The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1850-02-16

sum to provide him n handsome outfit, aud
to give him an advantageous start on his ar.
rival IN Tho colony.
"Ihnl night ho quilted NY house, nor did
hear OF him again I'LL learned that hc had
been committed 10 PRISON ioran unpruvokcd
ana violent assault, nurpGtrHtrd in drunken
night brhwl From subsequent inquiries
learnt that the nancy ho had received hud
beet inNirhrd ~ riotuus intcmpcrnnre aud
excess Of every sort, during whirh his ec-
ccnTlcltics, freaks, and oulrHges, combined
with las incohcreut language aud Wild looks
had procured from hs fellow rcyclrrs the
name OF 'Crn2y George Struck Ny thu Va.
cant expression Of li- features, aud the ram.
bling stiffness of his language. snM ai oucn
That ho was lp state OF mental alienation,
brought on, M ] couleciurcd, by his recent
wlldnesa of lite, under which impression
huvrrg procured hiS discharge from prisun;
took him 10 physician who has very exteu-
sive practice IN the treatment of similar cns-
~, atd w!.o has nov seen him seven or eight
times.
Ellis deliberate opinion, nm much dis.
ttcssed to state, is exceedingly uufayorabla
Though the disorder nf tho faculties mny
have been more rapidly developed 10y recent
occurrences, nc does mol cOUsdcr IL a tttn-
porary one, but arising from organic derange-
moui, hnd therefore of q permanent aud IN
curnbls character. lie pronouuces II 10 hr
soi;cning ofthe brnits defect which grad.
uhliy undermlues the reasoning powers, aud
usually terminates IN unheciy aud idiucy.
On my limiting TINT his patient was 10y no
means harmless smplcton ,bul had recent
~ been harhoring hqnous designs hr replied
that u combination of cunning aud conlr. 1
vance with grenI wickcducss frequently CHAR. /
ncterizcd the incpienrstagcs of this peculinr
tunacy; aud Ihnt from the present coudi;i0H I
of your son, he had no hesitation ia declar- /
ing he must have been m an uusuund state
ol mind for scvernl months. depend upon .
IT,, such were the ply lsiciau's own words, |
'tllnt this unfortunate young man. though lac |
may have been competent to the ordinary /
purposes OF life, has long been utterly deiuc-
i've IN the moral sense has ceased To know .
the difference between right aud wrong, aud
cannot, therefore, during this period Of NOR
Li.I s'4-.t4' t+--+-, tlrft--vll
accountable haiHF,, -------
| have placed poor George for the present
IN private lunatic nsKlmm. nnd await YOUR
orders as 10 hls ultimate disposal
CHAPTER XIV.
Sad and affecting as il was have said
that ugtE letter was not without mitigating
suggestions. Ii is n great, IA deplorablc,
heart-rending calamity to be the father OF
-l+tialts!y
terrible to huvc son who could contemplate,
While 80 the posse~~ioH of his. REASON, the di
lbolcdI crime of parrIcide. From this nor
'or and disgrace | was relieved. My heart
was enabled To throw Off the incubus TINT
Iad larkeued and crushed II. All wns now
,lcarcd up, evOry thing was now Ineligible,
,nd my misfortune, though still heavy one,
was not tainted by the unuiIertrhly bnteinl
rsspriaiious with which had been ItfNepiot
Il y IL al. Al.
,nous miNturc--thc mouOmauin which stlu- .
Hated his horrible purpose-his reckless con-
luct-his hearIless levity oftoHgue, when lac ,
liouid TuthGr have brcu overwhelmed with :
hnme and sutrow-and the vacant, misplnc- :
II, offensive laugh by which Ind go otiuu
,ecn rcvnltcd-all lad now received solu- .
ION which showed them to have sprung from ,
atent Insanity, not from premedltnted mud )
conscious wickcducss hot from ;hc iriyulity I
nd defiance oi an utterly callous heart, not I
rom the dellbccn,c suggestions o! an ahau- ,
oned nature. From an object OF nunvni,la- /
ln disgust and hatred, my unfortunate boy !
vas converted into claimant for the pro- II
pundest lnly and dompassiop II was some
hing toioel that still hndn sun, even. though i
~ might be q l,tIle better tlInn-a lilia stntuc. $
Although Hodges, the foreuiin, had strict
lurul justice been awarded hun, deserved
rather than re,yIrd, ! had made
i'm Il promise which held myself sacrcuy
ound to rerfGrn Removing him. accor-
uigty, ironrG ncighhorhood where he might ,
ave been tempted To II rcucwnt q. his uu-
allowed practices, purchased for him IN Il
VoyiHcial Town long established aud re- ,
prctnblo business, 10y attention tI Which he +,
nnnot !ld ta realize moderate Indcpeu-
rncr.
More than q year has ,bgtisgd since lie or- ,