Litchfield enquirer., 1860-03-29

with if. but my admonitions were not well calcu- ,.ted to take effect, when given at the close of a hearty laugh.
 From what have been saying of Mr. South mayd you would I presume, be ready to conclude that he was one of the most cheerly and happy of men. But the case was directly the reverse, and during considerable period of his life, and that too, the most valuable part of it, he was a very unhappy man, indeed, and l have no doubt he had recourse to much of the indulgence of that peculiar propensity have attempted to de- scribe for the purpose of dispelling amental mal- ady which for long time oppressed and preyed upon his heart. He was for many years the vic- tim of the strangest species of hypochondria that ever mortal man was. It never showed itself ID long fits of settled melancholy or monomanla' but in sudden fits and starts. After hours of cheer fnl conversation, and while in entire health, he would suddenly complain of great distress, and exhibit unmistakable evidence of great terror and annrehensions of immediate dissolution. One very extraordinary instance I will relate. He and had been alone many hours, conversing and reading together, and he, not in the least com plaining, when he at once sprung from his seat, and with a scream as would have alarmed me, had it been any other person, and pressing both hands upon his breast he exclaimed that he was going to die immediately. I stepped to him and gently and calmly said to him, "don't be alarm ed you are not going to die"-(for we never treated him as if we thought his distress imagina- ry,) and put my hand gently upon him to lead him to the bed, when he raised one hand from his breast and thrusting his finger against the side of his head, declared, with another outcry that something was passing through his head. persuaded him to lie down, telling him the feel ing would pass off in few minutes, but he con- tinued to groan for some time. I, Knowing what would cure him, took up and began to read to him one of Burke's finest essays which lay by me, and turning to passage of extraordinary eloquence read it; on which he sprung up on end in the bed, and exclaimed was ever anything finer than that p l continued on reading, and in the course of half an hour he was we'll and cheerful as ever. This was the most extraord nary instance I ever saw in him, but those in g degree like it were frequent. He always went to bed an hour or two before Slosson and did, he saying that he never was able to get sleep unti he had gone through great deal of such feelings as he never would attempt to describe.
 Mir. Southmayd was greatly esteemed in his native town, by, believe, almost every one both old and young. He was early in life sent to the legislature, and that often, and was so, know, the last year of his life. He died of lung fever in March, 1913, about two months after the death of his friend Slosson. At the December Term ] 1872, the three who had so long occupied the sane room in perfect harmony, were for the last time there to ether. At the February Term o the Supreme Court, Southmayd and 1 occupied it, but felt that we were in solitude, and in the next term it seemed to me, most emphatcally, z solitude, and more like a family vault than like an abode for living men, and I believe I hayt never been into it since
 Mir. Southmayd was undoubtedly an hones and honorable man, of uncommon pleasing man ners and much beloved and never heard that he had all enemy. Indeed the amenity of his manners and the gentleness of his temper al most forbade it.
 l The family to which Mir. Southmayd belonged was of the Congregational order and two of hi. sisters married Congregational clergymen. He however, joined himself to the Episcopal churcl of which he was member after he settled ir life. and of which. believe he was a commun cant but am not sure. He died unmarried, and I believe in the 39th or 4Oth year of his age. have thus, Dear Sir, answered your request and am very sincerely yours, &c.
 D. &. RoApny.y