Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-01-31

Lad with rudy cheeks VINO welded the Dat
or hunted the leather in the Dulwich playing
fields seven years before would recognize him
i'll the spare, pale, woe BECOME man OF lack
luster eye and faced muscle who stood in
the queue attending the combaluzier lift at
the west corner of the EifYel tower on a sunny
morning hast August. At last had solved
the problem which had been vexing me. !
had hit upon the plan Of throwing mysah ca
the top platform Of the loftiest structure In
the nation That would be something unique:
my body would be 50 disfgured by the fall
that Identification would be impossible; death
would be observation-disclosures painless l
calculated that the breath would have left
ME before touched the soil.
This cold, almost mathematical, weighing
of the circumstances Of my proposed diAolu-
ton may strike the reader as unnatural
assure him it is not so. There is method In
madness, and the suicide is under the spell Of
a very terrible form Of mania The suicide
should not be abhorred as = criminal, but
compassionated As martyr to mental dis
ease. Thank goodness the days are passed
when an Implying world buried him at
cross roads at night, and drove . stake
through his dishonored corpse. At least
shall he spared that indignity. had thought
o'ei thest thuSs 10 Pun Suo"eA my tACAcsp
waited my turn, stepped into the lift, and
glided up the inclined plane to the first plat
form.
How spacious and beautiful the view from
this vantage point! What diversified chart
Of city and country beneath. watered by q
meandering Seine, and ringed by such .
framework of hill and grove, field and vine
yardi This earth, after all, is fair to gaze
aud yVaull he tol tla m avtc
one were only happy. How fresh the air
There is almost an exLllaration in breathing
it. But must not falter. l should be above
these weaknesses. The die is cast. 1 have
burned my boats. cannot go back from my
resolution. Ny tongue is hot, my palate
parched | am thirsty There are four res-
taurants here; Russian--I don't like Rus
slams; Flemish-ughl they are coarse
Brebant's-t dear, and even would be sui
cides must be economic; Spiers and Ponds
that is more Ike home; and as this is to 10
my last drink on this sublunar sphere, let 1t
be an English one drawn by English hands
How the glass Of COOL bitter ale sparkles -
held to the light; how tempting when the
clear amber Of the liquid reveals itself trans
parent; and how attractive the mantling
crown of beady foam!
must buy a ticket for the ASCENSION to the
second plltform, for we mount by stages
Singular, that when such observations should
momentalily have less hold upon my interest,
renark that this lift is upon the hydraulic
prluci pie. This second platform Is nigh 40
feet aoove the level OF the Champ de Mars;
the view Is wider but less animated the
streets merge, the river is a slender sinuous
tape, tine hills flatten out, the palace Of Yer
sailles peeps from behind a curtain of YER
dure. There is tue inevitable luncheon bar
here-how gross mortals will gorge!--not far
from it the Office of the aerial Figaro A sun
burnt, broad shouldered young fellow with
curly black hair Is writing his name on the
register OF those vino have assembled thus far,
kept by the newspaper people. As he finishes
with a flourish aud laugh, an elegantly pro-
portoned g,rl beside hirn-her dress of blue
serge, trimmed with white cashmere and sur
mounted by sailor hat prociains her no
French woman-mur murs, "How ridicuiou ("
and releases a silvery rill of laughter. There
is a popularity in the intonation that wakes
half forgotten souvenirs.
We'll, old gal. he says, las you won't
come any higher, just hang about here while
60 eloft.n
As leant over the register noticed among |
the list Of grandees and generals with the no |
hillary particle the signature Rear Admiral
Fiapdingle." Ono of those vulgar Americans, |
| suppose Still, as l. too, mad TO climb to the |
next platform for private reasons, and there |
was but one lift--vertical now-I perforce |
woull have, to put up with his society. We
are elevated in big box fitting into a square |
cage, and hen We are about half way our |
jerky motion is arrested, and We change into |
another box which conveys us to our jour |
ney's summit. Here am quite 900 feet from |
the ground. l knit my brow, ciinch my
teeth and brace my limbs. Courage for the |
ultimate leap which is to fres ME from the |
trammels Of a selfish, deceitful generation,
the sordid Ills Of base humanity.
Horror. Wicked, malicious Ei0el. can |
not realize the ambition that fires my soul |
The upper portion Of the Enclosure Of the
platform is hedged with plates Of thick glass.
There is corkscrew staircase to the roof
which leads TO the belve.iere above Would |
it he possible, The hope is abandoned before
it Is well entertained. Banked again 1t Il
private. What shall l dos Descend and lie
down before train of the Decauville rail.
way, or drown myself iu basin Of the lumi-
nous fountainsi Suddenly am violently
slapped on the back, and breezy voice ad-
dresses ME. 1t is Rear Admiral Flapdingle.
He is aggressiveiy healthy and insultinRly
familiar.
Halo. stick in the mud, is il yourself b in
it What have you been up tot You look
white and tain, a regular church yard de-
serter-
"Ynu have the advantage of me, sir.n
mo haven's-at least have, but I sbanr
keep it hong, Look at me again.'
II fad To recognize you"
Unless I'm very much mistaken recov
aize you, Master Willie P,srcy. Do you no
ollect Dtlwichr' Il
That is my Fame. and do recollect Dull
wich, but can't bring you to mindr
"Well. you are an old duGer. Don't you
Tom Bullamyf'
1t was dear college chum who had been
my partner in a study of the uenagerie b.
hind the Greyhound, had been II J colleague
IN the lngoidsby dramatic club. my comrade
IN many a wild prank It was her brotha.
Dear mel" ! said, "how brown you have
Iott Where have you beenl haven't seem
you for ages! How are you getting orr
None better, my hearty. I've bseu at
ga, and At this present. am purssr of the
Transatlantic liner, the City Of Chicago.
But, say, l can't congratulate you on ydur
good looks You are as misera bic In the face
Is IL you were going to commit suicidA"
Tom was . rattle; and he did ratsls %,
never waiting for \ reply.
Jolly old lighthouse this-wefs q . f.
nous altitude; tbs Just Like the crows nsss
II whaler-Forth bridge bigger machine,
lhough-hAve had such . disappointment".I
], too, had my diAppointVent)-"goe ono II
he Inman naRs slowed sway in my small
.lothes- and meant to have hoisted il over
he tricolor Just for . lark - no chases,
though"
A series Of gutteral grunts rent tie air, and
ut Of the lift which succeeded ours tumhlsd
moo Of copper colored. high cheeksd
braves, contingent from the Wild wet -
,ampment
Were In luck, aid Tom. .sTh~ss Nd
Burke, Arizoua John, and bill my couscisucs!I
Rocky Bear, Lone Eye, 6csroths-wind, B,us
Rainbow, Kills EAckvard-shs vho1s hni1in'
m Ihey cams s1os With . pAI Il ufnAs