Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-02-17

I
his look would have enlightened me. The
tears came into my eyes my heart heaved
and huttered wildly my hands mechanically
tore up and scattered the grass round me-
Inc silence became uncomfortable | smoke
hardly knowing what was saving tearing
faster and faster at the poor harmless o,rass
as If my whole business in life was 20 null
up the greatest quantity IN the shortest
possible space Of time
We have only known each other little
while said "and woman is but a weak
| ally IN such terrible position as yours.
But weak as may be, count on me now
and always as your friend"
lie moved close 10 me before could saw
more. .'and took my hand. lie murmured In
my ear:
MAY | count on you. one day. a. the
nearest and dearest friend Of all 2 win you
forgive me, Mary il | own that love you ?
lou have taught me to love, as YOU have
taught me TO hope II is in your power 10
tighten my hard lot. You can recompense
me for all that | have suffered: YOU can
rouse me 10 struggle for my freedom aud my
rights. BE the good angel Of nv life. For.
give me, love, rescue me--be my wife"
don't know how IL happened. found
myself in his arms--and | answered him in
a kiss. Taking all the circumstances into
consideration dare say | was guilty, in ac-
cepting him, Of the rashest act that ever
woman committed. Very good. didn't
care them don't care now. was then,
and am now, the happiest woman living
| VII.
| II was necessary that either he or I should
| tell my father Of what had passed between
us. On reflection | thought it best that
should make the disclosure. The day after
the picnic | repeated TO my father Roand's
melancholy narrative, as a necessary preface
to the announcement that had promised to
be Roland's wife.
My father saw the obvious objection to the
marriage. lie warned me of the imprudence
which contemplated in the strongest terms.
| Our prospect of happiness, if we were mar
ried, would depend entirely on our capacity
70 supercede the proceedings Of the lunacy
commission. Success in this arduous under
taking was, TO say the least of it, uncertain.
The commonest prudence pointed to the
propriety of our delaying the marriage until
the doubtful experiment has been put to the
proof.
The reasoning was unanswerable Ii was,
nevertheless, completely thrown away upon
me.
When did a woman in love ever listen to
reason believe there is no instance of it
ON record. My fathers wise words of eau
tion had no chance against Rolands fervid
entreaties. The days Of his residence at
Eastboune were drawing TO close. II |
let him return to the asylum an unmarried
man, months, years perhaps, might pass be-
fore our union could take place. Could
expect him, could expect any man, to en-
dure that cruel separation, that unrelieved
suspense His mind had been sorely tried
already his mind might give way under it.
These were arguments that carried weight
with them in my judgment. | was of age,
and free to act as | pleased. You are well
come, If you like, to consider me the most
foolish and the most obstinate of women.
At sixteen days from the date Of the pic
mic, Roland and were privately married at
Eastbourne.
My father--more grieved than angry poor
manufactured to be present at the cere-
mony; in justice to himself. My brother
gave me away at the altar.
Roland and | spent the afternoon of the
wedding day and the earlier part of the
evening together. At nine o'clock he re-
turned to the doctors house, exactly as
usual; having previously explained to me
that he was in the power of the court of
chancery, and that until we succeeded in set
ting aside the proceedings Of the lunacy
commission, there was serious necessity for
keeping the marriage strictly secret. My
husband and kissed, and said goodbye till
tomorrow, as the clock struck the hour l
little thought while looked after him from
the street door, that months on months were
to pass before ] saw Roland again.
a hurried note from my husband reached
me the next morning. Our marriage had
been discovered 1--WE never could tell by
whom), and we had been betrayed to the
doctor Roland was on his way back to the
asylum. lie had been warned that force
would be used in case he resisted. knowing
this resistance would be interpreted in his
case. as n new outbreak of madness, he had
wisely submitted. IL have made the sacri-
hce," the letter concluded; "it is now for
you to help me. Attack the Commission in
| Lunacy,-and be quick about it."
We lost no time in preparing for the at
tack. On the day when | received the news
of our misfortune, We left Eastbourne for
London, and at once took measures TO obtain
the best legal advice.
My dear father-though | was far from
deserving his kindness-entered into the
matter heart and soul. In due course of
time we presented a petition to the Lord
Chancellor, praying that the decision of the
Lunacy Commission might be set aside.
We supported our position by quoting the
tNlututt VI INplii1u
during his three years residence in the Lake
country as a free man. These worthy peo-
Pile (being summoned before the lunacy COM
mission) had one and all agreed that he was
as TO their Judgment and experience, per.
fectly quiet, harmless and sane. Many of
them had gone out shooting with him.
Others had often accompanied him in sailing
excursions on the lake. Do people trust
madmen with a gun, and with the manage
ment of q boat As to the :" act OF violence"
which the heirs-at-law and the next of kin
had made the means of imprisoning Roland
in the mad house. it had amounted to this
He had lost his temper, and knocked man
down, who had offended him. Very wrong
no doubt, but if that is proof of madness,
what thousands of lunatics are still at large
Another instance produced to prove his in
sanity was still more absurd ltwas solemnly
declared that he had put an image of the Vir-
gin Mary in his boat when he went out on
his sailing excursions have seen the i'm
age; it was a very beautiful work Of art.
Was Roland mad TO admire it and to take it
with him. His religious convictions leaned
toward Catholicism. Ii he betrayed insan-
ity in adorning his boat with the image of
, the Virgin Mary, what is the mental condi-
tion OF most of the ladies in Christendom,
who wear the cross as an ornament about
their necks
: We advanced these arguments in our pc
tition after quoting the evidence of the wit
! nessss. And, more than this, we even went
! the length OF admitting, as an act of respect
to the Court that my poor husband might
. be eccentric in some of his opinions and
} habits. But we put 1t to the authorities
; whether better results might not be expected
from placing him under the care of his wife,
| who loved him, TO shutting him up in an
I asylum among incurable madmen as his
e companions for life.
Such was our position, as far as am able
! TO describe it,
The decision rested with the Lords JUS
: tces. They decided against us.
Turning deaf ear to our witnesses and
our arguments, these merciless lawyers de-
clared that the doctors individual assertion
Of my husbands insanity was enough for
them, They considered Rolands comfort to
: be sufficiently provided for in the asylum,
with an allowance of seven hundred and
fifty pounds year, and to the asylum they
! consigned him for the rest Of his days.
So far as | was concerned, the result OF
this Infamous judgment was TO deprive me
of the position of koland's wife no lunatic
being capable of contracting marriage in
! law. So far as my husband was concerned,
the result may be best stated in the language
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