The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-11-29
CHAPTER VIII.

Imputed madness, prison of SOLITUDE,
And the minds canker in its savage mood,
When the impatient thirst of light, and air,
Parches the heart; and the abhorred CRATE,
Marrng the sunbeams with Its hideous shade,
Works through the throbbing eyeball TO the brain,
With hot sense Of heaviness and pain.
LAMENT OF TAsso.
| Mr.. Marsden and Walter lost no time in repair
ing to the nearest insane asylum, in the vague hope
Of lerning something Of the long lost brother Of the
former. They found the name OF vinton unknown
to the keeper. and he assured them that no person
answering to their description had ever been there
Their request to visit the inmates of the establish
ment was readily granted, and they wandered
through the gloomy apartments, but without find
ing any one who could be mistaken for him they
sought With heavy hearts they turned away, for
there was no other way by which they had the
slightest hopes of ascertanihg whether the unfor
tunate object OF their search were numbered among
the living or among the dead. The wretched man
whose victim he had been, had answered to their
inquiries, 10 their prayers and entreaiies only by
the most determined silence. There was little
prospect even if convicted of crimes that he would
confess ought that was not already known, or at
tempt to satisfy the fears, calm the CURIOSITY of
those upon whose wIetchedness he had so long
feasted. "Have we visited all the cells?" asked
Mr.. Marsden, pausing in the hall down which they
had turned away from their pursuits. They stood
near the door of an apartment from whence procee-
ded low strain Of melancholy music. eyes,"
replied the keeper. " all of which ever open for
inspection. There is person confined in this
apartment whom we never suffer to be visited by
strangers-the consequences, would probably be
fatal"
How long has he been here?"
"For many years, indeed cannot tell, he was
here when came which was near fifteen years
ago, and believe he had then been here some
years"
1--WE must see him, sir"
Impossible; no one can be admitted to his cell, ,
is against the express directions Of his frends;our
rules very strict"
"Nothing, sir, is impossible which gives me the
least hope of finding the object ofmy pursuit, said
Marsden warmly
"But there is no possibility Of your finding him
. here, the name for which you inquired was Vim
ton, but this is called Willcott, and his friends
reside not far from here; know them WELL"
At this moment, the singing changed to strain
which seemed 10 nerve Marsden with sudden res
suit which he had undertaken; he waited for no
farther parley, but thrustng the keeper hastily
aside, turned the key and burst into the apartment.
The thin, emaciated remains of once tall and
manly being were before him. Around the gloomy
shadows Of bare and desoate room, he had clio.
sen the one spot, on which the sun stole through
the grated win dows, and was seated in the check
cred light upon the floor, pouring forth low broken
snatches of a song which had been dear to one he
loved in other days. The noise aroused him and
he turned his eyes upon the intruders for moment
with bewildered look, and then with halt FORM
ed exclamation on his lips, he started to his feet
moved forward step, staggered, and fell sense
less to the floor. Mr.. Marsden uttered groan of
anguish as he raised the pale and apparently life
less form in his and he parted back from his
temples the thin hair, he could recognise amid the
wreck of time and woe, the "proud bright" being
who had been the friend Of his young days. Their
efforts to restore him were at length rewarded by
| EttuIL W uut hot " COHsCiouuess' WAN WIN
bear much in the strong hopefuness OF his nature,
| will draw many consolation from the deep re-
sources Of his immortal spirit, and will stand thro
many tempest blast, and earthquake shock, still
strong and unshatered; but the long years of his
Changeess, rayless imprisonment had almost crush
ed out the last spark OF life and Of hope in the
breast of Vinton, and it was not strange that his
sudden recognition of those who had thus burst
into his apartment had proved too much for him to
bear. For days, his spirit hung futtering upon
the verge Of the grave. At times he raved inco-
herenty ofhis wife and child; at others, he would
be sitting in an apparently conscious state, gazing
anxiousy upon forms that lowered about him. The
keeper in accordance with what he considered his
duty. had informed his supposed friends of the cir
cumstances which had occurred, but though he
knew them SO well, he found that they had the
power Of becoming unknown when they chose.
None of the name of Willcott ever appeared to re-
sumo the charge Of him, for whose safety they had
SO long carefully provided.
One mo rning, after long night of watching, Mr..
Marsden sat beside the couch with the hand OF the
invalid grasped in his own listening anxiously for
the faint futtering of life He had lain for some
time in deep deAth-lke sleep; but at length he
opened his eyes, and fixed them upon the face of
Mr.. Marsden with look Of consciousness Mr..
M. felt the pressure of the hand he held; once or
twice the invalid essayed to speak; and at length
succeeded in pronounciDg the name OF " amelia"
in tone Of inquiry. A throb Of pain shot through
the heart of Msrsden, but he whispered in areply,
" Do not ask to know Too much at once; you could
not bear it, let it suffice that with you now"
A look of disappointment crossed the face of the
sick man. and his eye wandered about the room in
| search of some other object Itwould have need
ed no second glance even from stranger to point
out Walter as the son fhim over whose couch he