporeaf senses. Laudi
NUN was regularly infused into b