Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-07-22
ORIGIN OF THE
SUICIDE NINE.
[Original.1

| had tramped all over Colorado with
pick and shovel and hadn't taken out
any more paying dirt than would keep
body and soul from flying apart. One
time l was working hole by myself
and camping alone on Clear creek.
was sitting at night in my tent was
only staying temporarily-reading some
old letters by the light Of candle for
the want of something better to pass
the time till l turned in, when sud
denly l looked up to see the most for
lorn face, the most detected pair of
eyes, looking straight at me out Of the
darkness. / started as though I'd seen
ghost. When l determined it was
only a man, and an inoffensive man at
that, swore at him for startling me.
stranger" he said, "can you lend
me something to blow my brains out
within
IN blow 'em out for you," answer
ed sharply, IF you don't quit looking
at me that way"
1--WE been prospecting without find
ing anything till I'm dead tired of the
business. I've got a family in the east
that's depending on me, and | haven't
anything to send 'em. The wifes sick,
and they're about to be fired from the
hut they're in. Say, stranger, lend me
your gun"
See here, my friend, I'm pretty
hard up myself. If lend you my gun,
1t will be useless without a cartridge.
Now, don't see any use wasting am
munition that way. Just you wait a
minute and I'll think up way for
you to get rid Of yourself without cost
ing anything. l have it. You keep
right on. Dye see the north star up
there? Well, you follow that star for
about mile and you'll walk off cliff
into an abyss 500 feet deep There are
rocks below-pointed rocks-and they'll
make mince meat of you"
Much obliged" the strange man an
swered. "Pll do it, Any way to end
this torture. How far did you say it
is"
Just mile. You cross a rise in the
ground, then walk on level till you
come to sort Of ravine. Cross the IA
vine, count about hundred steps, and
you'll be right on the brink of the
precipice."
much obliged to you, stranger /
reckon I'll find it,"
"You can't miss 1t. 1t extends ten
miles to your right and FIVE to your
left straight across your path. Keep
looking up at the north star, and you
won't know when you get to it."
There wasn't any use Of his looking
up to avoid seeing the gulf, for the di-
vide was high on either hand, shutting
out so much sky that nobody could see
two steps ahead. He went on, after
thanking me again for putting him ON
to such an economical way of killing
himself, and started in once more on
my letters. / was thinking of getting
into my blankets when the fellow
came back
whats the matter? said. didn't
you come to it,"
well, yes" he said. Il came to it
all right. / crossed the rise and the
ravine, then counted my steps till they
numbered ninety-fve. Then / thought
I'd like to see how near the gulf was,
SO l took match out of my pocket
and struck it. There, not ten steps
from me, was the great black dark
ness, and knew l was right on to it.
Somehow it scared me-"
'You shouldn't have lit the match"
said. "You should have walked right
OF the cliff without knowing where
you were going to fall. You've spoiled
the whole business"
Il reckon I'd rather do the job with
gun. I've got something here that's
worth dozen cartridges" And he
handed out little brown stone.
What do you meanY' / asked.
well, the match lit shone Oh some.
thing bright. / picked up this stone
and saw that the flame was shining Oh
particles of gold"
/ moved the stone about in the light
of the candle. and it sparkled from
various parts.
See here" l said to the stranger
You turn in here with me, and tomor
row We'll so down and hunt for more
of this. Maybe we can find the place"
It's right on the edge Of the gulf"
Rats. There isn't any gulf I knew
you wouldn't walk into it anyway.
Only lunatics choose horrible deaths.
and ! saw by your eye that you were
not lunatic. You're only discouraged.
The abyss you saw was created by
your Imagination"
l gave him something to eat and
couple of my blankets. He was tired
out and slept soundly till morning,
when put some bacon, hard tack and
a tin cup full Of coffee into him. Then