The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-01-02


The asylum in which my unfortunate
friend was confined, at this time the only
one in Edinburgh, was situated in an angle
Of the city wall. 1t was a dismal looking
mansion, shut in on every side, by the
neighboring houses, from the view of the
surrounding country and so effectually
covered up from the nearer street, by large
building in front, that it seemed possible
enough to pass lifetime in Edinburgh with
out coming to the knowledge of its exist
ence. | shuddered as | looked up to its
blackened walls, thinly sprinkled with mis-
cradle looking windows, barred with iron,
and thought of il rs q sort of burial-plsce OF
dead minds. But it was Golgotha, which,
with more than the horrors Of the grave, had
neither It's rest nor its silence. | was startled,
as entered the cell of the hspless poet, by
shout OF laughter from q neighboring
room, which was answered from a dark re-
s6rsset :61s a-nsn and the clanzine q chains. The
mother and sister Of Ferguson were sitting
beside bis pallet, on a sort Of stone settle
which stood out from the wall and the poet
himself, weak and exhausted, and worn to
shadow, but apparently in his right mind,
lay extended on the straw. He made an at
tempt to rise as | entered but the effort
was above his strength, and, again lying
down, be extended his hand.
'Tbis is kind, Mr.. Lindsay" he said cit
is i'll for me to be alone in these days and
yet have few visitors, save my poor old
mother and Margaret. But who cares for
the unhappy ?"
| sat down on the settle beside him, still
retaining his hanI. ''I have been at sea,
and in foreign countries" | said, "snce
last >aw you, Mr.. Ferguson, and it was only
this morning | returned; but believe me
there are many, many Of your couutrymen
who sympathize sincerely in all your sfaic-
tion, and take a warm interest in your re-
covery."
| He sighed deeply. "Ah," he replied, 81
know too well the nature Of that sympathy.
You never find it at the bedside of the suf-
ferer-it evsporates in few barren express
sions of idle pity; and yet, after all, it is
but paying the poet in kind. He calls so
often on the world to sympathize over fc-
titious misfortune, that the feeling wears
out, and becomes q mere mood of the imagin-
alton and, with this light, attenuated pity
Of his own weaving, it regards his own real
sorrows. Dearest mother, the evening is
damp and chill-do gather the bedclOthes
round me, and SIT on my feet they are 80
very cold and 50 dead, that they cannot be
colder . week hence"
10 Robert, why you do speak so ?" said the
poor woman, as she gathered the clothes
round him, and sat on his feet. "Yeu know
you are coming home tomorrow"
Tomorrow n he said-"if | see to-mor-
row, shall have completed my twenty
fourth year. small part, surely, Of the
threescore and ten but what matters it
when Ills past p
"You were ever, my friend, of q melan-
choly temperament" / said, s'and too little
disposed to hope. Indulge 10 brighter views
Of the future, and oil shall yet be well"
81 can now hope that it SHALL" be said.
"Yes, all shall be well with me-and that
very soon. But, oh, how this nature Of ours
shrinks from dissolution YES, and all the
the poor starlirg that was killed in the room
beside usf Oh, how 1t struggled with its
ruthless enemy, and filled the whole place
with its shrieks of terror and agony. And
yet, poor little thing it bad been true, NIL
J life long, to the laws OF its nature, and had
J no sins to account for, and no judge to meet.
There is . shrinking Of heart ~ look be-
, fore me, and yet can hope that oil shall ys'
be well with ms-and that very soon
! Would that had been wise in time Would
, that had thought more and earlier Of the
} things which pertain to my eternal peace
, more OF living soul, and less OF dying
name But, oh, tits . glorious provision
through which way Of return ID opened ul
even At the eleventh hour n
, We sat round him in silence m indie
scribable feeling of awe Pervsded my who'll
. mind, and his SISTER was affected to tears.
r Margaret" J" he said, in . feeble voice
' Margaret, you will find my Bible in yonde
d little recess tits al have 70 leave you bu
. keep 1t, dearest sister, and use it, and, il
times Of sorrow and suffering that come ;
; I'll, you will know hew to prize the legacy Q
your poor brother. Many, many books
% we'll enough for life |; but there Is only on
}, of any value when We come to die.
Il "You have been . voyagsr of lase, Nj
I, Lindsay" be continued, sand have been
n voyager too. / have been journeying
. darkness and discomfort, mid strange nc
}, earthly shapes Of dread and horror, with o
!, reason to direct aud no viii TO govern. Oh
D. the unspeakable unhappiness Of these wAr
" derings i-tb-se dreams Of Suspicion, nm
,r fear, and hatred, in which shadow and sol
. stance, the true and the false, S~sss !.
= wrought up and mingled together, shat the
formed bot one fantastic and maserab
p whole. And, ohi-the unutterable horrs
Of every momsnsAry return 70 . recollectio
- Of what / had been once, and sense OF viii
lp had become Oh, when awoke amid It
,t terrors oi the night-when turned me Q
% this rursling straw, and heard the Wild va
Il and i sfaT ,-rsh-when ! heard m
(. shuSs- -p a-~on In all b
IsIn '---'