The Van Buren press., 1870-06-07
A Sad Story.

The Cincinnati Enquirer has the fol
lowing concerning the death Of Theodore
Cley:it ua
"At thirty years Of age theodore Clay
was a promising lawyer He was the
image and hope of the statesman whose
fame was on every tonge. 1t is true that
there were whispers of wild living, and oi
| indifferent morals, that somewhat tinged
the fair repute and even darkened the fti
ture prospects Of this scion of a noble
house. Still it was hoped that these were
but the result ofyouth, and would be cast
aside when circumstances called upon
the maturod man to assert himself and
make his talent felt in the community,
/" 1t was at this turning point in his life
that Theodore Clay began to pursue, with
an unwearied perseverance that caused
his friends great uneasiness, a young
lady Of Lexington, whom he had long
loved hopeIossly. The object of his at.
tachment, who is at tho present moment
one Of the brightest ornaments Of Ken
lucky society, repulsed firmly, but kind
ly, every attention offered by the infatu-
ated young man after his meaning had
become Ianilest. 1t was OF no use, he
would not be refused, and followed his
fair fate in the streets by day, and wan
dercd in the neighborhood of her home
by night, in al annoying manner, until
at last it became evident that he was not
all there to use the soft phrase by which
kindly pcasantry express insanity.
Subsequently violent demonstrations
tended to confirm the impression, it be-
ing even related that he went to the house
Of Mr. -, and dem andcd his daughter
at the pistols point, until at last the
wretched truth could no longer be ignor
ed, and confinement in the asylum became
a stern N cessity. This was accordingly
done, Gin 1882, We believc,) his father
providing for his support at that time,
and leaving $4,000 in his will, the in
come from which was secured to Theo-
dore forlife That life, after thirty eight
years of imprisonment in what in the
earlier days of his confinement he was
wont to call 'agood boarding. house, but
having some Of the biggest fools he ever
saw as boarders,' has just closed. For
nearly thirty years he was one of the
most noted of the inmates, not only his
proud descent, but his graceful manners
and flow Of conversation rendering him
an object Of interest to all visitors. He
labored under the hallucinaton that he
was George Washington, and was fond
of assuming the traditional attitudes OF
the Father Of his Country. At the occa-
sional balls given to the inmates (aver-
aging some five hundred in number) he
was always exqulsitely dressed, in the
style of his day, and was the beau par
esoellence During all these long years,
despite his general gcntleness and cheer.
fulness Of manner, he was restless and
DISCONTINUED, and required close watch
ing, it never, in fact, having been consid-
cred prudent to allow him to go out into
the grounds without attendants. About
the year 1860 his condition began to
grow worse, and he soon after became
demented, continuing in hopeless idiocy
until few days since, when Death, d
greater healer than Time, placed him
again upon an equality with the peers Of
his early manhood, who had gone before
him to the God that created him and did
with him according to His inscrutablc
will. And 50 ends rs sad a story as the
truth Of history ever commanded to be
written
1.-Two sons of Henry Clay yet survive
hm--T. II. Clay. ex-minister to lIondu-
ras, now residing on his place, T" Mans
field" near Lexington, and John NJ. Clay,
the raiser of Kentucky and one of the
greatest turf men living
DoSr LEAN Upon OTHERS. Half al
least Of the disappointed men one meets
II. - ;I1 LODI hnt,y aud low