Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1855-04-18
I'd BUSINESS DIRECT0RY:--ITS AIM.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, APRIL Is. 1856.

and my parents did their utmost to please
and make me happy. My father was :
man of quick, passionate temper, and
had temper as fiery as his own"
You had fiery temper ?" l queried
obviously. Way, you are the mildest
man | ever saw"
Marshall smiled family, and with a
shake Of the head, he continued
Il did have a bad temper But lei
that pass now. My father INDUCED freely
at the wine-cup, and it is no wonder thai
| followed his example. | first learned
to love the wine, and then | came to love
the excitement which it produced. | saw
no danger, for all my friends were in the
same habit. When | was yet mere lad
my father sent me as supercargo in one oil
his ships. 1t was at my own urgent re-
quest, and | learned to love the rowing
free life Of the ocean. But when reach
ed the age of eighteen, was sent to col
lege. remained there one year, and then
was expelled for intemperance."
Ny mate stopped here and bowed his
head upon his hands, and | could see the
tears trickling down between his fingers
"O,' he resumed, in tremulous voice,
what fool | was. | returned to nv
home, and my father upbraded me for nv
conduct. High words arose between us
but my mother came in and quieted the
storm. After this, | remained at home
for some time. At length | became &C.
quainted with girl whom thought vir-
tuous, and well connected, and | made
proposals of marriage to her. She, ii
seems, gave publicity to the fact, and II
came to my mothers ears. She made in
quiries about the girl, and she ascertained
that her character was. not good. Had
she told me this in her own kind way,
should never have seen the girl again, for
all my plans were just and honorable, and
| was deceived in the character.of one |
thought I loved. But my mother told my
faiths. and he was To speak with me.
One evening | came home-it was
near midnight-and | had been indulging
freely in wine, and my father had been
doing the same. He had been out to a
club-meeting, and his face was flushed and
his step unsteady. That was the first and
only time had ever seen him SO much in
fuenced by wine. When | entered the
sitting-room he asked me where | had
been, and | told him to the theatre. He
next asked me whom had carried and
told him. TWAS the young lady of whom
l have just spoken. He then told me that
| must see the girl more. | resented
the command, and thereupon he threaten
ed to turn me out of doors If | disobeYed
him. He then cast upon the girl in ques-
ton the most opprobrious epithets, and ]
was stung to the quick. | answered him
hastily, and he threatened me. did not
stop to consider that he was under the in
huence Of wine, for | was too far in its
power myself for that 1 accused him OF
trampling upon me-and he tainted me
with bringing shame upon his household
This maddened me, and / spoke very
quickly and thoughtlessly. What | said
was severe, and upon my father it struck
like shaft of lightning, and he struck me
with his cane. As received that blow,
my blood boiled like molten lava. Twas
bind-crazy. Ny father lifted his cane
again, and seized chair that stood near
me. lifted it with both my hands, and
with all my maniac might hurled it upon
his head. He sank upon the carpet like
rag. In an instant was sober | kneel-
ed down over that PROSTATE form, but
there was no motion-no breath. Pre-
sently there came a convulsive movement
of the muscles, but it quickly passed away,
and then he Was motionless as the chair
that lay broken by his side. l spoke to
him, but he did not answer. lifted him
to sofa, and chafed his temples, but not
a sign of life could | discover. | knew
that had killed my father, and I sank
down upon nay knees at his side, and wept
and prayed.
"Soon | was aroused by step behind
me, and on looking up saw my mother.
She asked what was the matter, but
could not answer. She stopped over the
motionless body of her husband, and [ re-
member that the word dead broke from
her lips and then she sank fainting upon
the couch. / started up and gazed about
me. Once more felt of my fathers pulse,
but it did not move. His eyes were half
open, and they were CLASSY and dim
With one low cry l started back and
seized my hat. | was murderer the
murderer of my own father! A dim spec
tire arose before me-a gallows in shape
and | fled from the house. | made my
way to Philadelphia, and from thence to
Charleston, and there / took passage for
England. | have not seen my native land
since. While in Philadelphia | took up
a morning paper from New York, and
there | read that my father had died of
apoplexy. My mother hid my crime 7!
Marshall stopped and bowed his head
again. He did not shed tears now, but
his eyes were set and glaring.
Hap he uttered, starting suddenly.
Have we had listener ?"
! forgot" was my reply, as recollect-
ed the passenger had taken, and at the
same time cast my eyes towards the door
OF the state-room where had placed him.
" / have had a passenger come on board. "
You ought to have told me, said
Marshall, trembling with fear.