The Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1850-1852, 1852-07-29
THE NoNoNAHIAc.

cut az the 3uair Came IN sciDs degree
under my notice - public officer,
thought it might not be altogether or,
Of place IN these eli ght Outlines Of 20
lice experience. Strange aud uusc-
countablc as i, may fist appear, It's
general truth viii hardly be question
ed BY those who have had orpcr:uni-
ties Of observing the fantastic dclu.
mons which haunt and dominate the
human brain in certain phases CT men,
tai alteration.
On arriving in London, in 1881, ]
took lodgings nt Mr. Renshawc's, in
Mile End Road. no. Gar frpa the turn,
pike gate. Ny induccmenl 70 Do q.
was rartly the cheapness and neat.
ness Of the accommoda tion, partly that
the landlords uncle, a Mr.. Oxlsy,
was slightly known to me. Henry
Kcnshawe knew BY reputation only,
he having left Yorkshire ten or elov
cn years before, and even that kuowl.
edge vas slight and vague. | had
heard that a ,ragical event had cast
a deep shadow over lis after life ,ha.
he had been foi some mouths the in
mate Of private luna.ic asylum ard
that some persons believed bis brain
had never thoroughly recovered its
originally healthy action. In this
opinion. both my wife and myself very
soon concurrc6; and yet am no,
Sure that We could have given o sat-
isiactory reason for such belief. lie
was. it is true. usually kind ard gen
tie, even to the verge pf simplicity
but his general mode of expre e'sinr
himself and conducting business WAS
quite cohcien; and sensible : although
! IN spite Of his resigned chccriulncss
/ Of tone and manner. it was at tune,
quite evident, that whatetcr the men
tai hur, he bad received. it had left o
a ranking, perhaps :emorscFnl sting
behind. a small, well,oxccatcd por.
trait i'll his sitting room suggested a
conjecture Of the nature Of the ca'am
Iity wl6ck hri tei;.ileG lin. Vt was
that Of a fair, riid-eyed, very yo'.hg
woman, but Of a pensivc, almost
mournful, cast Of features, MS if the
coming event, briefly record" "d in the
lower risht.hand corner Of the paint.
ing had already during life and health
cast its projecting shadow over her
That brief record was this -
" Laura lIargreaves, born 1904
and drowned 1921"
70 direct allusicn to the picture
ever passed MS lips, IN my hearing
although, from being able to chat to-
acthcr o! Yorkshire scenes and times
| we speedily became excellent friends
| still there were not wanting, from
I time to time, significant indications
/ though difficult to place in cvideacc
that :he fire Of insanity had not beer
wholly qucnchcd, hut still smonldcrcC
> and slowed bcueatn tne habit harden
&, , ed crust which concealed it from tin
careless or casual observer. Exist
, ing circumstances, not very long aite
!, my arriVa. n me metropolis, unfor
/, tunatcly kindled those brief will
:. sparkles into a furious and consumin;
p flame.
j. Mr. Renshamc was in fair circum
stances that is, bis income--derlve
from funded property alone. was nea'
:. " $500 a year but his habits wer
close, thrifty, -|rost misery. iii
!, personal appearance was neat an
> sentlcmanly, bu, he kept no servant
4 char.woman came once a day to "a
T. range his chamber, and perform o'he
household work, and he usually dine
very simp.y at coffee house or ta'
e ern. His house, with he eScer,io
-, Of a sitting and bedroom. WAS occu
= pied by lodgers /; among these, was
;; pale, weakly-looking young man, I
= the name Of Irwin. lie Was suirern
d from pulmonary consi:Hpt;on-s ds
4. case induced, was Informed, by b
careless folly in remaining in his W
Z clothes after HAVING assisted, durln
y the greater part Of the night, at
!: large fire a. coach factory. II
= trade was in gold and silver lace wol
=. ---tulion for epsulettes, and so On.
y and as he had a connection with se'
. " eral West.end establishments, his bS
siness appeared 10 be thriving one
a go much so, that he usually eEJp'oyc
n. several assistants Of both sexes. ii
a- occu, led .he first floor, aud a wOri
shop at the end Of the garden. ii
wife, pretty featured, we'''forme'
graceful young woman, Of not moi
| than two or three and twenty, va
~ they told me, the daughter Of sci.of
master, and certainly bsd been gent,
q, and carefully nurtured. They hs
re- one child, a sIsightly, curly hare
ur bri Uttered boy, nearly four yea
u I'D. Tie wife. Ellen Irwin, wss r
e. paied to be a frst~rste hand at sou
ID u the lighter pats Of her husbaHd
TO business and her cdor;s 10 'sh,i
Or his toll, and ccmpeusate by .pcI cas-,
:! exer,i2n Tor lis daily diminishing c
paeity for labor, sege un@esryiBg 81
l.. 1