The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-19

Become a Monomaniao and Muir
derer.
From the Pittsburg Chronicle-Telegraph phi.
ut is the easiest thing in the world to
become a crank" said a well-known
Pittsburg attorney to a reporter last
night. Il know perfectly level-headed
business man here who started with S.
bill and in four years would have killed
an army to get 100000, which he said
was his by right, but which existed only
in his own warped imagination. If he
had the means now he would search out
the people who have kept their money
from him, and it would go mighty hard
with them, for he is cranky
enough to weep for the moon
saw the first sprouting of the disease,
watched il grow, but was powerless to
check it.
Five or six years ago, in the fall he
bought a lottery ticket issued by some
small southern republic. The prize was a
big one, and occasionally in the interval
between the purchase of the ticket and
the drawing my friend would chuckle at
the fun he would have if he got anything
out Of it. He did not, but what was
worse than if he had, his number was
OLlly OlAC liE VI = OAl q DlE pIlGG. no uElGQ
again, of course, and strange as it may
seem, he appeared to figure on success in
his second attempt because of his prox-
unity to luck in the first instance. He
now began to definitely but still laugh
ingly say what he would purchase where
he would go, and how he would spend the
money If he got it. But it did not come.
With surprising perseverance he put up
another IS for a ticket, arguing that as
10 do Of bo 4 ~, II
he was bound to get something this time
He showed me the diamonds that were in
tended for his sweetheart in the old
country, but these gems, alas were still
in a store window. There were dresses
and clothing, jewelry and knick- knacks
of all kinds that he had his eye on, all to
be his-when he got the prize. He still
smiled apollogetically as he pointed out
these things to me, as if excusing himself
for being so foolish. But gradually he
got these ideas in his head and lived
only in the land of dreams, dreams that
would be real, however, when he got that
money.
but his colossal luck, as he fondly
termed it, was always against him. and the
dreams remained impalpable. He never
gave up sending money regularly, and be-
gan to get taciturn and sour when the
subject was lightly referred to by me.
His belief in his. luck grew fanatical al
most, and his business began to fall off as
he went further and further to the land
of dreams. He avoided the subject when
it was preached to him. but sometimes re-
ferred to it himself. The diamonds were
his now, only he was waiting until he got
| the money. 1t was certain to come next
time, and then that cloak and that vase
were his. What time he would have
when he went home! He knew just the
house he would buy if his sweetheart
liked it, too. 1t was strange these people
who ran the business did not see that his
| number ought to win. His colossal luck
would pull him through, though, in spite
! of all Oh, yes, he would let them see
! how TO do it when he got the money. He
| would make a splurge.
cover two years were required to get
| the victim TO this stage, and then his
| rapid descent began. Once over tho
| brow of the hill, the rest was easy. He
| was still keen enough at business when
| he would attend,to it, but the cobwebs OF
! a delusive fortune clogged up his brain
! On all other subjects he was sane enough
| Shortly after this he gave me a fright
| shall never forget He and party Of Us
| were sitting in the Vestible of a hotel
/ chatting, after dinner. There was moth
| ing but politics in the conversation, wher
/ suddenly the crank laughed in the most
| inoppOrtune and, to me lwho knew HIM
! blood-curdling fashion. He was thinkine
| of that fortune, and the company he was
| with was furthest from his thoughts
| Soon afterwards he began to make com
! plants to friends in confidence. He was
badly treated. People were scheming to
keep him out of money But he knew
them, and he would get even some day
! Several of his friends believed him. sympa,
thized with him, and fed the fire that was
| burning away his brain. Latterly he COM
planned to the police. Men were watch
ing him, he said. They were scheming to
get him out Of the way for a fortune that
was his by right. The police saw what
was the matter at once and got him
quieted, and on to the other topics He was
tolerably well connected or he might
have been confined at this stage Now
his business is ruined, anG he ekes out a
livelihood until such time as he can get
that lottery prize, Occasionally he still
sends money for a ticket when he has
enough to spare. But he is too sour to do
much of that even. He has paid enough,
he thinks, and the prize is his.
IF by any chance the fancy got into
his mind, he might shoot the jeweler. in
whose store he first fancied those dia-
monds. The lottery officials and the DO
lice are bitter enemies of his, who have
defrauded him, he thinks 1t would 20
hard with them, too, if his cranxiuess
took that trend, and it might any day
Just give a man an imagination. inclina-
tiOn to give it rein, and a mind that will
feed on dreams, and, as I said at the first
it's the easiest thing in the world TO be-
come a crank
Queen Victoria has ffty.fve dogs of