The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-02-05

and healing virtue while, if | allowed thi
opportunity to escape, might not have an
other for adding a mortal's means and ener
gies sometimes Gods instruments) to tn
workings Of nature, and the silent but pew
erful voice Of religion speaking from TN
lnnermost recesses Of his moral constltu
ton.
: This is nature and truth" said l, aftel
a pause-''powersa thousand times stronger
than the brain-sick fancies of diseased
mind. 1t is the voice of God himself
sounding through the heart, and, like tht
electric energy, heaving it with convulsivt
throes, as If TO cast from it the impious dar
ing and unnatural purpose you have cher
ished in it 50 long that no lesser power will
expel it. L Iejoice in these throes cherish
them and aid them, for they are the expul
sers Of poison that, having got into your
blood, and reached the heart, the seat oi
life, madly stimulates It to selfdestruction.
This is the time-here is the vantage
ground of a return to all that is right, true,
and good, from cowardice, cruelty, irreligiCn,
and even rebellion against God :"
Listen to him-listen to him :" cried
the young woman, still sobbing. Hear
thae words o truth, for they are seat from
Heaven. Receive them into your heart,
and it will be changed, and l will live to
see my father enjoy life and be happy"
WheR!' groaned tho miserable man,
satirically, as if reused BY the sound of the
distssteful word "happy." When am
siu at tile window g. prison, thinkin O.
my dead Agnes, and lookin at the settin O.
my sixty fifth sum-
These words showed me that the struggle
had been Intellectual. Released from the
grasp Of bis daughter, who sat at the side
of the bed, be doggedly and ST rnly folded
bis arms, and relapsed into silent fit of
detection. No effort would make him open
bis lips. There seemed to be no principle
Of reaction in his moral economy all was
penetrated bp fatal lethargy, which closed
up every issue, broke every spring Of living
thought, feeling, or motion. My profes-
sional knowledge was entirely useless, my
personal services unavailing. | called to
him loudly to answer me, and got no reply
but deep groans | even shook him
roughly, and tried to bend his head to his
weeping daughter. My efforts were quick
ened by a se~se that bore in upon me with
fearful strength and importantly, that bad,
by experimenting on bis mind, and filling it
with images of horror, increased the disease
intended to cure. Panied beyond meas
ure, | was anxious to redeem my fault and
correct my error By getting him engaged in
conversation, whereby | might have last
opportunity Of drawing him into train of
thought which might lead to the sense of
bis awful condition, and prospect Of escap-
ing from its present misery, and its horrible
Bat my medicine had
operated too powerfully. There he sat, un-
moved, immoveable-~a sad and melancholy
victim Of the worst species Of hypochoudria
that which exhibits as one Of its pathOg-
nomOuic symptoms, the desire. the determi-
nation nArsevered in through all difficulties,
also see an account In OnecBrnles, to
commit self-murder.
| waited for considerable period, stand
ing at the side of bis bed, to see if be would
exhibit any signs of returning moral vitali-
ty, but in vain. My other pressing avOca-
tions demanded imperiously my presence in
quarters where l could be of more service
Tie daughter was herself buried in dos
pondency, her face being hid in her hands,
and broken ejaculations escaping from her
lips took up the book which had pro-
duced so much harm, and whispered lOwly
in her ear, T. request James H to call
for me next day. At the sound of this
name she star ted, and looked up wildly. Il
was afraid / might have to encounter an
other scene like that hae witnessed on the
occasion Of my last departure. therefore
hurried away. giving her no time to reply,
where conversation was SO useless. My in-
tentlOn was to try and devise some means
Of introducing a person into the house
though against the determined will Of the
father-tO guard him and assist the
daughter but tIat could only he done
through the medium of the messenger who
went between me and the young woman
(TO BE CONTINUED