Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-04-10
THE GREAT 7ICHDORNE CASE.
ny EUGENE LAWRENCE.

the secrets of the unlucky Tichbornes, all
the least attractive traits of their domestic
careers, have been held up before the pub
lie and have been dwelt upon day by day
for the entertainment OF millions of read
ers. Yet there is enough Of real interest in
this singular case to atone for its extreme
length and its not very improving details.
The real question involved Is whether
mother can mistake the identity of her
child, or whether a perverse temper and
an impulse of hatred may not have led her
to recognize an impostor as her own son,
and maintain the deception for the purpose
OF avenging her fanced or real wrongs up
on her husbands relatives. For to the close
of her life Lady Tichborne never wavered
in her assertion that the unattractive clai-
mant was her son Roger. She treated him
with all the tenderness she was capable of,
and defended him against all the world.
Sir James Tchborne, the father of Roger,
married Henilette Felicite, a natural daugh-
ter Of Mr.. Henry Seymour, Of Knoylc. The
marriage was an unusually unfortunate one.
Lady Tichborne's temper was provoking
and imperious TO the last degree. Sir
JhIlltS, WHO SptLlS 10 nave Nhultu It5Olu-
tion, had no rest from her constant
provocations. Her son represents his pa
ternal home as a place Of torment, or by
even a more emphatic name. Four chill
dren were born TO Tie unlucky parents,
and OF these Roger was the elder, the rep
resentative of an ancient family, and the
heir OF twenty-five thousand pounds year.
Il. ipp INri
a Frenchman; the father naturally oppos-
ed her plan; but after violent alterations
the mother was successful, and Roger was
educated in Pa Is. Here he grew up with
little knowledge, except, perhaps, OF the
less improving scenes of Partisan life. The
family were Roman Catholics, and at last
the father urged that Roger should return
to England, and enter the Jesuit College at
Stonyhurst. Lady Tichborne refused her
consent with her usual violence, but at last
the father stole the boy away, and carried
him to the college in defiance OF the enrag-
ed mother. 1t was one of her traits Of dis
position that she hated all her husbands
relations. She seemed TO have received
some in ,ult from them, or fancied one.
She covered them with ISLANDERS. But at
Stonyhurst Roger did no better than in
Paris, and afler few years Of findolence
left that institution, broken in morals, and
perhaps in health. He was evidently ad.
dcted to inIemperance. He was idle, sell
fish, vicious. The Chief Justice urged that
Roger was no worse than most young men
of his age, but it is TO be hoped for the cred.
it of The new generation that this sugges
ton is far from the truth. There could bC
NJ more unattractive example of mis-
spent youth than this dissipated and weak
young man, who was without natural af
fiction, who declared that he would 1.-Two il
the house with neither his father nor hi
mother, whose temper was obstinate alt
cruel, who would not visit his dying uncle
and whose errors have been covered up il
friendly veil by the judge.
Next Roger fell in love with his cousin
Miss Doughty, and was apparently anxiou
to marry her. Her mother, Lady Doughty
seams at first 10 have encouraged his hopes
She was not unwilling 10 unite the tw
branches of the family, and secure th
great fortune of which Roger was the he'll
But one obstacle intervened; Rogers in
temperance became so plain to every one
and probably his vices were so notorious
as to alarm Lady Doughty. She could nc
give her daughter to one who was cer;ai
to make her wretched. She temporized
she tried to prevail upon Roger to reform
but seems to have found that it was useles
The match was broken off, and RogC
would never visit his aunt again. In IL
ha bo nj
, ed in several stations in Ireland and En-,
land. But he had always been subject
, fits of melancholy, the natural result Of b
, early career, and now, weary of ovel
} thing at home, separated by a singul
} aversion from his father and mother, Il
heir of immense wealth and of one OF Il
= best names in England resolved to set @
= on a tour TO South America, possibly car
0 less whether he should ever return.
e It was evident that he was not witho
some natural talent, and under more fort
= nate influences might have grown into
c better nan. He was n profuse letter writ
n and through all his travels not only kept
= journal, but wrote necessarily TO his faith
i his mother, and many of his relatives
i friends. He sailed to Valparaiso, wand'
y ed along the coast, and at last began jol
n ney over the Andes OF which his lett
r give some good descriptions; bis spelli
J. was always imperfect, owing in part to
French education, but he seems to ha
e. written easily and naturally. At last
as reached Buenos Ayres. He had resolN
n to return home, and wrote to one of
ic friends to have his name proposed at
s, Travellers Club. He set sail in yes
re called the Bella, but when few days
in passed, tho ship went down In a storm, (
y her long boat and the fragments of
O. wreck were found floating on the oce
IL Such seemed the end of the unhappy lif
Ist the heir of Tiohborne. The news of
at fate reached England. Aler year an
er half had passed his executors disposed
ht his property. His brother Alfred inhe
cd a vast estate, and soon after marrie
TO- daughter of Lord Arundel.
nd Few probably remembered the lost II
it. er, or cared to recall his name. His III
Ii aud aunt, his grandfather and father, d
he His cousin, whom he prolessed to Il
re- had married Sir Percival Radcliffe.
W. Tichborne family we're in possession of
Ike property. His mother, who had appar,
70. ly only moderate income, lived in Pa
Tor But she, at least, passlonately fond OF
lost son, had never ceased 10 cherish
The memory. She would never consent to
re- lieve that he was lost, and always insi
Sc that he would return. While she livet
ion Tichborne she would question wande
3 OF sailors, and even beggars, whether
Op- had heard of Roger in their travels I;
ldy her delusion, her maternal instinct, or
ne violent prepossession, Omen made her
nds subject Of importantly. Amer the dea
Fo- her husband she went TO Paris. She
4 L Il l. =