National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-08-01
IN A MAD HOUSE.
The Story of an Eldest Son.

| am the eldest son of a gentleman
who had a good property in one of tn,
northern counties of England. l haC
myself-a wild, dissipated gambler
Often have paid his debts out of my
own allowance, rather than let my
father know of his misdeeds. Each
time | did so Willinm-my brother was
so called-promised never to touch q
card or back horse again and each
time, after few weeks quiet life, he
returned to his evil courses with re-
doubled energy, and soon got as much
III debt as ever. When | was about
twenty-eight years old my father died,
leaving me heir to all his property,
which was entailed. Hitherto | had
lived a quiet country life but now,
forced by business to frequent the busy
haunts of men, l began to like the ex-
elements of the world and the gay
pleasures of society. Rich, good-look-
ing, and easy-tempered, I was soon fa-
vorite with those whom came in contact
with. Simple in the ways of the world,
and unsuspicious by nature, 1 was silly
enough to suppose that it was the man
and not the money they courted and
1t tiattered my pride and conceit to be
so much thought of and sought after.
10 crown my happiness, [ grew fondly
attached to beautiful girl, who seemed
to return my love and before / had
known her many months we were en-
gagged. | need not tell you her name
nor need | give you description of
her, more than in saying that she was
tau, dark, with long raven locks and
black, flashing eyes of rathera Spanish
beauty commanding and imperious-
looking | was intoxicated with her type
OF beauty, and worshiped her madly
| obeyed every look or gesture, and,
blinded by my foolish, insane love,
became her abject slave, only living for
the pleasure of serving her and being
near her.
Oh fool, idiot that I was, to sup
pose that such as she could love poor,
weak, silly creature like me !! But soon
was to be undeceived. My brother
came to stay with me at the same time
That she and her mother were visiting
me. He, too, seemed struck with her
beauty and told me, in a Joking, laugh
ing sort of way, what lucky fellow |
Was
" You elder brothers, he said-half
bitterly, / thought" are always in
iinck, IN love or war With a nice snug
income, and dear old country place,
you are going to marry the handsomest
woman IN England, with whom you are |
utepiy IN love, and no wonder; and |
VINO, as matter of course" he added,
WIN half-sneering smile, is equally |
IeVoted to you or your acres. Oh, |
happy accident of birth Now look at
l. lle unhappy Younger son, as illustrated
" myself. Unlucky at my birth, the
if GgAe evil genius pursues me through
.4e' Boin with the same, or rather
,en times greater, desire to enjoy the
good things of this life, brought up
s98ether in comfort and luxury, and not
eeuucited IN a manner to fit me for fight
..ng IN the battle field of life, l come
" man S estate, and discover myself de-
pendent on the generous bounty of
piother, whose only claim to superior
naga3clty is the fact of coming into the
"ofid year before me"
% saying, he turned and hurriedly
ictt BtitNttt tiihe nv
Ils heart blame me for his want OF luck.
! Ilad always given him what consider
"a to be just proportion of my yearly
ncome; but if he had received ten
ines that amount, it would all have
gone In betting and gambling, and in
{" months he would have been as poor
IS ever
!, lhlngs went on quietly and without
,nange for week or two. Then 1 be-
gag ,an to be sensible of change in her
,f5navlor y to me. I could not say in
'nat. Only now she seemed to avoid
ing alone with me, and at times spoke
nortiy and impatiently to me. For a
ohg time tried to make myself believe
'as only fancy; but by degrees the it
,reart-breaking truth forced itself on
ue. She was ceasing to love me. Per-
Ups learning to love another. If so,
'n' was it who was robbing me of my |