Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1838-05-04

!, painful object His hair, white as eve
! hoaied on the head of the ancient patriarch
} knot,ed and tangled with his beard. has GOV
: cred M all The tace.--his flashing eve onl,
/, IS sew dis naiIsi,epe grown ike q bird.
claws. and his voice is changed 10 a surly
grow See, the floor of his hovel is Uttered
; with bones--his food has been thrown to
MN as to dog. Let us get away from this
sight.
We must visit this Aims house
There are but two or three in BrideweIl
now. II were better not TO look into Thai
cell, for the poor woman in il is not always
lt 10 be seen turn 10 the next. II is brick
cell a slide in the door for the keeper TO
look through, and TO pass in the mans food,
a very small grated window, not glazed,
stopped with piece OF board-"Is this
young man always kept here with nothing
to do,-nothing TO think of,-in solitude and
darkness No wonder that he is crazy y"
well, what else could we DO with him he
is very noisy and would disturb the house :
we take him out to air sometimes. But il
isn't our fault his friends pay us for keep.
ing him. He is not pafper"
In this rapid sketch we can but glance at
a few OF the cases of abiect suffering, cutting
into the very soul. which we know exists in
this State. We cannot adequately describe
the sniferngs heaped upon the Insane We
can but say-in that out-bonse-in this
garret-in The cave hard by, dug for The
very purpose. are there men, squald, miser.
able, filthy, Marked The voice of kindness
is never more 10 reach their cars nor one
look Of compassion to warm their hearts -
In cold, and hunger, and darkness must
they live on. have heard Of one poor crea-
lure who escaped fIom the cellar in which
he had been for years-once more be felt
the warm beams of the sun, the breeze a.
gain famed his cheek, again his rye wan
dered over the beautiful face Of nat,ire--bu,
in few hours he was caught and thrust
back again 10 his damp CELL there TO abide
his time
Oh even now rings through my ears the
cry of the poor idiot boy, Father, Father"
1t was one OF those cold stormy nights,
when wind, and sleet. and hail combined
make the traveller seek for the first shelter
| was Hospitality entertained, but ever
through the live-long night were nv slum-.
bers broken by that cry rising above the
howlngs OF the siorm-"Fatber," "Fa,herl
In the morning, directed by the sound
found mi-he was tied in hog pen, in the
i"-' e-.~' ~~'a.r of which was a little straw
but II was then nrnrl. -----t-.,--i,.s, -,
snow. Poor child, doubles be is now re-
leased from his earthly sufferings
Again. again, is borne towards me the
sceam OF the young man who breads the
Evil One, who shudders at the thought OF
uniorgiven sin. His once smooth and LOFTY
forehead is gathered in knots, his cheeks
are pale and sunken, and his eye restlessly
looks round for one sign of hope His
Father lifts his hands towards Heaven, ex-
claiming, what can do am poor. oh
God, enable me 10 keep this beloved one
from the -house-take him rather to
myself. My poor boy can do nothing
for you and others will not"
These are not exaggera,ions. They are
faithful pictures. true To the very life Rea-
der do you doubt it? You cannot, you can
not There are over three hundred luna
tics in w-Hampshire; you know the ma
ture of the malady, you know TO " hat a large
number are exposed from the very necessity
Of the case, for what can the poor man do
with the raving maniac2 Knowing this,
will you turn Il deaf ear TO their cry ?-wi!l
you brush away the tear and forget the sui
ferings Of the Insane, and this loo with the
means OF reiefin your honds2 Are you a
iather--the little ones whom you cherish.
who now turntheir laughing eyes upon you,
who now Irvine themselves so closely about
your heart-look 10 them and ponder upon
the question where shall future years find
lhem--over whose household is there a
shield held, that the troubled spirit may not
enter2 But hear the exclamation-away
with considerations that apply only to ones
self!-we are all children of one family
that which | would wish done for nv own.
will do for others.--t is not hard hearted
ness but want Of reflection that has kept
us back.
These are scenes of horror--enough to
scken the heart. Let MS turn 10 fiction Tor
relief let us diaw on the Imagination for
something to soothe us-let us dream some
thing that may enable US to think on the sub
ject with composure.
see before me spread out highly cult
waited farm. undula;ing over hill and dale, |
varied by corn-feld and meadow, the way
ing grain coming up to the very verge OF
fruitful garden The river sweeps by its
borders, and the light clouds of summer
hang over the whole. The venerable elms
wave as in triumph over the Retreat for the
lnsane--a plain and extensive building
which rises up in the midst Over its gates
is written, Come in thou troubled spirit and
be at peace"
Let us enter. There is the wife and
mother whom before we saw in the cage
She is neatly dressed, busy at her work
there is even a smile nlavinp nnnn her Inns