The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-03


pect you TO do SC
Il felt somewh at nettled al this and
doubtless I looked IL. Leighton rose from
his chair and trOtted rather than walked
over 10 where ! sat, and placed his hand
impTessivoly on my SHOULDER.
Don't be angry. ola fellow" he said
slowly ana ln a low voice We We're
schoolmates together and old friends. you
and !, and it is as a friend that ] came TO
you to-lay ] am at this moment per-
fectly sane, and ] want plain answer
from one Gld-fearing man 20 a plain
it,
d" Proceed
Feeling as ] fell, possessed as 7 am
of this devil Of murder shall be justified
! before God in taking my own life? VIII
it be a dealy SIN for me 10 do FOR myself
what I would do TO a mad dogg
1T was an awful question and il struck
me dumb. 1 shah never forget that mo-
ment, for il was The most impressive or
my entire life The twilight was upon
! us and the pale. hagEard face of the man
as he stood above me awaiting nay answer.
appeared TO belong 10 the denizen of an
OTher world.
Il rose to my feet and paced up and
down the room. What should I say?
An answer ia the negative might make
ME an accomplish in the murder OF an
INNOCENT girl; in the affirmative a party
TO me suicide Of a dear old friend The
responsibility was too great more than
the closest friendship could fairly de-
mand. stopped I'm front Of my ques ton
er and told him so.
'frue,' he responded calmly, you are
right, Morton. II is a matter I must re-
solve for myself. Forgive me for disturb
ing you anJ-farewel.
" Wait moment said I, for his tone
and manner clearly mirrored his pur-
pose Promise me tin tomorrow to think
it over
" Tomorrow may be too late The
craving may come upon me at any mo-
ment.
. Then remain here with me. I'm not
afraid. You won't hurt me-
4 would try very hard not to do so
Morton, butt dare not trust myself
'Tut' l responded lightly, assuming
a carelesa1ess l scarcely felt, III trust
you But al the same time I'll be very
watchful. Are you armed?'
No he replied, with a slight shud-
der, not now
q" And III see to Il that YOU won't he
shall carry my pistol. and what's more
on the first indication of homicidal mania
on your part, give you my word that /
shall fire.
This said to satisfy the poor fellow
and it succeeded
DO! he said earnestly
Presently dinner was announced and
we sat down to il. We got to TALKING OF
old sehoolboy days and my Communion
became quite cheerful. Then we chatted
about the war, and this led up to the
subject Of his wound. 1 got him to des
cribe the first sensations of pain in his
mead ana TO repeat In substance what the
different doctors had said concerning it,
j happened to have a strong prepare
ton Of hasheesh at hand, and a long about
. o'clock | gave him dose. Then. while
ne was under its influence, I carefully ex-
amlned his head i had this advantage
over previous doctors. that his head was
now but skin and bone. In a little while I
felt slight twitching a sort of abnormal
pulsation, about two inches above the LEFT
ear. What could 1t mean? 1t might be
merely affection of the nerves. or n
might be caused by the undiscovered bull
| let.
I then set my mind TO work and
| thought the whole case over steadily. In
/ the first place was that Impulse to take
! human life, of which my poor friend had
spoken, really uncontrollable2 Suppose
Tor example, he were 10 go one day to
| that young lady's home for the eNpress
purpose Of shooting her, would he ac-
/ complish the act? To say that the insane
mind never changes its design, or turns
/ from the completion of it's purpose. is
/ simply to say that the insane mind is
/ stronger than the sane.
on the other hand, my poor friend
/ believed the impulse to be uncontrolla-
BILE, and therefore as far as any reaction
upon himself was concerned. it was prac-
| tieally so; for he was satisfied in his own
mind that the sacrificing of his own life
was the only way to save the life of an
other
Again, possibly his story was a mere
pretence to excuse the commission of
a. 81
the subjects Of manias, and its victims
nave been known to proceed TO any ex-
| IRENE In their attempts TO Justify their
/ self murder to those they leave behind
Opposed to this idea, however was the
fact that the victim of suicidal mania
rarely speaks directly of suicide. his at
tempted Qualifications being usually found
in posthumous documents.
These and many other thoughts of
a similar character passed through nv
mind, and, finally led me to three CON
illusions, viz: His impulse is real and will
have fatal results. He is not laboring
under suicidal mania. Confinement in an
asylum would have no curative effect.
Then l took down my books bearing
on the anatomy of the head. and studied
them carefully till long past midnight.
Next morning after breakfast was over.
leighton looked across at me inouir-
ingly. Weir he sasd, with apparent
calmness, What 90 you say?'
Before 1 answer you as to whether
you would be justified before God. under
the impulse you have told me of, in tax
ing your own life to save that of another
you must answer me several questions
F." Certainly he responded.
When you consulted those doctors
did you tell them all that you have told
me?'
q" I did not dare. I told them I had
horrible thoughts and cravings, but
did not enter into details. though / told
one that I feared that I was becoming
dangerous. and the fool smiled
" Did they ever speak of searching
for the bullet?
" Yes, they said it might be the cause
of my sufferings, supposing it had lodged
near the brain, but no one would take the
responsibility of searching for it, in the
dark, so to speak
They were right, the operation might
kill you, and the bullet not be found
after all
Leighton looked up. The duh detected
expression left his face and he gazed at
me with eagerness.
And even II it were found contin-
ued, Its extraction might cause your