The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-08-28
VICTIMS OF SUICIDE.
How tho Crime OF self-Dcstruction Il Do
Tended by Various Glasses.

Tended by Various Glasses.
II has been found utterly impossible TO
convince men and women who are 50 de-
sirous Of ridding themselves Of the burden
Of existence that they will commit even
venial error by accomplishing their own re-
lease, says writer In Blackwoods Maya
zine. 1t Is simply useless TO call 1t the crime
Of self-murder, or to talk OF the sanctity OF
hnman life which God alone can give, ani
therefore He alone has q right to recall. In
the case Of prisoners who are suffering
punishment for the attempt there Is some
times diplomatic endeavor, from mere pol
icy, to give an assent to the moral refiec-
tiors pressed upon them; but when driven
TO speak their minds honestly they inva-
riably repeat that they see no reason why
they should not divest themselves OF an en-
barrassing possession, with which no one
but themselves has any concern whatever.
This mode OF dealing with the subject Is
perhaps natural enough on the part OF per
sons who have never taken any serious
view Of their moral responsibilities, butt
Is less easy TO account for the extraordinary
light.hcartedness with which, for the most
part, they are ready to plunge into the un-
kuOWn uuThuess VI tno ihSb lhyoOcIioup
change. As we have already said, no
thought Of what may lie beyond disturbs
their mind.
IF you had succeeded in your attempt to
kill YOURSELF" the writer said to young
prisoner who had been rescued almost life.
less from the river where she had flung
herself, "you would have been lying now
cold and stiff undes the coffin lid, unable 10
see the light Of day or TO hear the voice OF a
friend, and with no time left for repentance,
or even prayer for pardon. Are you not
thankful to bs restored 10 life and the op-
portunity Of amendment"
"No,n she said lightly; "for II they had
let me alone should have been done with
1t all and had no more trouble or worry, and
that was Just what wanted wish they
hsd left me at the bottom Of the river"
Sometimes the immediate causes which
lead TO suicide seem strangely dispropor-
toned to the gravity Of the step. One girl,
| who was ready to fling maledictions at her
rescuers, had several times done her best
10 put an end TO her existence. On two OF
these occasions she had 80 far rs her own
viii was concerned, practically succeeded
once by poison and once by strangulation.
She was TO all appearance dead the last
time. and would very scon have been so in
reality but for the care and toll bestowed
on her by kindly physician who was sent
for on the discovery Of her condition and
who spent whole night In unceasing Of.
forts TO restore animation. He succeeded
OF last, aad she did not thank him. She
was given up TO what she and her compan-
ions OF the same unhappy class term with
unconscious irony''a gay life" ana she did
find fitful, hollow enjoyment In the ex-
citement Of evenings spent In theaters and
dancing booths, and in the extravagant
dresses and jewelry with which she adorned
herself; but thore came 10 her sudden mo-
ments when the whole brilliant phantasma-
, goria Of her existence would seem 10 roll
away from her and the reality OF her posi-.
tion appear in its true colors, and straight
way, without an instant's hesitation, she
would take the best means IN, her power 10
divest herself OF It altogether. ....
While the reck lessness and Indifference
with which suicide is resorted 10 Is almost
universal Ia the lower stratum Of society,
the causes which lead 10 the impulse are,
Of course, very varied and often most pa
thetic. A poor old woman who had nearly
reached the Scriptural threescore years
and ten was sentenced lately TO q short
term Of imprisonment for attempting self
destruction. 1t had very nearly been sue
cessful, aud, In fact, was so IN the end, as
the shock TO her system from immersion In
ice-cod water proved fatal, and she only
lived one week after her release from Jail.
She related her simple history with the ut
most composure. She had lived most hap
PLY and respectfully with her husband from
the time Of her early marriage in youth.
He had q pension as retired soldier, which
supported them In comparative comfort
when he was too old 10 work. Their home
for twenty. eight years had been the little
cottage In which he died at the commence
ment ofan unusually severe winter "He
had been an angel" the poor woman sad
$50 good and steady, ahd so kind 10 her."
and when he was gone she clung with pas
sionate attachment 10 the little house In
which she had spent so many happy years
with him-but she could not pay the rent
His pension had, Of course. expired with
him, and she was, in fact, without tho
means Of living at all.
She began by selling her little possessions
one after another in order TO obtain food,
and In this way she managed 10 live for q
few weeks. When every thing was gone
except the scanty furniture OF one room tho
landlord appeared and claimed IL for bis
unpaid rent. IL was all carted away, In
cluding even the chest containing her cloth
ing; then he turned her into the street and
locked the door. There was but one refuge
open 10 her on earth-the work-house; but
that last abode OF wretchedness seems TO
hold place in the minds OF the poor-unde-
servedly we think-equiyalent in horror To
one Of the circles Of Dante's 'Inferno." The
idea OF gong 10 IL does not seem 10 have
occurred 10 the forlorn widow. She looked
back for q moment at the closed door Of her
little earthly paradise, and then took her
way shivering through public park toward
the river. There, without apparently the
slightest shrinking or dread. she flung her.
self into the water under q cold, wintry sky.
Two men happened 10 be going past in a
boat They rescued her just as she was
sinking, and after consciousness had been
restored she was taken 10 the prison. She
| passed the time OF her sojourn there in q
strange, dreamy state, talking only OF her
husband and her hope OF seeing him per.
haps again II she could only succeed In
"getting out OF this weary worldp This
hope had only been suggested to her mind
by the religious consultations afforded "a
her in the prison, but II proved completely
impossible 10 persuade her that she had
not been perfectly justified in trying TO die
She would have been quite willing TO re
peat the experiment II death had not mer.