The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1840-06-26
From Muster Humphrey's Clock, by Bo,,
A CONFESSION FUONDIN PRISON
INT!IE TINE OF CHARLES
TIE SECOND.
TINE OF CHARLES THE SECOND

TIME OF CHARLES THE SECOND
I held licutenants commission in his macs
,y'sarmy, and served abroad in the campaigns O.
1917 1918. The treaty of Nimeguen being con-
cluded, returned home, and retiring from the
s,ryi 70 Withdrew to small estate lying a few
mi Isl Of md W i h had rect nj y ace, ured
l., r!ht of my VIII.
hi, i, ht last might have to live, and will
set down ill.,, NAKED truth without disguise, was
never brave man, aud had always been from my
chi diJcd of Il s,ret, suen, dslru'tt nature.-
sp,a< of myse fas If had ,ssed iiom the world
for viii Z Write this my grave Is digging ,and
my niIne Is written in the b ack book of death.
Soon fer my return 10 England, my only broth
cry IS s.iztd with mortal i,ness. l his crcum-
stan - give me yht or no paln, FOR since we had
b,en men " lid asso lated but very little togclh-
er lie WAS OPP nh1arted and generous, hlndsoner
til n !, more a:comp ishrd, and generally beloved
Iho'. who sought my Acquaintance abroad or at
~, ne BE- aus they were friends of his, seldom al
tl,h,d items, SeS to me long, and would usually
say in our first conversation that they were sur
pissed to lind two brothers 50 un,c in their man
nsgs and app ,arance 1t was ~ habit 10 lead
h,n on to thI1 avowll, for knew what compari-
sous Ihy must draw between US, and having Il
ran Ing envy in my heart, sought to justify it
10 lhlsci
W. nd married two sisters. This additional
ill., between US as it may appear 10 some
only es,rungrd US the more. lii wife knew me
well never struggled with any secret jealousy
or "a! when Sha was present, but that woman
knew it swell as did I never raised my eyes
at SIT Il tines but found hers fixed upon ne ]
n,vcr bent h'n on The ground or looked another
WY, bat ct III shi overlooked me always
II WIS IN incNprcssibe re'icito ne when we quar-
e'ed, and g'eater relief still when heard IL
bold hat shi WIS dead. II seems TO me now as
il sone s,rllg and terrible fUrcshadowing of what
h sh pp ned sine, must have hung over us them
Nv : f.id Of her. she haunted ne, her fixed and
steady 100 comes back upon me now like drawn
dream. and makes my hood run cold.
sh, lied shorty after giving birth 10 n chi'd-a
hoy. Whn my brother knew that all hope of
hs own recovery was pist, he called my wife to
hi, he'd side and ronided this orphan, child of
four years d, to her protection. lie bcqueathed
to him all the prep1rl, he had, wi!led that in case
Of the chi death it should pass 10 my wife as
the only acknow'edg ncni he could make her for
her care and love- tie exchanged few brother
" words with me, dcp'oring our long separation,
and being exhausted, fell inoa slumber from which
he never awokc.
We hid no children and rs there had been
strong affection between sisters, and my wife had
almost sup led the place of II mother to this boy,
sh, owed him MS if he had been her own. The
thd was ardenty attached to her but he was
hi, mothers hinge in face and spirit, and always
mistrusted me.
can hardly fx the date when the feeling first
came upon me- but soon began to be uneasy
when this child was by. never reused myself
rom some moody train of thought, but marked
hin. 90 ling ut me no, with mere childish wonder
hut with something of the purpose and meaning
int b I'd 50 often noted in hi. mother. II was
no effort Of my fancy, founded on close reseln-
b an'e of f,a'nrC and expression. ] never could
iocii the TO, down. 'eieard me, but seemed by
50 ne i,s IN It to dcspisc while he did so and
even when he drew back beneath my gaze--as he
won'd whn we wtre alone, 10 get nearer 10 the
door h. won keep his bright eyes upon me
si'.
pcrh y. hide the truth from myself but do not
thin, that when this began, medated to do him
any wong may have thought how servccable
nj; N rnnnce wou'd he TO us, aud NAV have
.i.hrd hi dead, but believe had no thought
Of % p s'ing his deah. Neither did the idea come
upon nee nj one, but by yer, slow degrees, pre-
.'n'ing is3 at first in din shapes at very .grea
df,nh 80. IA men may think of an earthquake or
tn last DIV -'h n drawing nearer and nearer and
losing 81 nelhing of 0 horror and improhabiit,- 49,
then ronr- to be par, aud parcel nay nearly the
who c sun and substance of my daily thoughts,
and re,s wing il,elf into question of means
and sfly not Of doing or sustaining from the
deed.
While thi, WIS going on within ms, meter
cord baar III It the child should see me, looking
ut hi and vet was under fascination which
mud II Il ind Of bpsincsssvh me 10 contemplate
hi hi aud frigSe figure and think how easily 1t