The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-05-20
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It,
The cooanany wore o sat Of boa virdnS, men OF tue
old school. Who drank deep aud played h'sM, as
though 10 revenge themselves 10 psss,ona's ss.
lauts for the toll and burden OF tnels paus IA
lions On that evening saW senators browse ana
basra then, stammeT witless Jests. or unworthy
anecdotes great lawyers exchange idcsh@ which
will not repeat, judges nodded under the effect OF
their potations aud aGdicated ,he dignity Q,
a Wild resei and the widest reveier OF all was Mar
,1ris The quantities Of wine which hedrank we're
perfectly astounding. Az before however, the w'oe
produced merely slight change in his voice, ana
a species of unsteadiness in walking, when, the
BANQUET over, no led tie way to the card-tabies.
Here the playing was on a scale corresponding
70 the excuses which had proceeded 10. Marquis
and Judge ----- engaged each other. and IN an
hour Marquis had won two thousand dollars lie
III fresh cigar, aud RECOMMENDED When, An hour
afterward, the party broke up, Marquis bad lost
his winnings aud five thousand dollars IN addition
He scrubbed line In his oheek-book, aud tearing
out the leaf, pushed 1t to the Judge with gay
laugh.-the M sst careless Imaginable.
But / shall not dwell further upon the party
In half an hour Marquis and myself where left
alone He drew foil decauter Of sherry to him,
and emptying his glass. said,
"a Jolly set, ell, win, All men Of distinction.
What a humbug distinction isi Here's something
betterP'
Aud he refiilsd his glass. did not reply.
"Yeu say Caroline" he continued, slight
shadow passing over his face. "Poor thing she's
made them drink, bnt, You see, I'm more caodid,
nv boy / drink because it's good for me-my
youth comes back to me. Hurrah for youth =
Confusion to old age, with its cares and its wrn-
kiesi Eat, drink, and be merry is my motto, mon
gdrcon, even If tomorrow we die. And that
reminds me you re going to-norrow-and haven't
seen NJ little Aurora. Jugurtba"
The confidential servant gided from the shadow
of the doorway, in which he had been lost, so
noiseiessly that | almost started.
"Tell nurse To bring Miss Aurora"
| demonstrated strongly against taking the child
from her bed, aud declared that it was most un-
reasonable. But Jugurtha was gone. as he came,
like q shadow, and Marquis greeted my remon'
STRANGE with gay laugh. strong look, like
that of \ sleep-walker, began to appear in his
eyes rs he continued to drink; and g4zed in pain
full absorption at the curious spectacle. IL seemed
as II no at of drink could int0xcate this iron
man-hs dreamed while awake, that was all.
In few moments the nurse, who had hurriedly
dressed herself, appeared, leading in the girl OF
seven, who wore oniy little figured gown over
her ngbt-dress her small, white feet having been
hastily THIRST into embroidered slippers. She was
n child of rare. almost angelic, beauty, with ches
nut hair profusely curling, violet eyes, aud lips OF
q sad sweetness
At sight of her l saw pass over Marquis's face an
expression of the deepest love and When ne held
out his arm aud spoke to her, bis strident voice
melted into music But tae chiid i1f moment
shrank from him-yiedng at last to his caresses
with cold respect aud even. 1t seemed, sCmo fear
The quick and jeaions eye of the father discerned
II, aud q shadow of acute wTetchedness made his
brow gloomy There was no anger however; and,
releasing her with grave tenderness, he kissed her
brow, and babe the nurse rec0nduct her mp stairs.
She disappeared as she came, bestowiug upon me as
she went looked filled with strange pathos and
settled sorrow that it haunted me for years.
As the door closed Marquis let his powerful hand
fall upon the delicate stand containing the wine
carried away, it seemed, by rush OF feeling. The
table yisded, and its contents were hurled to the
floor. Then rising, the unhappy man for some
70 nj fha wi nd mn
steady steps, passing his hand more than once
across his eyes When he again fell into his seat,
sa that there were fiery tears in them.
You have seen." be murmured, hoarsely, "my
own child Is afraid of ne-my Aurora, my little
flower, whose slightest happiness would purchase
with my life! They have told her that cause her
mothers sickness, and her heart is already gone
from me-wretched me!'
And saw two scajding tears escape through the
fingers converting his eyes.
