The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-10
RlMANlA.
Opie Read Discovers IL New and Dread
ful NIalndy.

Especial Corrcspondencc.l
CHICAGO, Aug. 25.-When Il. P. Lem
muck was brought to trial hundreds of
people who ordinarily seemed not to
care for the excitement of a criminal
court thronged into the room. Lem
muck was we'll connected. His father
had been a town marshal and at ono
time had been prominent candidate for
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 secure place i'll the nffec-
tons and gratitude of the people
t. p. Lelnmuck was arrested on the
charge of stealing n 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 state
ment, and as no objections were offered
the young man arose and spoke as fol-
lows:
II am prepared to interest if not
startlc the scientific world. l ncknowl-
edge that stole the horse, and l assert
that could not help it. Gentlemen,
am the victim of disease which shall
term equestrjnania, and with your per-
mission l will explain myself Several
years ago, just after was. graduated
from the Pennyroyal university, dis
covered one evening that peculiar
weight had fallen upon my mind. So
far as could discover, there was no
cause for such depression.
II was well educated, was engaged
to marry lovely young woman and
had fair account with we'll 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.
consulted physician and he dismissed
me with Il blue pill. I called on IL Chris
tan Scientist and was told to believe
that [ was restored to gayety. But my
spirits were constantly growing heavier,
In tho deepest despair went to my room
one night, and as lay upon my uneasy
bed the thought that was suffering for
something suddenly came to me. and
then Isought to discover what that some
thing was. 1t wasn't whisky-I loathed
the idea of getting drunk 1t wasn't
gambling, for hated the mere sugges-
ton of chance. What could it be? |
got up and walked until | had worn n
path in the carpet.
Il put my brain upon the rack and
tried to torture from it the secret of nv
distress, and failing placed it IN the
cradle of my fancy AMI sought to soothe
1t into compliance. l lay down again
SIlHIanlv ~ erl,
rlble, fell upon me. And in that light
l saw the diagnosis of my disease
equestrimania. knew that relief lay
only i'll my stealing horse. / had no
need Of horse. and inst Mt that mo-
ment l would not have given ten cents
for Maud S, but | would have risked
my life for the chance of stealing n hea
bitten colt. But did not surrender with
out struggle; was resolved to battle
against the awful appetite. The next
day ! called upon the young woman
who was TO be my wife.
She complained of my indifference
toward her. Last week you were a
knight to me, she said. But now
broke In, I am Il day of commonplace
things Yes she replied, and why?
Because answered, giving her an i'm
plGrlng look, i must steal horser
shall never forget her pleading. oh, il
IS but nightmare! she cried, and
could only gasp, 1T is any sort of a
starlight nag. If you really feel that
you must steal horse, love, she suppl
Gated, steal mine and no harm can
come. will swear that gave it You
Nay / replied, that would not be
theft, and this terrible thirst tells me
that must steal Then, if you must, ,
she exclaimed, you no longer have q
claim upon me. And so l left her.
went over into Bracken county and
stole an old yellowish horse with har-
ness marks upon him. rode him fif-
teen miles and sold him for ten dollars
IL returned home perfectly relieved
My mind was clear and my appetite was
appreciative. resumed work on book
| had in progress, The Ethics of Moral
Philosophy, and found it keen pleas
ure. did not attempt to renew my OBJ
legations with the young woman, for al
though l was firmly resolved never TO
steal again, yet l did not know but
the disease might come upon me ut some
future time. Well, must have gone
for three months before felt the slight
est indication of return of the malady,
but one night it seized me again. l Won
dered If could not cool myself off by
stealing something light. Why not
steal cats until this awful craving should