The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-27
Meeting Between an Insane
Mother and Her Boy.

Mother and Her boy.
II Ia trite saying that "truth Ia stranger than
hctiOn," and the wonder is that novests do not
give over the Drain-cudgelling work Of thinking
over plots and weaving imaginary figures that they
may write books to entertain the less experienced
readers. The world about US abounds with Incl
dents OF truly dramatic effect, which require but
little labor to weave a story founded on fact and
replete with details which amply verify the axiom
above quoted.
The Kings county charitable institutions, stu
ated in the town Of Flatbush, can tell many tale
OF human misery, naught with romantic incidents,
worthy the pen OF the story writer. But 1t is not
with romance that this brief article has to deal.
On the contrary. 1t Is with stern reality.
On Thursday last weather-beaten, bright-lOok-
ing young man, about nineteen years old, entered
the office of the Board of Charities Willoughby
street, BROOKLYN, and. approaching one OF the
clerks stated he was DESTROYS OF obtaining some
Information concerning family named Weeks
who
MANY YEARS AGO
were placed under the charge OF the Board of
superintendent OF the Poor. He said that he had
been given over. together with two little brothers,
named william and Edward, to the care of the
keeper OF the County Nursery, at Flatbush, by his
father. The youth further stated that his name
was Henry L. Weeks. He had been apprenticed to
stingy farmer out on Long Island, about t\,rteen
years ago. He worked for agrculturist ar
Huntington, but the work was not suitable for
him and the treatment was unkind. One morning
he ran away from his Huntington master
and, making his way to one of the
harbors on the Sound, shipped
a boy. He had followed seafaring
life from that period down to the
present. and there Is no quarter OF the globe over
which he has not sailed. Henry remembered having
heard that his mother was an inmate OF the Lunatc
being too young when she was separated from his
brothers and himself. Recently, returning from an
extended voyage Henry made his way to Bridge
port Conn, his fathers native place. for the pur"
pose OF seeing his
Here he learned that his father had been dead
for some time, and further, that he had &C
cumuIated fortune during the years which inter,
his unhappy wife and three children. The amount
at which the estate left under the administration
of relative, Is valued is said to be about $4,000.
Here, then, was an unexpected windfa In store for
the tempest-t0ssed mariner, whose buteting about
on the sea OF life, ana the .'deep blue sea" had
been OF o character SO severe as to mature his
faculties and experiences lar beyond his years.
But his claim to his fathers estate must be estab,
repaired to Brooklyn for the purpose OF COM
> municating with the authorities in whose charge
Fortunately one OF the attaches Of the Charity
Bureau, who was present during young weeks
with the consignment OF the Weeks FAMILY to the
care of the county. sixteen years ago Weeks, de.
ceased and his family resided In Brooklyn
MRS. WEEKS BECAME INSANE, =
and was sent to the Lunatc Asylum. Her husband,
who was an engineer by trade, was cut OF employ
ers Of the Poor to take care Of his
three boys at the Nursery until he could
%e rolled &c p snS SE pa ns4
ys to the an WIFE mental S9I
ir,ev har Hin vvnN nrom iain
compensate the county for the cost OF her board
and maintenance. No attention was paid by him. as
years ago suit was instituted by the county against
Weeks to recover the amount due for board. The
sua an asy S s %s to
the incurable at the Flatbush Asylum, but he could
| net tell what had become OF a.
THE TWO BROTHERS
OF Weeks who, years ago, LETT the Nursery. What
were the feelings engendered in the breast OF the
sailor lad upon learning that his mother still lived
it is impossible to state; but his emotion was
natural, and his haste 10 reach her dismal abode
sS Fl ss v ws 81 e Of
Weeks at the Lunatic Asylum he was shown into the
presence Of the physician IN charge, Dr. Chspln,
custodian OF the asylum. who has filed his present
responsible position for many years, at once took
accompanied him to the female ward, in which
Mrs. Weeks has passed away 80 many, many years,
sSqsne Sm wha Hers wanaerea smess
and down the hall women Of almost every age,
some silent ana others mutterlng In that unlntel-
ligible jargon which strikes SO harshly upon the
senses Of the unaccustomed visitor lf ~
AT THE MAD HOUSE.
The coloress cheeks, bright. vacant, staring
eyes, and quick. nervous movements, character:
lstic OF the occupants Of such place. grated
strangely the young mariner ns strod IL
| up and down the ward, peering closely
into the lace OF every female Of mature years, IN
| the hope OF recognizing her. Four times IN sue:
cession the demented mother and the quck-witted
son passed each other without the least evidence
| OF Identification on either side. Then the Doctor
| suddenly stopped In front OF four middleaged
| patients. Young Weeks for moment glanced
from face to lace, and then stepping FORWARD, eA-
ssruAr IS MY MorHERir
| He embraced the form OF gray-haired, stopped
| woman whose lips he kissed, but va1nly endeaV-
| Ored to arouse the least token OF recognition on
| her part. The poor woman submitted passiveiy TO
the fIial salutation Of the son, whose coming she
| would gladly hail with maternal Joy could Memory
but assert her claim for an instant But no; there
| was q great chasm between the past aud the pre-
sent which naught this side OF the grave can span.
| The gloom was impenetrable, and no beacon light
shone In the distance to penetrate the depths IN
| which remembrance OF
CHIIDREN AND HOME LIE FOREVER BURIED
| to that poor woman. The bronzed cheeks OF the
young mariner were suffused with tears As ne
vaniy appealed to her for some evidence OF recog-
nition The poor woman said, mo. She had no chill
| dren. Her name was Mrs. SnaddOck, and her nus
| band was an upholstered" The records at the
asylum. however, established her identity as the
| widow OF Mr.. Weeks. sadly Henry turned away
| from the gloomy place, and, promising to call
| again at an early day, went out in quest OF his
brothers, william and Edward Weeks. AS soon as
fortune may have sufficiently favored him TO nave
| found them he win return to Bridgeport, Conn,
| appeal to the Surrogate and press DIS claims NV
| his fathers estate.
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