The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-04-09
A RUINED LIFE.
The History of McFariand-His Love
E1perfence-His Pecuniary Prosperity
His Beliefs and Tendencies-The Free
Love Business.

which We take from the BrooSiyn paily Eagle,
will he read with interest:
OF Mcfarland 1t will be pertinent to state that
he brought out from Ireland considerable patrl-
Otism and few material resources.
AGRARIANIsN.
With the latter he put himself through Dart
mouth, and while student there he became
enamored OF Fourler's notion oil agrarlan and
material and Industrial communism, and was
indebted for his early adoption OF those Oto-
mans ideas In America by MIR. Horace Greeley,
who Is at present his most pronounced antago-
MIST Sutiused With these notions, Mr.. McFar.
land went to Brook Farm, and became worker
aud loafer at intervals, upon that Arcadlan and
vet sterile plat OF ground. Ralph Waldo Em-
erson s ' was there, Margaret Fuller was there,
George Ripley was there, George william curtis
was there, Charles Anderson Dana was there,
Charles e. Wilbur was there, and Ralph brisbane
was there Bayard Taylor, Horace Greeley, and
William II. Fry used to visit there but could not
remain any length OF lime. There Is evidence,
however, that Mr.. Mcfarland seeded even before
the Brook Farm Community went to pieces for
want OF the conference founded on q ianatlcal re-
igious conviction. BY the by t IS historical that
these cooperative schemes fall when they are
not Welded by some sentiment some moral priil'
clple be 1t monstrous or tile reverse. The Shak-
ers, the Oneida Communists, and the Mormons
all have a religious basis to go upon. IL may be
In each case mighty poor sort OF religion Dut IL
Is religion 10 them. Tile Brook Farm lacked this,
and collapsed. The immediate influence which
In him worked q repudIation Of the principle OF
the notion was that he began to be treated by
suggestion to the out.cropping OF the dogma,
which has since worked tragedy, peril, desertl0n,
and misery in his life, tile
DOGMA OF FREE LOVE.
theoretically, though not practically, Margaret
Fuller, Waldo Emerson and c. a. Dana then be-
lieyed In this heresy. There was that, however,
In the Celtic soul OF Mcfarland which reoetled
against even the inceptivc discussion OF this dog
1,an fhn n.
ton which this system Of agricultural commu.
nism wrought; now, ut any rate, the world
not ripe for the Idea, and how time, energy, re.
sources and future were wasted IN outtlng against
the century. Accordingly, he came out from
among them. For a time he fingered round New
England. but he soon bore away to Baltimore,
taught elocuton In the Maryland military lnst-
tute and then gravitated towards Virginia, into
William and Mary College. He appears IN these
years to have been q cultivated. inonenslye, ac-
active literary Irishman. Walle NJ Baltimore
the tragedy OF his life began In the acqusntances
he formed Will.
ABBY SAGE.
IIe was then n man rising thirty. He Is now
lorty-hye. She was then half blonde, half bru-
nette sensuOrs and buXom girl OF seventeen.
She Is now thirty-two. He was man respected
for cultivation and attaiunentS. She vas o girl
respected Tor beauty, animation and ambition.
He was without relatives In this country, except
a mercantile brother, who Is in New YORK now,
and an interview with whom yesterdays Eagle
OuUltSneu,
we are Informed, the only daughter Of Mr..
Sage, then q newspaper carrier anu minor booK'
seller OF Baltimore. She was more noted l0r
wide reading than for exact scholarship, WMcn
Is not only likely 10 Ue the claraclerislic " hel
sex. but Which was also particularly consistent
with her social station In llfe-hef lathers $ lew
bovks alrurdlng her successive courses OF rra"
ing, and the further fact that her mother took ID
Lesser social attentions and arts which have made
her celebrated, in way, since fuc match was
regarded as quite the thing for MISS sage 10 con-
tract. Indeed. It Is not TOO much TO say tnat as as
things conventially g0. she was thought TO have
married above her 'set." and there Is evidence
tIar he who had become her husband became
also her instructor and tutor Tor several years,
happy and fast.hylng years niter i marpiase' G
titude She had for composition, and lie organized
into shape very considerable natural literary haD-
its which she undeniably possessed, anu mas since
exercised with qualified cnect; Anotner eieInenI
of the instruction which the husband Impaired
was clOcutIon, particularly Us much (Which Is the
principal par) as related to vocal training, ana
to defamation. In sowing these seeus OF Haowl-
edge and art, it could hardly nave been lorcseen
What crop Of horrors they would raise up
These will he shortly related. soon after mar
rage, yetnot Immediately leaving Baltimore,
THE MrARLASD HOUSEHOLD REAoVED TO NEW
YORK.
In that city the husband began to practice law
lie began under the auspices OF as many OF the
Old Brook Farm communities as lau gIavIatea
from Maryland which habtated him inhuen..
tially In this city. He did well. he mad saved
and he made money Besides, lie had acquail'
tances who stood well In the community. The
Sinclair household brought Ie "nGG , "a thnse te rh
Mcrarlands became wen acquaihtt,e,m,,. t,,,,.o AmonS
them were included the Misses Gilbert, one OF
whom Is now tile widow Calhoun, who ~ likely
to figure not obscurely III this case IL Is on rec
Va pt
good deal Of the Mcfarlands, ana were IN turn
made muck Of by them.
Mr.. Mcfarland had by this time, iS6o, ny Iegai
practice and profitable IN INVESTMENT, become worth
$4,000. ,, ,,o. o.
lie at this time found himself that supposed to
be envable creature, a ripe anu powerful ana
prosperous man OF thirty five, win very young
and blooming and beautiful Wlle. ne was wen
etr: hut one OF them, perhaps both, wanted to be-
come very rich. Accordingly, w ilis Miies solict
alton, and In pursuance Will tne adVice OF tnelr
many mutual friends, lie lnreslea ail MS money
In Wisconsin lands. 1t was inc 1I. 1 s. story over
again of Martin chuzzlewit and Mark Tapley In
the Garden or Eden. lie lost every cent, ana re-
turned TO New York to begin lie over again.
From housekeeping in some ueer.e VI STAT, tnes
had 10 reduce at once their expenditures and
their eSpecfaiions. Yet this was certainly con-
dition of affairs which, though sau, was not de.
void of c0mpensatOns. Ihey llan Health,
strength. and only co.operatlon, cohlaence III
each other. and q few years. economy, were re-
uuired to restore tile old estate Reverses OF this
sort experienced and conquered are tile history Of
every year and month. For some reason or other.
however, Mr.. Mcfarland never recovered from
that reverse OF fortu,Ie To bc sure. he practiced
law, in civil cases, with some success, and with
! such success Us enabled him to realize moderate
income but about this time those domestic nls
| sensions set in which have since eliminated IN
assassination.
During and subsequent to this unfortunate In
| yestment. tile Misses Gilbert had become In rela
ton 10 Mrs. Mcfarland like liberty, and union
one and nseparable. The slnelalrs, too, Eep'
open houses for her. With many OF tile politi
clans who did and do congregate there, she be
came acquainted. About This time. also, Mr.
Mcfarland began to withdraw admiration from
the peculiar, political anu domestic le philosopl!
which was preached In this circle He became
as men do in growing older, more domestic ant
staid in his views H. used in these times TO ex
press preference for his wlfe's society Of even
| incs in their own home, rather than for them
| one mr. both to visit somewhere away from hom
every eve v evening Into these requests Madame dix
NOT enter atr:na:!yely. She male them the SUI