Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-08-26
EouesTRlMANlA.
Opie Read Discovers New and Dread
full Malady.
Special correspondence.l

people who ordinarily seemed not 10 !
care for the excitement of a criminal
court thronged into the room. Lem
muck was well connected. His father
had been q town marshal and at one
time had been u prominent candidatefor
constable Of the Eighteenth district
Simpson county, KY, but was defeated
by Bill S. Marcus, who just before the
election shot a mad dog and thus lifted
himself to a secure place in the aifec-
tions and gratitude Of the people.
Z. p. Lemmuck was arrested on the
charge Of stealing horse, and the evil
dence was so conclusive that the judge
offered to bet that verdict of guilty
would be rendered. just before the
charge was delivered to the jury Lem
muck asked permission to make a state
ment, and as no objections were offered
the young man arose and spoke as fol-
lows;
Il am prepared to interest if not
startle the scientific world l acknowl-
edge that l stole the horse, and 1 assert
that could not help it. Gentlemen,
am the victim of a disease which shall
term equestrimania, and with your per-
mission 1 will explain myself Several
years ago, just after 1 was graduated
from the Pennyroyal university, dis
covered one evening that a peculiar
weight had fallen upon my mind. So
far as 1 could discover, there was no
cause for such a depression.
81 was well educated, / was engaged
20 marry a lovely young woman and
had fair account with a well known
bank And above all other reasons
why should feel lightness Of heart, my
health was excellent. Yet my spirits
were heavy and / was miserable. l
consulted physician and he dismissed
me with blue pill. called on a Chris
tan Scientist and was told to believe
that was restored to gayety. But my
spirits were constantly growing heavier.
In the deepest despair went to my room
one night, and as 1 lay uponsmy uneasy
bed the thought that l was suffering for
something suddenly came to me, and
then l sought to discover what that some
thing was. 1t wasn't whisky loathed
the idea Of getting drunk. 1t wasn't
gambling, for l hated the mere sugges-
ton of chance. What could it be?
got up and walked until had worn q
path in the carpet.
Il put my brain upon the rack and
tried TO torture from it the secret of my
distress, and failing placed it in the
cradle of my fancy and sought to sooth0
it into compliance. l lay down again
and suddenly light, glaring and hor-
rible, fell upon me. And in that light
I saw the diagnosis of my disease
equestrimania. knew that relief lay
only in my stealing a horse. l had nc
need of n horse, and just at that mo-
ment l would not have given ten cent:
for Maud S, but would have risked
my life for the chance of stealing a flea
bitten colt. But did not surrender with
out struggle; was resolved to battle
against the awful appetite. The next
day l called upon the young woman
who was to be my wife.
"She complained of my indifference
toward her. Last week you were q
knight to me- she said. But now
broke in, L am day of commonplace
things Yes she replied, and why?
Because, answered, giving her an i'm
, plGring look, i must steal a horsev
shall never forget her pleading. oh, i
IS but a nightmare she cried, and
! could only gasp, 1T is any sort of I
starlight nag IF you really feel thai
You must steal horse, love- she suppl
Gated, steal mine and no harm car
, come. will swear that / gave it you.
, Nay / replied that would not be
theft, and this terrible thirst tells M
that must steal Then, if you must
she exclaimed, You no longer have
claim upon me- And so l left her
: went over into Bracken county an,
stole an old yellowish horse with har
ness marks upon him. rode him fit
I teen miles and sold him for ten dollars
81 returned home perfectly relieved
q Ny mind was clear and my appetite wa
n appreeiative. I resumed work on bool
+ l had in progress, The Ethics Of Mora
y Philosophy and found it a keen pleas
2 ure. i did not attempt to renew my OF
+ legations with the Young woman, for al
q though / was firmly resolved never t
steal again, yet l did not know bu
l. the disease might come upon me at som
i future time. Well, must have gon
! for three months before l felt the slight
: est indication of a return Of the malady
Z but one night it seized me again. l wor
I dered if l could not cool myself off b
! stealing something light. Why nc
steal cats until this awful craving shout
!. pass away2 would make the exper
;, nent.
4 Il began to steal cats, and l comics
p that my appetite was for a time al
>. peased, but after awhile 1 found ths
70 cats were not strong enough, and then
Il stole a dog. This satisfied me SOM
n what, and l went on stealing dogs fc
several days, but at last the craving fC
a something stronger came upon me wi;
, such force that was compelled to stei
i a horse. This time was arrested, an
y here / am"
y The judge in his charge to the jur
:. said that it was a very peculiar cas-
n and the jurymen agreed with him to IL
"a extent that Mr.. Lemmuck needed fiN
!, years treatment at well known inst
!, tuition. OPIE READ.
N Free Concert Dates Changed.