The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-05
GREAT LIGHT ON A THEORY.
Tho Doctor Comes TO the Assistance OF n
COMMEMORATIVE Man.

| The Doctor Comes TO the Assistance OF n
Contcmpintive Man.
do you suppose. Doctor" said q man with
| eyeglasses and q contemplative air to his
neighbor in Broadway car a few days ago.
do you suppose that cpidemics Of ILL nature
strike communities n. intervals?'
'Epidemics OF Immature ?" repeated the one
addressed Never heard OF such n thing"
Il thought" continued the first speaker.
| that in the intervals when you were not
| actively engaged In poisoning your fellow mon
| according to the most modern and scientific
methods. perhaps you might have made some
| study Of the curious cyclones Of mania tina.
sweep over tho world"
"Oh. that's what you mean. is it," returned
| the Doctor. "Of course | know that murders
, and suicides like misfortunes. rarely como
singly. One murder suggests another. as in
the case OF the crank who shot Carter Harri-
son and thereby inspired dozens OF other
cranks all over tho country to attempt to kill
people who they fancied had wronged them.
Then there was an era OF suicide not long ago
probably the after effect OF the grip. Every
physician knows about those things"
Just So" replied the contemplative man.
well now, I've got a theory that ut certain
times perfect storm cloud OF ill-naturc sur.
Illness. and quick temper settles over a COM
munity and exercises its baleful nfluenc &c for
days at u time. We are In the midst OF one
now. l haven't been to place for a week
where people have been gathered together
but what l noticed it. Usually New Workers
are good natuIed. but now it's n case OF hands
of. At political meeting a short time ago.
where crowd was pushing into a hall for
places heard nothing but grnmblng. grow-
ing. and profanity. and there were no less
mosphere was surcharged with ll-tempar.
Then I've noticed that in street cars and
another where usually not hing would be said
OF late the man who is run into turns savage
and snaps a. the other as il he would hit him
ence. | was In a car the other day whore men
were standing IN the ais!s; and when q seat
standing men on the arm to call his attention
to the seat Instead Of than King me. Returned
fled Idiot. was philosopher enough to set it
down own to surliness and so said n9thng."
grin 8 the other finished Calculating his the
DRY. Where did you say you touched the
man p he asked.
well. you're lucky that you didn't get worse
treatment than being called, an idiot: Your
way as an explanation: but it doesn't get to
rock bottom. You may have read in the news-
Been sS N! %os'2s
Gently rnccinated man is ll-natured in one
PPrGua sps and 5nrs The where
rect him to he joyful in a crowd where
his tender spot is being touched on
every minute. neither can you with Justice
demand that he appear urhane and polished
when some stranger pokes an Unnecessary
finger into sore some degrees more sensitive
than a boil Afterths small. pox scare is over
II you hear OF any more epidemics of Immature
let me know. In the mean time. 20 and get
-" m ah. perhaps there's something in that.
Here's my, corner" and the contemplatve
man with the theory went down the aisle in
two steps and Jostled the conductor on tho
platform: And the conductor seized himself
~ tho Iett arm. gazed wrnthfully after tho
all he said either.