Washington sentinel., 1899-06-10
Eccentric Acts Caused by Worry
CasssRs Sak1yday L9nynaL

the other DAY an unfortunate man.
who had TOR some time been in
financial difficulties, began to sur
prise his friends by bringing home
all sorts Of costly articles. In an
airy, off hand manner he explained
that the things had been given to
him, he had picked them up
cheap" or was merely minding
them for their real owners. Soon
the truth came out. He had been
so long worrying over money mat
ters and watching every penny that
in one particular direction he had
gone out of his mind. Nothing
seemed to ease him but to be con-
tinually ordering goods Of all sorts,
and 1t was discovered that he had
given big special orders to manu-
lecturers OF all kinds, some Of these
running into hundreds of pounds.
Kleptomania, or, more correctly
speaking, a sudden liability to be
tempted to steal, is frequently the
result Of mental strain. One lady,
having a son who had got into a
serious scrape, was caught in the
act Of secreting articles under her
cape, stolen from a counter in big
establishment. Her own carriage
was actually waiting at the door
for her, and it was proved that she
had a large private income. An.
other, a young lady, disappointed
in love. took to the excitement Of
stealing to, as it were, relieve her
mind. So bold and daring were
her operations that il was some
time ere she was discovered when
scores OF pounds worth Of goods
were found stored away in a cup
board in her iather's house.
1t is a curious fact that persons
subjected to a long period oiworrv
very frequently form some little
restless, nervous habit that is hard
to get out OF. One man, placed on
trial tor some alleged crime, pulled
out, hair by hair, nearly the whole
of his beard ere the proceedings
terminated. A trick OF biting the
nails will be thus sometimes deVel-
oped; whilst a female criminal in
one instance caused a severe
wound in her face by persistently
her cheek over the cheek
bone as her elbow rested on the
rail Of the dock.
Worried out Of his mind by a
pending investigation OF his ac-
counts, cashier, who had taken
his books to his private residence,
thought he saw his way out of the
trouble. He set fire to his resi-
dence, so that the volumes should
be destroyed. When the conf1a-
grafton began to roar and rage,
however, he came to his senses,
but perished in the flames in an
attempt to save his family.
Not once, but many times, have
innocent men, while crossing the
seas to meet some accusation,
jumped into the sea in mid ocean,
and never been seen again. One,
though in no way guilty OF a charge
brought against him, suddenly
gave way to the idea that he would
be sent to prison for a long term.
"I shall never live through it, said
he, and, as he imagined he would
have no further use for his worldly
possessions, he gave away every
thing he had. He came to his
senses when he found himself ac-
quitted-and penniless.
a terrible tragedy arose once
from a trihing cause. Two men
were neIghbors on the same floor
OF fiat. One had, away in the
a sick wife. On her re
rested his every happiness
in life. One night, as he sat in his
room thinking over the contents
o. letter which intimated that his
wife was not so well, his neighbor
home from a days holi-
day whistling and singing. A wave
Of hatred swept over the sorro wing
husband, hatred Of fate that de-
creed that only a thin wall should
separate JOY and abject misery.
He rushed like a madman from his
room, and hurled the other to the
stone courtyard far down below.
The reaction caused by the re-
noval Of some long standing worry
may also prompt some, at least,
eccentric acts. Winning a law suit
hat meant fortune or ruin to him,
IN individual, quite demented with |
oy, tore of to police station and |
legged to be locked up "for
afety." As the oficer-did not at |
,nct march him off to. the cells, the
xcited applicant ran out into the
treet and began to violently shake
n inoftensive passer by. Then
lis request was smartly complied
With.
Or ~ o ~ ~ --:-, -''-i- r,--'-ri~ -
bankrupt, whose fail
ire was not his own fault, did not
,ut in an appearance. He had
disappeared from home, and fears
we're at first entertained lest he
hould have committed suicide.
he police, however, few DAYS |
tterwards, found him tramping
a country town, wearing
n his feet the remains oi what had
nee been house slippers. The
lea had suddenly come to him,
hen sitting at home brooding
YER his mistortunes, that by going
n a walking tour he might escape
Irther trouble. There and then
e set out, with little money and
D suitable clothes.
A schOolmaster who had right
lily corrected a pupil was sum
oned by the lads father Tor an
ssault on his son. The idea Of
, tyiu ~ 70 Iats, 4 !, ;- d, -ts,,., =, .-.... \