Alaska sentinel., 1907-02-21

The woman who put so small an esti- mate upon the value of her life as to commit suicide because she could not secure a servant girl is by no means an isolated type. One who pays any attention at all to the reports of the cases of self-destruction soon discovers that suicide Is likely to be attempted for the most trivial reasons. Some of the cases are easily explainable on the theory of insanity. Probably all in- stances should be accounted for in that way, for It is hardly conceivable that any one In normal mental condition would deliberately end life. The little girl of 12 years who was tired of he illustrates the peculiarities of suicide. It Is hard to imagine what reason for self-destruction could have affected child of such age. An old man or wom- an, worn out by the burden of years, sick and helpless, might think 1t kindness to relatives and friends to put themselves out of the way. But the instance of the little girl indicates that It Is impossible to make rules for suicide. The most unlikely reasons are liable to appear for self-destruction. An article describing odd reasons for sui eide mentions a man iu Pottsville, Pa, who cut his throat because his wife did not furnish him with onions for dinner. A farmer In Maine bought new har-
 I prt- sn Ia satisfaction he picked 1t up and ran to a brook near by. With the weight upon his shoulders, it was easy for him to drown when he jumped in. A pretty blonde h a Pennsylvania town killed herself because her sweetheart did not call on her at the time appointed. A Los Angeles girl shot herself because she gained too much weight to suit her. A Pennsylvania boy, who was the only one of his sex In the graduating class of the high school, loaded his pockets with fatirons and stones and drowned himself, because he was too bashful to speak with six girl members of his class A Pittsburg wife swallowed carbolic acid because she feared her husband was not suited with her poor cooking. Another newspaper, review. ing fifty recent cases of suicide, men, tons as motives for self-destruction approaching marriage of a son. jilting because of a hunchback, suspension from school, fear of trial for arson. dread of an operation for appendicitis, death of sister, loss of property in the San Francisco earthquake, suicide of a daughter, loss of fortune and ridi. cule. taunts of companions, regret at having married. inability to quit drink ing, fear of carbuncles. fear of hydro phobia, losses at gambling, discontent because hair was turning gray. Three cases were explained because the vic. tins were out of work, one because no work could be obtained, and one because a boy of II was tired of work. Sometimes 1t seems as If there was great carelessness about human life in America. Thousands view the burning of a negro at the stake with no com. junction. Murderers fill the jails be- cause of the lack of prosecution and punishment. And these strange and foolish reasons for self-destruction only emphasize the same thing. Life Is counted of slight value by thousands of people. Such a state of affairs Is not creditable to modern civilization. That the number of suicides Is steadi. ly increasing does not seem reassur. Ing, either.