II, who love my child more than life-I
not gain her heart ! She fears me, shrinks from
me, shudders when caress her, and | love her
Never have heard cry of such profound wretch
edness wrung c33sspairingly from the depths
of the human heart was spectacle of agony
unspeakable to iistes the unhappy man thus
will not repeat what said to him. i spoke as
/ should have spoken to whom loved aud
regarded with indispensable sympathy and COM
passion. dare not attempt to detail our passion
All my words fell UNDECIDED No human voice
ever seemed to affect this strange character. He
even appeared to regain his customary careless
ness as spoke, and once or twice he laughed
when painted the wretched effects of his deplo-
rsble habit.
"You are right, WILL" he said, at last in a
husky voice. sits killing me. Pm-'lost'-yOu
remember the word. But there's no help for it
You see, my boy, the DEVILS got hold Of me-but
he has not conquered. You see my hands steady
yeti"
And catching the decsnter by the neck, he
hurled it full in the centre of magnificent mir
ror, which burst into Thousand pieces, and fell to
the floor with q tremendous crash. rose SORROW
fully, and held out my hand.
"Ah." cried Marquis, laughing, ''don't mind my
little jokesl You are going SO soon, eh? Well,
take care Of yourself, old fellow! As for me- I'm
not going to bed yet. haven't commenced drink
ing. Jugurtha!"
The servant appeared, silent and respectful, like
an attendant imp.
"Jugurtha, the whisky ~,
vI.-THE END OF THE DRAMA.
My sad narrative approaches it's termination
After the scenes which have just related, Mar
quis Cotesbury and myself did not meet again for
seven years.
They had been seven years of such excuses az
We only read of 10 the strange annals of the
Roman emperors. But the iong-delayed retribu-
ton came surely. Que day / was summoned
by a hurried letter from Mrs. Cotesbury to come
and see my poor friend. l FASTENED To-, and
again entered the splendid mansion, which even
now conveys to my mind, whenever pass it, the
idsa of an arena upon which has been enacted some
wild caraival-the stage of a dazzling comedy, |
ending in tragedy and tears-the scene of some
superb banquet, where the reveers wear roses on
their hair, aud roses wreathe the plate-roses
which turn into blood, aud then vanish! An i'm
perisl music sounding over orgies dead and gone,
is ever in my ears as pass that house--a wild,
mad music, which changes at last to a funeral
marehas the JOY and laughter OF the jewellers pass
away, aud end in sobbing and signing.
saw again this strange man of whom have
tried to speak. The carnival of his life quite
oyer-his cup had come TO the dregs-the bubbles,
and sparkle and delicious flavor had all gone
only the bitterness Of death remained. If WAS
shocked on my former visit, when saw the
change in his once noble face, my pain was now n
hundredfold greater--for the Informing essence Of
the mighty structure had gone to complete decay.
Thegraud intellect bad nearly burned to the sock
ct TO disappear 10 aerd smoke, the i'm eral reason
was dethroued and lay iu the dust. the demon had
half seized upon bis prey to bear it away into the
gulf uf despair.
found Mrs. Cotesbury in a rapid decline, tend
ed increasingly by her daughter Aurora, now a
sweet girl of fourteen. OF the head of the house
scarc.4iy dare speak; il is my task, however, aud
must fu lin IL briefly.
found Marquis q raving maniac. 1t was the
result of such train OF excesses-they were after
ward described to me-as l wonder did not hurt
him. months before, violently into his grave. Of
lsie yerxs, they informsd me- he had seemed to be
possessed OF a burning thirst which no smoant of
drink could slake. Whisky had been literally
hs food aud drink. fer latiery his digestive organs
had given way, and no longer performed their
functions The IN uncut came, fiaally, when eSen
the capacity Of swallowing failed the unfortunate
mao. and his physictans-the niust celebrated Of
the whole state-fesred that he would die of SIM
pie starvation. st.W fA*
csnnot repeat the thousand tales Of his mad
excuses, his disgrsoeful ceurses-courses by which
he dishonored the name OF his noble ia her, aud
hurried his sick aud suffering wife into her grave.
/ would not raise the curtain which rests upon
the terrible drama-open the volume containing
the woefui record, Something IL due to the once
noble nature, the generous heart, the lofty intel
lee Z ia ruins. Let human charity cover such
things DOT excuseo or defend them; we need our
selves such charity for sins differing it may be- in
degree only. shall not speak, therefore, Of the
mad sxtrayagauces Of my poor friend, Of his insane
rsvels his zwfal acts when erazed by the impos.