The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-09-27
heart.Slricken Parents.


A few nights ago pair Of horses were driv.
en- up Fairmo unt Avenue at desperate gait,
and from the CARR &c, which was stopped al
y the gate of the Eastern Penitentiary, there
Jumped gentleman, who made all haste to
gain an entrance into the gloomy institution.
He presently reappeared, bearing in his arms
a wasted form, which he deposited with ten
der care in his carriage, which was then
driven way.
The occupants of the carriage were heart.
broken father and his dying son. The latter
was committed to the Eastern Penitentiary
SHINE two years ago for larceny. His intelli-
gence and amiability soon made him general
favorite. He was, at the time of his commit
ment, ABOUT 18 years old, a well formed, hand
some young man, without a single trace OF
the usual characteristics Of the criminal The
prison authorities took a special interest in
his case; but he was exceedingly reticent as
to his history, excepting that he had fallen
into bad company. About a year ago he be-
gan to show 81 ms of the insiduous complaint,
consumption, which numbers many victims in
prison.
He slowly wasted away, until two or three
weeks ago the physician in charge, as he went
through the hospital of the institution,
stopped q moment before the cot of the pa
tent and said to him, gravely, that if he had
anything to say to any person on earth he
had better do so without delay, as he
had but short time to live. The re-
mark seemed to impress the poor fellow
deeply. for he shortly afterwards asked for a
paper and pencil. and, obtaining them,
wrote :"Tne son whom you have mOurned as
dead is in the Eastern Penitentiary, Phila-
delphia" He signed the brief note and sank
back exhausted on his couch.
Being asked relative to the destination of
the note he had written, he directed it to be
addressed to Ia ly in town in Mass achuse. is,
which was compiled with. few days after
wards gentleman applied to one of the
prison authorities for permission to see the
youth, and when brought in his presence
evinced the strongest emotion. He stated
that he was the father Of the dying boy, and
that the latter's mother, being at the White
cate. he, the father, had opened the note sent
from this city, and was very glad he had done
so, as the news contained in it would certainly
have killed her. Their son had been consid-
cred dead for more than two, years.
Being wealthy, the parents had given him
a good education, and designed him for pro-
fessional life, but, when about sixteen years
Of age his mind became affected by the infu-
ence of sensational novels, and he formed an
Unsuitable desire to roam through the Western
wilds He ran away, with the two sons of
place they had chosen for temporary stay,
and brought home. The two companions re-
NAMED at home, but he very soon afterwards
again ran of. and his parents had since heard
nothing of him, except a report that he had
been killed, which they believed.
The sight of his boy, stretched upon bed
of death within the forbidden walls of prison,
crushed the fathers heart; but this only made
his opportunities the more effective, and he
succeeded in procuring his sons pardon, with
whish he sped to the prison, and, doubtless
anxious that even were it the last hour, his son
should live, it should be spent in pure, free
air, he had him carried from the inatitution
as above related. 1t was his intention, should
the son live until he could be conveyed on
board of a steamship, to have him taken home
in that way, otherwise he would let him die
at hotel, and then have the body taken on
BY rail to the home of his innocent and happy
boyhood.
The weight of sorrow that awaited the
mother in either case can easily be conceived.
Whether the dying young man revived sufi-
GENTLY to endure the sea trip or whether he
died at the hotel his mother brought him to,
We did not learn. The narrative is brief
but painful one, and is no. without power
fal lesson to youth.