Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-11-05
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MURFREEsBoRo'. Oct, %, 1857.
TO THE PUBLIC.
(CONCLUDED.)

knew. and others which he had long ceased to re-
member but which had an effect upon his feel
ings that he can give no expression TO apprecia-
bic fully to any living. Her rushing from
neighbor's house, none following her through fear
of her. needless of the pitless snow storm or the
hitter cold of that dark winters night that wit
messed the severance of bonds only to be re-uni-
ted in eternity, in tempest OF grief and passion
ate outcries flying to the deserted house where
only few hours before she had left her family
HuTrving to another eighbor's house. her cries
and lamentations awakening its inmates and Civ
ing warning of her approach from long dis
lance, filling them with alarm Calling for lights
and returning this time with company to the
house. hunting through and through its empty
rooms, in phrenzied agony, refusing to believe
the possibility of what was but too surely true
gazing upon the cold cherries walls with wild
tender longings that could not but hope that the
forms of her husband and children would spring
from their blankness, take form and substance
and with all once more around her, all again
be well For weeks afterwards and until start
ing in pursuit of her family, (from which no adj
vice, or reasoning, or persuasion that mortal
mind could use, could turn herSfor an instant,
every slightest effort to do only,rritating her
and throwing her into 'spell, =" refusing to seek
a home amongst her own, or her husbands rela-
tiOns, which latter were strongly attached to
her, and would have gladly protected and cared
for her to the end of life,) finding no rest during
a parOxysm but in walking with a little girl af-
forwards the writer's informant back and forth,
again and again and again to the top of the hill
overlooking the lonely homestead, situated in
the midst of as beautiful glen as ever gladden.
ed a poets eye, or warmed with enthusiasm a To-
yer of nature, with streaming eyes and wringing
hands refusing to be c0mfOrted or believe the
truth as to their absence, or, that it could be fl
nal. Her wandering at another time over a house
less mountain wilderness, the cold earth her
couch at night, the canopy'Of heaven for her COW
ering, surrounded alone through its dark hours
by the bowling of wolves and the screaming of
panthers, her heart scOrning them derisively as
she afterwards stated, even if headed by the
prince of darkness himself, as obstacles in the
way of her search for her lost loved ones, she
felt to be so cruelty torn from her. As one after
another of these things, and many, many more,
were related to him as he bent his steps from
house to house every one telling him something
not previously learned, the depth to which his
own heart enabled him to understand them, over
whelmed him with unutterable grief. He did
not discover that he ''disgusted" the good people
before whom he was so often unable to restrain
himself 1t seemed to rather open their hearts
towards him. They doubtless supposed him to
be very affectOna3e son. He hopes he may not
have deceived them very greatly in that respect.
But he dared not tell them that he too had been
deranged, and Inherited along with it his moth
er's sad fortunes. He knew it would cause them
to fear him somewhat, as they all said they had
her, and they would have ceased to be open and
communicative with him, or possibly even kind.
Such is human nature towards the insane. The
very manifestations most torturingly calculated
to aggravate their condition, the Withholding
the healing balm of frank kindness, open-hearted
sympathy, and fearless unreserYed confidence
they so indispensably require.
One seemingly unimportant incident was men
toned that has affected him more deeply than
all the others together A day or two after she
was left mentioned, she was at the house of
lady who had assisted to arrange the separation.
In attempting to catch a young lamb 'she seem
ed to have forgotten all her troubles" and as
the lamb with unwily simplicity of struggles re-
fused to be caught springing headlong into
pile of brush, peal after peal of merriest laugh
ter rang from her lips, and she engaged in the
work Of chasing and securing it, with all the
gleesOme alacrity of childhOOd's happiest hours.
1t was plain to be seen that the good lady who
narrated the circumstance had her respect for
the unhappy subject Of it, considerably lessened
by its occurrence, and thought this sudden burst
of happy merriment quite unseemiy for one in
her circumstances. Oh when will the world
learn how to judge the insane. When will it
learn that when that subtle essence, reason, has
its harmOniZing bonds loOsened from the various
elements of which the soul is composed, that rea-
that in this connection is so enormously con-
founded with a capacity to grasp the inevitable
chain of logical sequence, or the mere intellect
ual aspect of thought, however deep and pro-
found, often in the insane, only too deep and too
profound, that the mere flow of spirits even, is
left helplessly to rise and fall as seeming acct
dent or caprice may dictate, leaving extreme
vibrations between cheertulness and despOnden-
CIV still further to weaken debilitated reason and
tear and sever it's mysterious links from between
them. With those single traits or eccentricities
of character peculiar to the individual, or those
others common to man, left to exhibit themselves
at different times with that separate, intense en-
tity so stTikingly analogous if not similar to the
results of the highest histrionic art upon the
stage, in depicting any particular human pas
siOns sentiments These eccentricities and
unevenness Oftemper and moods offeeling, mark
ing at all times perhaps. the department of
those who hereditarily or otherwise are liable to
mental disease. And under the form of this con
stitutional liability, really lending variety and
versatility to talent, if it exists, and increasing
the ability of dischRrging individually and sepa-
rately, and to more perfect degree, the varied
and multifariOus duties and relations of life
Alas! if these things were rightly and properly
understood, in how many thousand families
throughout the land would anxious eyes be turn
ed upon the dearest and most promising men,
bers and with that wise and healing balm of ju-
dicious sympathy, confidence or direction applied
at just the point needed, useful if not brilliant
members Of society be given to the world. In
stead of as it now is, when the sore trials and diff
hculties of life come to engage a separate, en-
crossing, intrinsically inconsistent attention.
the soul be pulled apart by them, and every hope
be bounded by mad-house.
Who does not know that every separate ele-
ment, passion, sentiment or faculty implanted
in the soul, has its natural legitimate exercise
and innocent qualification, honorng alike TO the
author of it, and healthful to the creature Who
will not yet know in the advancing light of lib
eral age, that disease in any one of them, their
hapless condition when reason is severed from
between any two or more of them, leaves no
stain as sin does, however extreme be the excess
es that may result And hence that jeering, and
the play of witty ridicule. against department,
or suspected cunning and designs, is not only in
but most unfairly and cruelty misdi-
rected. Frown upon vice, shoot folly as it flies,
but for the love OF heaven, withhold certain pro-
ciVities OF iraI humanity from influencing ques-
tons of guilt or innocence pertaining to those
about whom the slightest suspicion exists that
they may have been stricken with these inscru-
table soul fevers withhold them at least until
truly stair" opportunity shall have been afford
ed for competent professional judgment to settle
the question: instead of committing its adjudiea-
ton to known prejudice whether witty or ma
lign, and whether arising from public or family
indignation.
But, God be praised, insanity unlike crime,
does not mar original childlike innocence or pu-
rity of heart, so sweetly beaming from the faces
Of those fresh from the hand Of God. In a man
neF that none upon earth car fully understand
but himself or those with similar experience,
the little incident narrated just above conveys
10 him the assurance that throughout all his mo-
theirs fearful phrenzies, the terrible bursts of
passionate impulse and temper, the subtle man
agement and skin to annoy and distress, the
fearful attempts real or pretended, on the lives
Of her husband and children throughout all
this and during her whole life, that which so en-
nently distinguished her early years that fresh
chidiike innocence Of heart. the signet seal of
heaven, of which il is affirmed, ''of such is the
kingdom thereof remained uatarnished and
pure. yelling up into unTestTained and happi-
est glee from the depths of a strangely tried soul,