The Huntington argus. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1872-1905, 1872-08-10
sublime and Heroic Devotion.

family OF John Lamb aud Elizabeth his
wife. The elder son, named john like his
father was twelve years, the sister Mary
ten years, older than Charles Between
,hese two latter tender affection subsisie,.
hary bestowed almost material care upon
She weakling brother 50 much her Junior
The father he'd teen Tor many years
clerk to Mr.. Samuel Salt, barrister and
tebcher OF the Inner Temple, from whom.
when lac retired from his service (beins
then almost imbecile) he received small
pension The elder brother, John, had a
comfortable post in the South Sea House
Charles on leaving school obtained some
triflng employment ia the South Sea
House also but in the year 1872, when he
was seventeen years old, he entered the
service Of the East India Company a. clerk
in the Accountants Office. lie lived AZ
tr.s tine with his father, his invalid moth
er, his sister, and AN old aunt who Dos
sessed a trlflin, annuity which she dubbed
4 to the common store
Three years later Il horror Leiel him and
his, whose shadow darkened the remainder
of his lie. There was 4 faint OF here,lia-
ry madness in ms tamil y, aud this baleiul
heritage suddenly burst forth in IL gentle,
unseliish, sensible Mary Lamb, a woman
efwhom habit is reported to have said
that she was the most rational and the wi
set woman lac had ever known.
One day in fit Of maniacal frenzy she
stabbed her bed ridden mother to the
heart
Let US try to conceive the condition
Of that household; the imbecie father
he too wounded in his daughters
blind fnry-the unconscious maniac, the
poor murdered corpse OF the belo ed mother
lying almost unheeied, whilst the crushing
weight OF care and responsibility in this
most appalling situation lay upon a sen-i
dive feeble youth Of little more than twen-
~ years old!
Feeble in body was Charles Lamb: but
more heroic heart than his never beat
tie took up his burden then and there, aud
be carried it to his grave He carried il
aot rePinng, but lovingly, teuderly, as Il
moiher Supports her child inarms to y hicl.
love alone lends strength.
From that black day to the end Ma.
~ Lamb owed every hour OF peace or
cheeriulness which fell to her lot. to Ler
brother Charles lie bestowed them up,n
her as literally as i, the minutes had been
uinted coin dropped from -shis hand into
hers.
At the inquest on Mrs. Lambs body a
verdict oil Mary iunacy was returned she
was removed 10 an asylum, where ia
short time she recovered her senses. Other
members of the ftnily-notably the elder
brother John, who seems not to have con-
F!buted IN any way to the support OF his
helpless father aud sister-strenou-l op.
posed her being at large again. She her.
sell sand at this time that she knew she
must 90 to Bethlehem Hospital for lie
One brother would have it SO, aud the 9th
or, although he did not wish it, would be
hrced 90 90 with the stream.
But it proved not 80. She had not recl,.
oned on the sublime devotion o; her BROTH
or Charles How should she have done
5o' Wehayeno right to count upon find
ing heroes even among those We best love
and honor But this man, this poor. sick
~ obscure London clerk, was hero than
whom ! think history has none nobler to
show H. took Mary to bis poor home, and
until he died she lived with him. sharing
'he shelter OF las rooi and faring a. he
Jared
She was perpetually subject to recurrcn-
ees of her dreadful maiady When the
mad fiji announced ts approach by certain
symptoms they had learned To know. the
brother and sister woul walk forth torrth-
o. weeping together. shedding such tears
~ II "ring- the heart to think Of. to llox.
ton s,lun, and there the afflicted woman
would be left until the calm light Of reason
returned 70 her suffering brain. This en-
arrei ali The rest Of Lamb- life There
WIZ no care, no hopr This Gigbtnh ap-
pfehensi'n sat with him az biz b,nrI. and
e'iIed beside him ia his bell And--he
loved h.--i-ter dearly 90 tha end.
llc Inns no word but Of lyndness aud
gratitude Tor her. She is his best friend
and sister lie dedicate. his first publish.
ell work t' her. lie writes Of her 10 hi.
closest friends 90 terms Of mingled fatcr.
ID