The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-07-09
NY OTHER SELF.

|
place an asyium-to speak of it to
visitors. and even to the inmates,
as an institution built and conduct
| ed for the humane purpose Of hold
ing in check or eradicating that
worst of human maladies, insanity;
but the close barred window,
through which the gray, autumnal
sunlight filters into the apartment
in which I pen these words-the
stone-foored corridor without that
resounds to the footsteps Of WELL
paid keepers-tells different sto-
ry.
1t is prison. Not a prison
which, in the sentence of the law,
wrought into iron and granite, but
place of confinement, the walls
and bars of which are those worst
Of passions-avarice, hate, and
perfdy petrified.
am here prisoner, and devoid
of hope. I no longer anticipate
the coming of day when I shall
go free. My patrimony has passed
into the possession of brother Bas-
il; and he caa we'll afford to bribe
these who call themselves medical
attendants to keep me safe and
| fast.
Well, 50 be it! I have not
found the world such an altogeth-
er delightful place, that 1 am in
consolable at the thought of sep
aratinr from It Cor GOOD Here,
/ st Ieast, I have nothing worse than
my own thoughts and solitude;
and, besides, I have one recoiloc-
tion that always keeps me jubilant.
! Ny other self, that diaboiicaI
! double that internal thing that
was neither shadow nor substance
or, rather, which was both-is
forever disposed of, aud, that out
of the way, can enjoy myself even
here.
Life commenced with me pleas
antly enough. My fathers death
left large estate, to be divided
equally between Basil and myself,
who were then warmly attached to
each other, and almost inseparable.
We had similar tastes, followed
the same literary AMI artistic pur-
suits, and INDUCED in the same
descriptions of dissipation com
moa 10 young men Of fortune; but
mine was a stronger constitution
than his.
Then fortune gave an indication
that | was her especial favorite.
An uncle, who had not set eyes up
on either Of us for two and-twanty
years, died in town of Java,
| where he had immense posses
! sions; and it was found, when his
papers came to be overhauled by
the legal gentlemen, that 1 had
been remembered, and Basil for
gotten.
Through this piece Of luck be-
came the richest man in the coun-
ty. l forgot the exact amount of
my wealth, and the thought of
figures confuses me, but it was
something prodigious. People
| talked about it, and I read para
graphs concerning my self in the
daily papers.
My brother proposed TO congrat-
nlate me, and warmly seconded
my proposition to celebrate my
good fortune by tremendous Ca
rouse, to which all our mutual
friends and acquaintance should
be hidden. The more l thought
over the idea, the better it pleased
me; and we spent q day in filling
up the blanks to printed invita-
tions, that were issued far and
wide.
At the appointed time, my
guests made their appearance. The
great mansion was one glare of
light from basement to attic.
The last arrival came about mid
night, and in singular fashion.
The carriage in which he rode was
an extraordinary affair, consisting
Of close box painted black, but
relieved by alternate spots Of blue
and crimson, mounted on a pair Of
wheels at least fifteen feet in diam
eter, in color blood red. The We
hicle was drawn by white horse,
with a black name and tail, and a
creature that looked as though he
might be a cross between drom-
cdary and a zebra. The driver,
who occupied sort of pulpit on
the roof OF the carriage, was gi-
gantic negro, with a nose like the
proboscis Of tapir, and one great
eye, that gliltered with the dull
red light of a carbuncle. The
place which the other visual should
have occupied, was covered by
something that looked like seal
lop. shell, which was held in its
place by fillet of red tape.
AS this strange equipage drew
up before my door, the hideous
charioteer seemed to apply his foot
to an unknown spring, door in
the rear flew open, and ladder of
ropes rolled down, by means of
which q gentleman descended. l
slept forward to bid him welcome,
although l could not REM member
that there was any invited guests
yet to come, but stopped within
pace of him in utter hewilderment.
He stood in the strong light of a
brilliant lamp, which revealed ev-
cry feature perfectly, and l saw
that these were the exact counter
parts of my own.
The man, the thing, the phan-
tom-whatever it was-smiled in a
half-inebriated kind of way. and