Connecticut western news., 1874-10-23
CHAPTER

"The mind in its own place and of itself, can make heaven on Earth a hell in Heaven.'' IN the Spring of '6S, amid the beautiful scenery of the Ho,isatonic Valley. allow us to throw the first picture of our ill-starred hero, Ralph Summit, before you, as we find him fresh from school and home. somewhat versed in books, but sadly igno- rant of man and the actual phases of life in onr world of to-day.
 This is not the opening of the novelist {; indeed we do not feel capable of imitation, understanding the novelist to be born, not made; that it requires inborn native tact to form such writers, which is essentially different from knowledge acquired. And it is not our purpose in this connection to record aught but too true tale, which re- cent events have impelled us to make public. Therefore the subject of this sketch had perhaps very few of the manly perfec- tions which make up the inevitable hero of American novel writers.
 Ralph Summit appeared to be only a plain, ordinary young man Yet he was in many respects what his acquaintance 8 called an odd, strange man. As, n hoy he had lived much within himself; and this non-lntercourse with the world had made him diffident and reserved to such an ex- tent that he found no pleasure in society,
 
 books: A single friend only one whose thoughts and sympathes were allied to his own; and one with whom he could enter tain 8 close intimacy, make all sacrifices for, and love dearly, pleased him best and he was liable af any moment to ''cnt" that friend, and suffer all the pain of broken friendship over some fancied offense to his sensitive nature.
 He had the reputation of bearing good character, but that character was not es- tablished he seemed in great measure to be controlled by circumstances, or ever varying by the inherent weakness of his own nature. He was constant in nothing. inconsistency was his greatest failure; it was the bane of his life.
 Incredible as 1t may seem of 8 man who had even SO much good principle, it was no uncommon thing to find him attending the place of God-worship, and in heartfelt sympathy with the Christian service, and the next evening, perhaps, he had fallen 10 the haunts of the gambler; member of the wine circle, and in company with the libertine and debauchee.
 Reader, do not say he was hypocrite, lest you mistake; his natural inconsistency is the only true explanation; he was con sciOus of this weakness and often deplored it aspiring to be real gentleman, his life was an almost constant struggle to hold himself to that standard. Ruskin says: 'That which is truly and in deed charac. teristic of the man, is known only to God;" and surely none but He could ever know how earnestly this man prayed for that constancy, the lack of which preyed upon his life. Joy and sorrow, gloom and mirth, with him were alternate. A day he was the lone, solitary man; the victim of his own dark thoughts, and in all the world not 6 glcam of hope to cheer. Another day he was just as serene and content, feeling sure that trouble would never come again. ''Why should he bc sad in this bright world?" No, he would be ''gay and festive"
 Such at this time was Ralph Summit certainly dangerous man for trusting woman to conflde her keeping to.
 But Mary D. did not think so, when. as a locomotive fireman-boy, she first knew him as he appeared, SO kind and SO gen ,lemanly; she very quickly held for him that love which is so blind to faults. After an engagement of years standing. and the usual number of lovers quarrels, despite the opposition from her friends, who saw her as only throwing herself away, and his friends, who said he would 80 soon forget her, they were married.
 The young wife had confidence in her y-husband-generous, loving and affec tionste as she was with a heart open to all. she could not believe that he would ever do that which would wound her feel ings, nor mar the purity of her happiness.
 And now Ralph is prompted to the posi- tion of engineer by his employer, Mir. M, who has since been his friend in his many after trials. The young couple 1 commenced keeping house under circum. stances every way favorable to their peace and content. The wife finding alsuff1clent society in the companionship of her bus.