Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1827-06-05
iAlscesIaaeoms Department..
a LIFE OF TRIALS

isl ha
eurea and to be enjoyed and have been early taught
'ha nus wo ld is not my home, is my Canaan and
ougnl "en 70 muImur IT. IN my pilgrimage through the
oesat' the nuns and howcis OF Eden denied me-:
Anonymous.
have this day completed my ninctieth year.-It
may fairly be supposed that VANITY has nothing To do
WIN one who Is faltering the brink of the grave
ana mat she can have little in view, save the istruc-
ton OF others, in detailing two of trials of strange
and chequered existence. I he first may teach the
younger part of my n this age of refinement
that If courage be indispensable to bold encrprsin
man'-seit-possess'on rs no less necessary tiInd
Shrinking woman: and my second, that if anatomical
exposure be the nurse-aud | believe it--of me
deal science, caution should be used in the selec
ton Of objects, and discrimination in the choice of
those who are TO participate in its disclosures And
thus when my feeble voice VIII be heard in this world
no longer may instruct from my grave.
was girl Of eighteen when my father was
Governor OF York Castle. murder attended with
circumstances of the most inhuman barh,ri,v hoL
been perpetrated in onr neicbbourlood and an
| old man with his Two charged with the
commission of the crime were delivered into ba
custody By accident witnessed their being BROUGHT
| INTO the Castle. Years have passed away and other
events have succeeded;:ioy and sorrow aluence and
poverty like storm and sunshine have chased each
oher foreign scenes end foreign faces have ntcrven
eo' OUT see them before me now-in the deep gloom
OF midnight in which am writiDg--as clear ave as
II they were standing in life before met The hardened
ruthless look of the elder murderer-hs yenerabIv
oary hair righfuy contrasted By tie EXPRESSION of
cessany around with the most fearful and restless
anx'ety-his parched lips and haggard look sadly al
variance win his bent form and lettering ga-all
combined 10 form picture, which, once seen could
never oe forgotten. The two stood behind ,he
father The eldest stern and sullen-mu,tercd an IN
coherent answer when asked what injury he had re.
ceseu from his Victtn--Whiie an expression Of vndi-
cat've triumph glared in his eye the youngest seemed
bowed down with the consciousness of guilt and kent
his eyes fixed sadly the ground Once only he rails
ed hem' They encountered the old mans glance and
sunk beneath il.
Deposition, after deposition was dragp ont and sucb
mass oil cIrcumsantia! evidence accumulated that It
was hardly possible to doubt their guilt The trial
10 come on In the course of days. but in the interim
committee Of the House OF Commons required INV
fathers presence in town, and was left in clarpa of
the castle 1t responsibility which had inrur
red before, and IT did not appear formidable Twas
oy trusy and tried servants, and having al
ways been taught 10 rely on my courage and re-
solution IN eNgenccS, Penlered upon my duties with
out fears The keys OF the different wards ,yer.
brought me, every night and remained under nv oil.
10" I'LL Inorning and that my fathers room nigh, he
KEPT perfectly aired removed It the evening after
ms departure Things went smoothly for some Iays
TIL, one morning, told that the eldest Wesf1rd
was not 10 ne tound and was supposed to have made
ms escape Piacards were posted over York hcut
delay-large rewards offered for his apprehension
officers and constables despatched in all direconsb u,
without success Eight and forty hours elapsed and
no tdings we're procured of him. How he had esca
peh-and to what retreat he bad Ied-was as much
secret
In this annoying posture OF affairs went IN my nun
room, III the evening of the second day. for some pa
Pers wished TO consult. bad opened my desk and
was bnsily prosecuting my search when "a
glance my eye round, distinctly saw the face of y
man cautiously peepng the furniture of INV bod
Jeit IT was Welsford's My first impulse was to
Scream out recoiiecting that was alone-n distant
part OF the house-that all assistance was beyo1d my
feach-that tiie aintest shrek would seal my
hastily smothered my emotion 6 continued nv search
az before confess trembed and thinking my DEATH
oioW n,gnt DE dealt from behind determined on ha
wing what little notice could; f,cino. nv foe trey
my chair fronting the bed and read leter-,nv vo;c.
know, taltered-aloud. then sung for a few mn
ments-Very family bel:eve!-tlI gradually eettjno
nearer and nearer the door, / made Crash at tho
lock, and rushed out. trust felt as grateful as !
ought towards mcrcifu Providence, when locked
the door upon the Feiou!
Ihe turhkeys were then summoned--the furitiye
was taken-secnred--aDd, few hours afterwards
condemned. On the night preceding his executing mo
made fui confession. After admitting the Justice of
his sentence, lie continued,-tha having discovered
oy accident MS Gel! joined my apartment, and know
ing the Keys we're given nightly he had cnl,ed
up one chimney and let himself down nv anotber in
my room, that his design 10 have murdered me-
pGsSeSseu hiInse OF tie beJsaud escaped that durr,
The two whole days he was missing he had I,i, o9
cealed 10 my roon cDdur!Gg-as he LnnscIf axrro,
sed h-"between hunger and dsappointmept tLaa t
ments OF the damned " He added he .sthorght b;n
seh 10 heaven when he at last saw me enter. and
though had not the keys with r1e would b, So
deSpatched me, but that lie was SIRE from nv r
and stay, had no suspicion be was near rrc,r How
closely d'd hover the confines of the oil,er vnrI
"a sound nay even look, and should have been
In eternity! '''"
e.
pass over many years in Which was launched on
'ne stormy sea osorro!V and buetted with its waves
ana hasten to the last trial had seen the light turf
Strewn over my father and Eve brothers;-one onJv
one me youngest, and my favourite, surviyed-
me death of the others bad only knitted us more
strongly together, and made all the world TO each
other. Alter having received thoroughly medical
education, he was on the point of entering into part
pefsnP' when my mothers death recalled BIN TO York
ter loVed form had been deposited ID its narrow dwell
- ' duu ne was about to return to town, when
rend requested him to demonstrate on . snbiecf and
Iee Gays after the funeral he consented TO do So He
went TO the tndrmary-h5 instruments were readv-
ana every preparation had been made-but when the
cio'h which covered the body was removed he recoo
D'sed hIs-owD mother! The empire of reason was 3t
an end. He rushed from the maniac!
am now an isolated being. Ofa large and bapn,.
fl Z H.