Litchfield enquirer., 1862-11-20
IL.
THE SKELETON IN THE CLOSET.

While yet mere boy, Henry Peyton, young est of the two sons of old Judge Peyton, devel- oped symptoms of insanity, which alarmed the family beyond expression, and caused the most poignant grief to his elder brother, Albert.
 A wonderful sympathy existed between the youths, and the affection they bore each other was of the tepderest kind. Albert. us the oldest and most cxrercnced, took the position of pro tector and guide to his brother, who almost wor- shipped him, and trusted his judgment in every. thing
 Henry was the handsomest, the most delicate, and the one best calculated to interest a stran- ger, at the age of twenty-one, but Albert had the finest mind, and the broadest sentiment of gen. erosity. When Henry was attacked by tba, most fearful of all maladies, insanity, Albert never left him for moment; and it was due to his unceasing care and genteness that the poor boy was enabled to recover his reason.
 After this, Albert kept doubly-watchful eye upon him, and was unremitting in his devotion. He warded off every blow, tempered every wind, softened every shock that could affect his broth CTS mind, and more than repaid, at length, by the announcement of army of physicians. that Heury was as sound in mind as anybody, and less liable to second attack than he had been to the first; that there was in word. not one chance to thousand of any return what ever of insanity.
 l It was about this time that Fate took occasion to SOW her bitterest seed. Bessie Ayres became an inmate of Judge Peytons house First as teacher of music to the three little girls; next as general isvorite and companion and lastly as somebody they could not live without.
 Both the boys, or rather the young men Oor Albert was twenty-five and Henry was twenty two) fell in love with Bessie. and both kept the Secret we'll. She, never suspecting it, treated them with the delicious, dangerous unrestrain, and affectionate familiarity that drive men dis tracted when it means nothing. and bewidel them still more when i, means everything.
 Each, of course, fancied that it meant every thing with him. and nothing with his bro,her and before the secret came out, the passion o each had completely mastered.
 By the merest accident, Albert discovered : Henr,'s love for Bessie. It was like a volcanic eruption, CT an earthquake shock to his heart and completely overthrow him for the time Under pretence of study, he hid himself for sev eral days from human eyes, and God alone, who contains all suffering, all love- and all life, know what terrible hours of pain, of prayer, of weep ing and agony. Albert passed.
 Constituted with peculiar and delicate re 6nement, and having heart of infinite tender t ness. his love had taken hold upon his very sou with clinging tenacity that made it one witl
 his life itself The splendid richness of his na
 ture made him enjoy all pleasures and harmo nies with ineffable keenness, and when Hope
 lamps illuminated his future, he seemed to b. born to unmixed happiness.
 3 But he loved Henry. aud could not play tn l. part of Cain. Henry's organization. he knew l was even more delicately sensitive than his own s and disappointment in this, his first great de + sire. would inevitably throw him back into tn Il awful abyss of madness and ruin. It was sin ! pie question that Albert had to ask himself: = "Shall I kill my brother OF myself?' t When he again appeared before the famil a and the world. everybody said he must stud Il more moderately in future. He looked ten yea, l. older than before, and was wretchedly haggard. T. A fortnight after, he sailed for Europe, wit v no definite idea as to the duration of his travel I with grim and ruthless eopscientiousness,