The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1870-01-27
Random Thoughts.
By TIE EDITOR.

says she has not read one word of What
has been said against her, and then very
pompously has the assurance to ask ,
careful reading Of what she has to say
in reply. The only scrap of evidence
she offers is the mere story Of Lady
Byron herself, and the only proof that
lady offered was the following, as re-
lated by Mrs. Stowe:
"At what precise time the idea Of an improper
connect lon between her husband and his sister
was first forced upon her she did not say, but
| she told me how 1t was done. She said that one
night, IN her presence, he treated bis sister with
liberty which both shocked and aston shed
| her. Seeing her aInaZement and alarm, be
came up TO her and said, In q sneering tone,
suppose you perceive you are not wanted here.
Go to your own room, and leave us alone. We
can amuse ourselves without you
She said, I went to my room trembling. ]
fell down on my knees, and prayed to my
| Heavenly Father to have mercy on them.
thought What shall do?' .
remember, after this, pause in the conyer
| alton during which she seemed struggling " III
thoughts and emotions and for my part, / wal
unable to uttera word or ask q question.
''She did not tell me what followed immedi
ately upon this, nor how soon after she spoke
on the subject to either of the parties. She
| first began 10 speak of conversations nfterward
held with Lord Byron, in which he boldly
avowed the connection as having existed In time
past, aud as one that was to continue In time TO
come; and implied that she must submit to It.
She put 1t 10 his conscience as concerning his
sister 8 SOUL and he said that II was no sin ;
that 1t was the way the world was first peopled;
the Scriptures taught that all the world descended
from one pair; and how could that be unless
brothers married their sisters that If not sin
then, it could not be sin now"
Now remember, Lady Byron had
this evidence ''forced upon her" before
the separation. She and Lord Byron
mad fual separation on the 18th of
January, 1916. On the S5th of the
same month, she wrote the following
to her inoestous sister-in-law:
''Jau. 25. 1876.
"Mr DEAREST AUGUSTA: Shall still be your
sister7 must resign my rights to be so con-
sidered but don't think that 1t will make any
difference In the kindness / have 90 uniformly
experienced from you"
On the Sd, 4th and 14th of February,
1916, she wrote to Augusta Leigh, the
last of which letters is as follows:
"KIRKBY MALLORY, Feb. II, 1916.
"The present sufferings of all may vet be re-
paid In blessings. Do not despair absolutely,
dearest and leave me but enough OF your ln-
| terest to afford you any consolation BY parta1-
| ing of that sorrow which am most unhappy
to cause thus unntentionallv. You ,ciH be of
my opin ion hereafter and at present your Bit
tercst reproach would be forgiven, though
Heaven knows you have considered me more
| than thousand would have done-more than
anything but my affection for b., one most dear
| TO you, could deserve. | must not remember
these feelings Farewell God bless you from
the bottom ofmy heart. ALB"
Who believes that a wife who had
been only one month separated from
her husband by the terrible crime of
incest with his own sister, could call
upon God to bless that sister from the
bottom of her heart?
But the friends of Mrs Stowe say
that up to the time Of writing these
letters, Lady Byron did not know of
the criminal ty Of Mrs. Leigh, but she
only knew of Lord Byron'S desires in
that direction. This will not do, as
you can see by again reading the COM
mencement OF the above extract. "The
improper connection between the hus-
band and his sister was first forced
upon her" before the separation.
Mrs. Stowe has made a most pit iful
failu.e in this whole matter.
AS have not published much poe
try lately, will give lengthy extract
from Byron's "Prisoner of ChillOu," /"
to show how this monster could
write. The whole poem describes a
patriotic family, the last three brothers
being in prison, and here is how two
died, and the survivor is supposed to be
describing their death:
Lake Leman lies by Chlllon's walls;
A thousand feet In depth below
| III massy waters meet and flow;
| Thus much the fathom-line was sent
z rom Chillon's snow-white battlement,
Which round about the wave enthralls
A double dungeon, wall and wave
| Have made-and like living grave.
Below the surface Of the lake
The dark vault lies wherein we lay,
We heard 1t ripple night and day
Sounding Ger our heads It knockd
And / have felt the winter spray
Wash through the bars when winds we're high
And wanton in the happy sky;
And then the very rock hath rockd,
And have felt 1t shake unshockd,
Because / could have smiled TO see
The death that would have set me free.
saId nv nearer brother pined,
said his mighty heart declined,
He loa thed and put away his foedi
Il was not that I was coarse and rude,
For we were used TO hunters fare,
And for the like had little care
The milk drawn from the mountain goat
Was changed for water from the moat,
Our read was such as capuve's tears
Have moistend' many thousand years
Fsince man first pent his fellow men
Like brutes within an iron den!
But what were these to us or hlml
Til ese wasted not his heart or limb,
Nv biothere soul was of that mold
Viii In palace had grown cold,
Had his free breathing been denied
The range Of the steep mountains side;
But why delay the truth Pho died.
saw, and could not hold bis head,
Though hard strove, but strove 10 vain,
10 rend and gnash my bonds In twain.
He died--and they unlock d hls chain,
And scoop'd for him a shallow grave