The record-union., 1892-08-05
..suicide Point, and Music,s .charms. /,

SulcluS fO1HCS ana MuS1c'S 'CnarInS.' -
EDS. REcoRD-UNIoN: Nearly every
week we are told with horror how the
waves have received in their cold en-
brace forlorn and hopeless creatures who
had rushed, with despair in their fearless
eyes, across the deck and over the rail of
some ferry boat on the bay to their death.
The mania has increased of late and Goat
Island is no longer known as the marin
er's friend, bearing upon her sturdy
rocks the lighthouse, from whose tower
the faithful fog-horn sends notes of warn
ing to guide the pilot in whose keeping
are an hundred or more souls.
1t is now called Suicide Point" A
San Francisco paper, in its comments on
what would have been double suicide
but for timely interference, says: 1t seems
to take them to Goat Island before their
minds are made up" In France they
speak of frequent occurrences OF this
kind as epidemic" When we have epi-
denies we look for the cause. Cholera
and smallpox are quarantined, and the
authorities see that sanitary laws are
complied with, which ends the matter.
Suicide is undoubtedly evidence of mania
"a disorder of the mental economy,
which may precede total arrangement if
not relieved.
The sufferer is subject of worry of
some kind; it may be money, it may be
tender sentimentality; it may be con-
| science. Be 1t from whatever cause, the
laws of nature have been broken. In
somnia, or food may have been neglected,
or hard to get, until the poor body is OK
hausted, and simply sways mechanically
| In obedience to an exaggerated will. The
| brain no longer receives a healthy supply
of blood, becomes wild, unreasonable.
desperate. an easy prey to influences. In
some cases dime novels cigarettes or
/ rintnJ1S liy-inCr lnnd a HOY IN bo
disintegration which leads up to this state
| of things. BE that as it may, the victim
is ready for the sacrifice.
! The day we will suppose to be over.
There is hurry scurry to the boat, seat
| is secured, into which the victim sinks, a
! heavy lump-oh, so tired The boat
/ steams out and the musicians string ND
| their instruments. Quiet now reigns-
/ the passengers are out Of the noise of fac
/ tories, out of the noise of trucks rafting
! over the stoneS-out of the days struggle
| for place. The rush of water through the
paddles and moment of absolute repose
| produces to q certain extent cataleptic
| state. Then over the senses the soft
| strains of the harp's cords sweep, and
arouse the latent feelings; the music vi
| brates on the nerves and sets them quiy-
/ ering. 1t talks their troubles over to
! them; memory shifts the panorama and
| brings up things it were best to forget
HdTu LUCK, HeSleCl, pON0TCy-OOQ only
! knows what.
The music goes on, whispering soft and
low, or the chords may be swept in
| heroic appeal until the already high ten
sion of the brain gives way. The boat is
! just now at Goat Island, and-over goes
the soul-sick victim. The man with big
stomach and turkey stuffed in the bag
he is holding, which is for his dinner to-
morrow, and the fat woman, with old
port oozing from her nose, will wonder
why he did it.
Fay Mills has figured on the potency of
music, else he would not hire tenor at
| large salary to sing with such studied
pathos, 1T May be for the Last Time.'
He is aware that his talk would be dry,
| indeed, bat for the 200 choristers. MIR.
Mills also dwells on the influence of the
seductive waltz, and warns his hearers
against the dance music. We also have
music in battles, and are told that the
French army, to the music OF the MAR
sellaise." will go wild and fight to the
death.
Again, we have the mothers soft