The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-12

4
the apology of the man who has
| "giimpsed over the dictionary and
having, or thinking that he has, some
thing to say and wants the World--if
/ may coin IL phrase, | would herewith
| submit 4 few remarks of superficial
| character upon the alerady staked off
but by no means pre-empted field of
the "to-maniaCs
"To-mana," as it seems TO me, is
at once a boon to mankind and in its
| evolution a manifestation of genius.
AS l use the word it is that subtle
SCIENCE which we all believe in because
be cannot understand it, which gives
the lie to the old and stupid standards
OF right and wrong and saves from
humiliation and discomfort many a
bright young man ana simple young
Chit of Womlnkind VINO, judged BY or
binary standards, has slipped a notch
too fa, OH the slide towards the mysti-
cal Avernus; but who, in the light of
science-Which laymen must perforcc
accept or plead To Grass ignorance
are unfortunate, If for a time. much
dclectated invalids. | have selected
this word to ease my conscience as 10
the proper designation of a class for
the reason that during it's develop
ment in the fin de steele days OF the
last century, the generic term first
arose in the specialized world of KEEP
tomania," which it was discovered on
q time was q fit ard proper defense fer
Il lady who was fooled about the town
In a brougham dressed appropriately
in carriage blue" and addicted TO the
habit of "sampling stock with an eye
single to acquisition rather than
simple fixing of quality and values. In
it's essence the proposition that the
lady with tho accommodating shoe~hook
up the puff sleeve Of her was, as II
were. merely suffering from q cold IN
/ the head WIS orc to Ear the SrsCeD,
tibilities and titillate the merry mus
cleS OF a not overly reverenttn people.
And il is for that reason that it be-
hooveS us to search out and erect n
monument to the genius who. first dis
covering the disease, had the tcmcrity
and the serious purpose and belief TO
so force 1t upon the minds Of the peo-
pic as to break q way through preju-
dice and skepticism and compel the
recognition of Il strange and iCono-
iclastic doctrine. The first original
professor of to-mania served to the
| world a salVe for conscientitiS for which
he will be ever faithfully revered
though his name remain unknown by
q generations of people who in moments
! Of weakness had no where to travel
save 10 the inhosiptable shores of thf
land Of unproductive remorse-but
who can now depart, smiling with
self pity and with the sympathy and
aid of friends rather cnviouS than
| Otherwise Of the distinctions, to q
special sanitarium--with all modern
appointments and amusements-for the
cure Of their OWE particular brand of
genteel disease.
Nothing ir the above must be con-
strued IS being Indicative of levty
or doubt az To tae reality OF The
| discovery alluded to. The woods are
fun Of to-maliacs. One meets them
On every hand and in all walks ana
conditions of life. They are Of an in
Il finite variety: and new species of The
I general disease are of daily discovery
There are now besides the klepto, the
dispo the iie-o, the hCrr-O, the klii-o,
the dry-o. the veto. the wed-o, the
yambell-o, the iiimflam-o, the googOo-
lcve-o and divisions and sub divisions
too numerous fat to retail elsewhere
than in the standard periodical OF the
society Of alieniStS. All IRE manlacs
Iicyond q doubt and the curious quail
ity OF the disease is this: that is in
/ contrac ted in the ecstacy of joy OF the
! desire Of gain and ii runs course That
is unobselyed aud harmless 10
the patient, until the day that the bit
ten bites. In that day, with the law
rampant at the heels of the sufferer
ilnS DTuldi anu ui~SNNihP '@-N' 49, y
comes in the evidence of Il doctor or
spccialist of the new school, and wise
attorneys who, pleading to the truth
Of the indictment, put in the bar OF me
particular "to-mania" involved ana the
prisoner becomes in Il breath an N
valid with an interest
When one thinks of the thousands
who in an uninlightened age, progtes-
siNc in disease beyond their time, have
been thrown into cells and exported
from their native lands and hung as
thigh on the gallowS as he who dared
10 fout the modest sitter ut his gates,
the thought is an appalling one. one
shuddcrS to think of the sacrlnce
through the ages Of simple beings SUIT
ferinS from tO-mania hustled away
from home and country and even into
la iudiciaily determined hell from the
Grass ignorance cr the times III which
they were so unfortunate as to be born.
Ii IS almost as one thinks OF the thous-
lands Of victims Of cramp-collc SUI
fering from appendicitis VINO, despite
the Stl enuous application OF jamaica
ginger spCad their silent wings for the
uHkncw, victims Of an organ ana q
matady net even limited Ut III that
splendid qualifications Of two genera
tons agone "Simplc Home remedies
or Every Man His Own Doctor"
Nothing of good comes to Il permanent
iife-V&lue except through the tr2Nail
of the ages: bafiicd hopes of the past
land gal,ze-like dreams that made rest
less the forgotten beds III tAe womb
Of time crystalline with the ages into
the slot-machnc comforts of the pres
Ficnt day; and mania so long mis-
. understood, 50 long malignej, nil.
lion times a martyr TO its prccocity,
, has come at last into its own has
achieved at length the recognition to
which it has earned by years of PEI
secution and suffering ana practice.
He is indeed poor man who some
where's in the discoucerting sanity OF
: his composition, cannot in the time OF
trial anG tribulation tiId in his brain
crack i'll which if he get the proper
expert, may not be found the to-man
to fit the case.
And the serious economic question
involved Is just that | will leave il to
! IA thoughtful and honest individual in
trospection il each one of YOU has not
tsomouhere his to-man. That bein'
IL. x.-ta, Iri.s