Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1905-05-04

In the unfathomable depths Of th,
cerulean spheres Of the Universe ;
When the Federal officers were tryinl
to trace up the asylum robbery theY
came across Hugh out at his brothers
In the country and thought they hat
! good witness in him. They asked
him If he knew anything about the
robbery. He said, Eyes. he was there
and knew all about IT," They asked
him II he didn't know that the cloth
ing and blankets belonged TO Uncle
Sam. He said, "yes, but Uncle Sam is
dead and left these things to Aunt
Nancy, and she divided them out
among the boys"
He usually concluded our asylum
dances with the Highland Fling
and old citizens Of Fulton will remem.
ber the perfect abandon with which
he rendered that popular Jig
DIR. Lee, Of Mexico, was another In.
teresting case. He imagined that he
was one OF the "Lindell heirs" of st.
Louis, and had been kept unlawfully
out OF his estate. In his room all
alone he would carry on many word
battle with those who had defrauded
him. He was a graceful dancer and
took great delight In our chapel
dances. With all his delusions he
could diagnose correctly case OF sick
ness, and wrote neat prescription.
Some OF the old citizens will remem-
Der Poole, an old preventative maid,
who always defended her maidenhood
with the unanswerable: "There are
more married now than is doin' we'll. y
And then she would sing these coup
lets.
II will not marry a man that is rich,
He'll get drunk and fall In the ditch,
will not marry atall, atall."
II will not marry man that is poor,
For he'll go begging from door to door,
will not mary atall, artall."
Some Of the most distressing case of
insanity, are those who harbor the de-
lusion that they have committed
the "unpardonable SIM" The danger
in most Of these cases is that they may
commit suicide. You cannot reason
them out the delusion, and 1t is use
less to try. The only course to pursue
with them is to dirert their minds
from this subject In every way posi-
BILE. A number of cases of suicide fell
under my observation during my con-
nection with the asylum. 1t is aston
ishing with what perslstency and
intelligent cunning they will strive to
accomplish their purpose. knew of
several cases found dead, suspended by
the neck with their feet on the floor,
In position that they could readily
have relieved themselves.
One case l remember accomplished
his purpose, choking himself by SIM
ply bearing down on cord thrown
over low bed rail not over two feet
from the floor. 1t seemed strange that
he would not have involuntarily
shifted the position of his body for re-
lief. I knew one woman to disem-
bowel herself with sharp piece Of
glass, self torture that would seem
absolutely impossible to endure. 1
knew another to climb up on top of a
door and fall to the floor, trying thus
to break her neck. But perhaps l do
wrong to refer to these narrowing in
cidents- The most beautiful girl In
the asylum was Miss Sarah Mallory, Of
Howard county, who had most
pathetic history. Her wedding day
was fixed and every preparation made
for a joyous occasion. The day ar
rived, the company assembled, but the
groom did not appear. 1t was heart
less and cruel deception, and the re.
suit was the dethronement Of reason
and a life long insanity. But the
heartless wretch paid the penalty.
After several years he too became
hopelessly insane. whatsoever a
man soweth, that shall he also reap"
Another beautiful aud interesting
girl was Miss Fannie Klrtley, who
will be remembered by some of my
Audrain readers. Mr.. Kirtley was a
relative of DIR. Smith, and his devo-
tion to his daughter was beautiful, as
shown in his frequent visits to her at
the asylum. AS l have been writing,
name after name, and face after face,
Of these long ago friends, have come
back in memory and 1t is with diff
Guilty that / cease the record, Some
Of my happlest years were spent in
this asylum life, and some OF my hap
piest anticipations are those Of re-
union, bye and bye, with these loved
ones / so fondly remember. There
will be no insanity in Heaven.
voluntarily resigned my position,
with good salary to take charge of a
| OOiiOkC Aoh 1Oube iodiCoi ehC AlOob VI
ing and difficult position any man ever
undertook. was compelled some
times to tell the young ladies OF How
ard Payle College that they gave me
far more trouble than the patients Of
the lunatic asylum. AS a matter OF
fact am sure that l should not so
soon have become gray, had remained
in the asylum, instead OF taking up
this difficult work. And yet l must
not be misunderstood. No man can
have higher appreciation Of the i'm.
portance OF educating young ladies
than l, and l trust the best years Of
my life where given to this work. Still
my final word on this subject shall be:
81 am in favor Of co-education, and
unmatterably opposed to the separate
education OF our young men and wo-
men," ! have been forced TO this posi-.
| tlun against my strongest preiudices.