Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-07-01


to funeral march-as the joy and laughter
of the reVels pass away, and end in sobbing
and sighing.
saw again this strange man of whom I
have tried to speak. The canival of his life
was quite over-his cup had come to the
dregs-the bubbles, and sparkle and deli
cious favor had all gone-only the bitterness
of death remained. If I was shocked on
my former visit, when I saw the change in
his once noble face, my pain was now hun
dred-fold greater-for the informing essence
of the mighty structure had gone to COM
plete decay. The grand intellect had near
ly burned to the socket to disappear in acid
smoke, the imperial reason was dethroned
and lay in the dust, the demon had half
seized upon his prey to bear it away into the
gulf of despair.
found Mrs. Cotesburyin rapid decline,
tended increasingly by her daughter Aurora
now sweet girl of fourteen. Of the head
Of the house Iscarcely dare speak ; it is my
task, however, and I must fulfil it briefly.
found Marquis a raving maniac. 1t was
the result of such train of excesses-they
we're afterward described to meas I won
der did not hurl him, months before, violen.
tly into his grave. Of late years, they in
formed me, he had seemed to be possessed
Of burning thirst which no amount of drink
could slake. Whisky had been literally his
food and drink, for latterly his digestive Or
gans had given way, and no longer perform
ed their functions The moment came final
ly, when even the capacity of swallowing
failed the unfortunate man, and his physi-
cians-the most celebrated of the whole
State-feared shat he would die of simple
starvation.
cannot repeat the thousand tales of his
mad excesses, his disgraceful courses-cour-
ses by which be dishonored the name of bis
noble father, and hurried his sick and suf-
fering wife into her grave. I would not
raise the curtain which rests upon the terri
BILE drama-open the volume containing the
woeful record. Something is due to the once
noble nature, the generous heart, the lofty
intellect in ruins. Let human charity cov-
er such things, not excuse or defend them;
We need ourselves such charity for sins diff.
fering, it may be, in degree only. I shall
not speak, therefore, of the mad extravagau.
ces of my poor friend, Of his insane revels,
his awful acts when crazed by the impossi-
bility of retaining on his stomach what had
grown to be the very necessity of his exis-
tence. I shall mention but one sad act, be.
cause it concerns my narrative. In one of
his mad moments they had introduced into
the apartment his little Aurora, hoping that
the sight of the child would tend to calm
his horrible delirium. 1t was an illadyised
act, and the result was most affecting. The
unhappy man had not recognized his daugh-
ter his tottering brain had conceived the
idea that the figure before him was that of
beautiful fend come to betray him. In
his horror and fear be had broken from those
who held him, and, with his hand, struck
the child violently, inAicting cruel wound
on her cheek. Aurora tainted and fell as
though struck by lightning, and they hasti-
ly bore her from the apartment.
arrived on the day succeeding this ter.
rible sceno, and entered the chamber of the
unfortunate man. In a corner, erect, mo-
tionless, and silent, stood the eternal figure
of Jugurtha, and in his measured and res.
pectful salute discerned no change. Mar
quis was in an apathetic state, and two ply
sicians were whispering at his bedside.
I drew the curtain, and looked upon him.
I shall never forget that face. 1t makes me
thrill now-the simple memory-with a
strange awful horror and compassion. /
would I had never seen it. A deadly pallor
quite covered it; the eyes were deeply sunk
en- in what appeared to be immense caverns
beneath the lordly brows; the lips scarcely
met over the teeth, and the whole couuten-
ance was as guant and sinister as that of a
corpse. ....
I turned away, and drawing one Of the
physicians aside-he was a man of great
celebrity-asked if there was any chance of
recovery?
sMr. Cotesbury's case is quite hopeless,
SIR was the reply. We do not anticipate
his living throughout the night. No reme-
dies can now reach him.
Ibowed my head. with grief and suffering
too deep for tears. In response to my fur
ther questions DR.. - said there was little
likelihood of any further delirium. Nature
was worn out. His passing away would
probably be quite tranquil
And so it proved. At three in the morn
ing he began to sink, and with the giving
away of strength his mental powers seemed
to revive. He smiled family as his eye met
mine, and murmured.
Thank you, Will-you always loved me-
He then asked for his wife and daughter.
They came hastily. Poor Marquis took
hand of each, and said:
MY wife, my child, shall soon die; can
you forgive me?
The tones of his voice were unspeakably
tender and sweet; and poor Mrs. Cotesbury
could only sink upon her knees, and, with
long repressed love, cover the thin hand she
held with kisses. A smile Of happiness diff
fused itself over the wan face OF Marquis,
and then he raised his weak arm and placed
it around the neck of Aurora. AS he did
so the fresh wound upon her cheek caught
his eye, and he asked who had hurt his