Litchfield enquirer., 1874-12-17

| into the asylum, the conspirators pro. ceeded to complete their work. A Com mission in Lunacy was entered against me. It was held by one commissioner, without a jury and without a lawyer to assert my interests. By one mans de cision I was declared to be of unsound mind. The custody of my person, as well as the management of my estates, was confded to men chosen from among the conspirators who had declared me to be mad, and am here through the favor of the proprietor of the asylum,- who has given me my holiday at the seaside, and who humanely trusts me with my liberty, as you see. At barely thirty years old, l am refused the free use of my money, and the free management of my aflairs.J Al barely thirty years old, I am officially de- clared to be a lunatic for life '
 He paused: hls head sank on h,s breast; his story told. .a:5 1.14
 I have repeated his words as near as I can remember them; @t I can give no idea of the modest and touching resigna- tion with which he spoke To say that pitied him with my whole heart is to say nothing. loved him with my whole heart, and may acknowledge it now.
 ''Oh,' MT. Cameron" said, as soon as could trust myself to speak, sscan noth- ing be done to help you? Is there no hope?" ,.....',. .. .s.s-= ..-
 ''There is always hope" he answered, without raising his head. "I have to thank you. Miss Brading. for teaching me '" Il am glad to hear it it, '1Isiiddn"a said aHow have taught you to hope?"
 "You have frightened my weary life. When I am with you all my bitter remem- berances leave me. l am & happy man again, and happy man can always hope dream now of finding what I have never yet had-a dear and devoted friend who will rouse the energy that has sunk in me 1 under the martyrdom that Ihave endured Why do submit to the loss of my rights and my liberty without an effort to recov- ! CT them? I was alone in the world until I met with you. had no kind hand to raise me; no kind voice to encourage me- Shall l ever find the hand? Shall I ever hear the voice? When am with you the hope that you have taught me answers, Yes When I am by myself the old des- pair immediately comes back, and says. ! No" .@..s- al,s. .sll He lifted his head for the first time. If l had not understood what his words meant, his look would have enlightened me. The tears came into my eyes; my heart heaved and futtered wildly; my hands mechanically tore up and scattered the grass around me. The silence became uncomfortable. I spoke, hardly knowing what was saying; tearing faster and faster at the poor harmless grass, as if my whole business in life was to pull up the greatest quantity in the shortest possible space of time.
 'We have only known each other little while, l said, ''and woman is but . weak ally in such terrible position as yours. But. useless as I may be, count on ms now and always as your friend
 He moved close to me before could say more. and taking my hand. he mur- mured entreatingly in my ear: ... May I count on you, one day, as the nearest and dearest friend of all? Will you forgive me, Mary, if I own that I love you, as you have taught me to hope. 1t Is m your power to tighten my ard let. You can recompense me for all that l have suffered; you can rouse me to struggle for my freedom and my rights. Be the good angel of my life. Forgive me. love me. rescue me-be nay wifep' don't know how it happened. Hound myself in his arms-and answered him in a kiss. Taking all the circumstances into consideration. dare say was gull ty Gin accepting him) of the rashest act that ever 8 woman committed. Very good. I didn't care then-I don't care Ienow. was then, and I am now, the hap piest woman living.
 - CHAPTER VII. ala -.f- l. .-.-
 1t was necessary that either he OF I should tell my father of what had passed between us. On reflection I thought 1t best that should make the disclosure. The day after the picnic repeated to my father Hollands melancholy narrative, as necessary preface to the announcement that had promised to be Roland's wife My father saw the obvious objections to the marriage. He warned me of the lmprudence which I contemplated in the strongest terms. Our prospect of happi- ness, If we were married, would depend entirely on our capacity to supersede tho proceedings of the Lunacy Commission. Success in this arduous undertaking was, to say the least of 1t, uncertain. ,, The commonest prudence pointing to the pro- Epnety of delaying the marriage until the doubtful experiment. had been put to proof. ~''' -. -.
 The reasoning was unanswerable. It was, nevertheless; completely thrown away upon me. - -. - ..
 When d1d g woman in love ever listen to reason? believe there is no instance of it-on record My fathers wise words of caution had no chance against Rolsnd's fervent entreaties. The days of hts resi- dence at Eastbonrne were drawing to q close. If I let him return to the asylum an unmarried man, months, years, per haps, might pass before our nnion could take place. Could expect him, could I expect any man to endure that cruel sep aration, that unrelieved suspense? His mind had been sorely tried already; his mind might give way under it. These were the arguments that carried weight with them in my judgement. I was of age. and free to act as pleased. You are welcome, if you like, to consider me the most foolish and most obstinate of wo- men. In sixteen days from the date of the picnic Roland and I were privately married at Eastbourne. -,.--- - = ~
 My father-more greived than angry, poor rnan-deciined to be present at the ceremony. in justice to himself. My OAOsacA S1SO AAC away -Ak tue 11tAfs -.-TE -.- Roland and T spent the afternoon of the wedding day and the early part of the evoning together At nine clock he re- turned to the doctors house: exactly as usual; having previonsiy explained to me that he was in the power of the Court of Chancery, and that until we succeeded in setting aside the proceedings of the Lu- macy Commission, there was serious ne- cessity for keeping the marriage strictly secret. My husband and t kissed, and said good-by till tomorrow, as the clock struck the hour. I little thought, when I looked after him from the street door. | that months on months were to pass be. fore I sew Roland again. .i-, az ~ --' l~
 A hurried note from my husband reach ed me the next morning. Our marriage had been discovered i've never could fell by when1, and we had been betrayed to the doctor. Roland was then on his way back to the asylum: He had been warn ed that force would he r,sad if lneresisted