The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-02-12
sALES OF THE BORDERS,
THE SUICIDE.
THE sURcE CONS sToRY.
BY ALGXANDER LuGHToN

CONCLUDED
When | got some distance from the
house, / could not resist the feeling that on
TIE occasion of my prior visit compelled me
tS look back upon this miserable dwelling.
I:had seen diseases of all kinds grinding
TIE feelings of unhappy man; hut in the
worst of them there is some principle, either
Of resistance or resignation, that comes to
tie aid of the sufferer, and enables him to
rhss the ordeal, whether for life or death.
1he duty be is called upon to perform is to
JeGr : for no man / ever yet saw on sick
led can get quit of the thought-however
rauch he may try to philosOphise about ply
seal causes, or to conceal his sense OF
divine inAueucr-that he is placed there BY
4 superior Hanu for the rery purpose Of
Awferinq, with a view to some end that IS
Eelled from b. eye. Every pang, there
fore, that is horne carries with it, or leaves
/ tfter it, some feeling Of necessity to bear,
and satisfaction of having endured, and
10 certain extent obeyed, the behest o.
Him that sent it. In many, this feeling il
strong and decided, yielding comfort and
consolation when no other power could have
ANY effect and though in others it may be
sless discernible-being often denied BY the
.patients themselves, and attempted to be
slaughed at and scorned-it is, | assert, still
sthere, silently working its progress 10 the
sbeart, and spreading its balm even against
.the sufferers's own rebellious will. But the
cease of the suicide is left purposely y by Him
against whose law and authority the unholy
spurpose is directed, in a solitary condition
EOf unmitigated horror; for the desire to gel
quit Of pain-the inheritance of mOrtas-
is itself the very exclusion of that reslgna
ton which is its legitimate antidote, while
/ the devoted victim, obeying a necessity thai
I forces him to eschew a misery be is moi
noble-minded enough to bear, not only has
. no good in view, but is conscious that he il
J flying from evil, through evil, 10 evil SC
that from behind, around him, within him,
! before him-wherever he casts his eye
! there is nothing hut darkness, pain, and
utter desolation. To complete the scene
there is, perhaps, no living Hat'Ta' evi
more peculiar and acute, and less capable
Of generating resistance or resignation thar
the rack Of apprehension and terror of ar
only daughter watching, alone and unaided
the issues Of purpose that is, in all hkeli
hood, to force her through the energies o
the strongest instinct-6lial affection-tC
stop, with her trembling hands, the flow o
a fathers ife-blood Yet all this evil, thi
misery, was to he found in that house
standing alone in the midst Of these bleak
bills, like a temple dedicated to sorrow.
Next day james II - called upon me
having seen the young woman, unknown t.
the father, on the previous night, and re
ceived from her the instructions | left 70
him. He saw himself the necessity o
something being done towards the ameliora
ton Of the condition Of the two unhapp,
individuals but be acknowledged the diff
Guilty Of efFecting it. He perceived (wha
} was true) that, If any watch were set owe
bis uncle, it might only make certain tha
which at present was doubtful that th
watchman could only proceed on the prime
, Die that be was mad, and bind him, or con
fine him, or otherwise treat him as insane
and that. besides, be knew no one who
. without pay land there was no money!
would undertake so unpleasant a duty
! which might last for weeks, or months, Q
even years. No concealed surveillanc
could be kept over him for be suspected i
an instant the object Of any one visltin
him, and had ordered one or two indivlC
uals, who had come from distance to ca
I for him, ont Of the house, suspecting (suc