The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1861-04-11
BURIED ALIVE.
BY TIE VICTIM.


BYTHE VICTIM
1t has been truly said that the life Of every
individual man or woman, however unevent-
ful it mighthaye been, if faithfully narrated,
would afford matter for warning or improve
mcnt. Certain painful incidents in my own
life induces me to trace thisrecord; believing
shall do service to my fellow men by the
narration, if only by calling attention to the
hasty burial of the dead, which is the custom
so generally prevalent in this country of my
adoption.
I was the son of respectable parents, NOV
ing in what is termed, in England, the middle
class My father held a small but lucrative
appointment in government Office, and in
due course Of time he was permitted to retire
on the accustomed pension allowed in such
cases. With this annuity and a small in
come derived from his own property, he set
tied down in his native village Of j on
the coast of Dcvonshirc
was the only child ofmy parents, and ex-
pcrienced all that lavish and mistaken indsl'
gence which an only child usually receives.
Ny mothers fondness approached almost to
idolatry, and much as loved that dear pa
rent, csnnotbut think that to her unjadging
afTectionI owe much ofthe weakness and in
firmly Of character, to which may be traced
the Indirect causes Of my sad career through
life. .t.
Nv father died as Twas entering my teens,
eaving me entirely dependent on my survi-
wing parent, to whom l now became doubly
an object of devoted regard. The death of
my father made no material change in our
worldly prospect. The house and grounds
We occupied were our own and free of incum-
brancc, and the income derivable from his
property had been increascdby aconsiderabe
legacy falling to my mother, the whole of
which funds were invested in the hands oil
the wcalthiest bankers in our county, one of
the partners being distant relative of my
father was delicate boy, and, as ! have
said, an indulged and petted one, |..
Ny education, under such disqualification,
wasonlylof the most mediocre character. i
was djcdnie,, tooAa child Of imagination
and impulsc-and all these traits of eharac-
ter we're fostered and developed to m almost
exaggerated extent, by the love for fictitious
narratives and exciting tales of adventure.
AsI grew to manhood my mothers love
and care seemed toincrease; no inducement
or rcmonstrancc of her friends could prevail
on her to part with me. She parricd all at
taeks Of this kind, by saying that, 81 need not
trouble myself with trade or profession
Her property was sufficient for our mainte-
nance and the care of that property would
prove amply sufficient to employ my time"
Idle and inert as was by nature and con-
frmed by habit, Ipassively yielded to my mo-
thcr's arrangements. The only active en-
ployment engaged in being careless su-
perintendance of the cultivation of the few
acres attached to our residence, and the care
of our garden. Books, however, and day
dreaming were my chiefemploymests
At the age of twenty-one the monotony of
my ill-spent life was broken in upon The
great master-passion of youth exerted its in
fuence upon me. A young, delicate girl
ueicc Of my mothers, became an inmate Of
our home. She was an orphan, left to my
mother care. Like myself she was an only
and 9 petted child and the resemblance be-
tween US was completed by her being as per-
feet "dreamer" as myself
That sympathetic understanding was
speedily created between two such persons
may readily be imagined. We mutually
loved, and with the entire concurrence Of my
mother we were united. In due course OF
time lovely boy blessed our union; but
alas! scarcely had our little home been cheer
ed by this treasure, when its mothersickened,
and in few days was left bereaved wild
over. twas my first great Ofiction!r My
mind nearly succumbed under the stroke,
weak and inEirm Of purpose as l was, Ny
child, however, restored to life, now devoted
all the energies ! was capable Of exerting.-
4 l.