The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-02-16

/ bad hit upon the plan of throwing myself Of
the top platform of the loftiest structure in
the nation That would be something unique.
my body would be $40 disii-ured by the fail
that Identification would impossible; death
would Doe instantancous-alm0s painless. J
/ calculated That tAe breath would have left
me before ] touched the soil.
This cold, almost mathematical, weighing
+ Of the circumstances of my proposed dissolu-
ton may strike the reader MS unnatural ]
assure Dim 30 is not So There is method iu
madness. and the suicide is under the spell of
q very terrible form of mania. The suicide
should not De abhorrcl as q criminal but
c0mpassionaiel 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 bis dishonored corpse At least l
Shall Doe spared ,hat iudguity had thought
over these things as / purchased my ticket,
waited my turn, stepped into the lift, and
giidel up the inclined plane to the first plat
form.
How spacious and beautiful the view from
this vantage pointl What diversified chart
of city and country beneath, watered by
meandcrng Seine, and ringcd by such
framework OF bin and grove, field and vine
yarll This earth, after all, is fair 10 gaze
upon. and would be toicrablc 20 exist in. if
one were only happy How fresh the airl
There Is almost an exliarati0n ia breathing
it Bnt must not falier / should be above
these weasuosts. The die is cast. / have
burned my boats l cannot go back from my
resolution My tongue is hot, my palate
parched. ann thirsty There arc four res
taurants here; q Russ.au-l don't like Rus-
slams; a lemisl-ugh they are coarse,
Brebants-too dear, anc even would De sui-
cides must be economic; Sp.ers and Ponds
Chat is more like homo; and as this is 70 be
my last drink ON this sub.unar sphere. let DO
Oe an English ono drawn by English hands,
How The glass of cool, bitter ale sparkle. as
held 90 The light. how tempting when tho
clear amber Of the liquid reveals itself trans
parent and how attractive the manthng
crown of beady ioaml
must buy ticket FOR the ascension o. the
second platform. for $50 mount by stages.
Singular that when such observations should
m0mentariIy have less hold upon my interest
remark that this liff is upon the hydraulic
principle This second platform is nigh 400
feet above the level Of the Champ de Mars.
the view is wider bat less animated, tho
streets merge, the river is slender. sinu0us
tape, The hills laties out, the palace Of Yer
sliIlos peeps from behind curtain off vcr-
dure There is the inevitable luncheon bar
here-how gross mortals viii g0rge.-nOt far
from it the Office of the aerial Figaro a SUM
burnt broad shollered young fellow with
curly black hair is writing hs name on the
register of those vino have esceude.l thus far,
Kept by tue newspaper people. a., DE finishes
with "a flourish and q laugh. an elegantly pro-
plrti0ncl girl beside him-her dress OF blue
serge. trimmed with white cashmere and sur
mounted hy q sailo- hat pr0ciaims her DO
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. GLOW rIlicu0usl
and releases slyory rib Of laughter There
isa popularity in the ntonaton that wakes
half forgotten souvenirs.
SWELL old eal,' be says, "as you won't
come amy higher, just hang about here whIo
go alolt."
As leant over tAe register noticed among
the l.st Of craudees and generals with the no.
hillary particle the signature Rear Admiral
Fiapdngle" One of those vulgar Americans.
I suppose. Still, as I, too. bad TO climb % the .
next platform for private reasons, and there
ua5 bat one lIt-veriical now periorc8
would have 90 pat up with his society We
are elevated in big box fitting into a square /
cage. and when ue arc about half way. our
iarsy motion is arrested and wo change into /
another box which conveys us 60 our Jour F.
neys summit Here ] am quite 900 feet lrom
tho ground knit ny brow, clinch my
,leiA and brace my limbs. Courage for the /
ultimate leap which is TO FREQ me from tho
immmes of "a selfish. dcceitful generation.
the sordid lbs OF base humanity.
Horror! Wicket, malicious EGel. can.
uotreahlo the ambition that Gres mv soul.
The upper portion of the inciosure of tho
platform is Aedged with pilates of thick glass.
There is "a corsscrcw staircase t0 the roof
which leads 10 The hclyodere above Would
it be posslbiei Tho hope is abandoned before
10 is well entertained Banked again. lti
private. What shsll dor Descend and Ito
down before train Of the Decauville rail
way, or drown myself in a basin of the lumi-
nous f0uniansi Suddenly am violently
slapped on the back, and a breezy voice adj
dresses me. IL is Rear Admiral Fiapdincie
Ae is asgrcssivcly healthy and insutingly
familiar
Halo! stick in the mud, is it yourself is IN
it What have you been up tol You look
white and thin, regular church yard dc.
sortcr"
"You have the advantage Of me, sirn
"No / havcnf-at least have. but shan't
keep 10 long, look az ms q gain"
81 fail Co recognize you.n
"Inlcss I'm very much mistaken / recoc.
niz' yoa, Master Willie Percy. Do you rec
ollect DulwiclN
That is nay name, and do recollect Dull
"ica, but ] can't bring you 20 mind
" eA' yon are an Old duiler! Don't you
remember Tom Bu.lumyT
10 was dear college chum who had been
my partner Do q study Of the menagerie be-
hnd the Greyhound, had been H. COLLEAGUE
in the lngoldsDy dramatic club. my comrade
in many Wild prank 10 was her brother.
Dear mo!' said, show brown YOU have
gotl Where have you becni ! haven't seen
You for agcsl How arc you getting onr
Mono better, my hearty. I've been at
sea, and at this present am pursor Of the
Transatlantic liner, tho City Of Chicago
Eat, say, / can't congratulate YOU ON your 4
good looks. You are as miserable ia the face
as IL you were going TO commit suicide"
Iom was rattle, and he did rattle on.
never waiting for reply.
Jolly old Lighthouse tls-we're at a IA
nous altitude; lis just like the crows nest
ot whalcr-Forth bridge a bigger machine.
.houSh-llaye bad such disappoin.mentr- !
4, too, had my disappo.ntmenU-''r one Of ,
me inman flags slowed away in my small +
Hotties, and meant 10 have hoisied it over ,
he iricolor just for lark - no chance. ;
houghn
4 sr@of gutteral grunts rent the air. and
mo OF the lift which succeeded ours tumbled i
mob OF copper colored, high checked a
raves, a contingent from the Wild west en- f
ampment
We're In luck, said Tom There's Mai q
'urke, Arizona John, and bill my consciencel n
.ocky Bear. Lone Eve. Scares -tho-wiud Blua u