New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-04-11

management of my estate, was contided t
men chosen among the conspiratofs VII
bad declared me mad, and sm here throug
the favor of the proprietor of the asylum
who has given me my holiday at the ses
eide, and who humanely trusts me with M
liberty, as you see. At barely thirty year
old am refused the free use of nv none
and the free management of my affairs. A
barely thirty years old j am officially dc
clared to be lunatic for life"
vi.
He paused; his head sank to his breas,
his story was told.
Ihave repeated his words as near as ca
remember them; but can give no idea O
the modest and touching resignation wit
which he spoke. To say that l pitied hin
with my whole heart is to say nothing.
loved him with my whole heart, and ma,
acknowledge it now.
"Oh, Mr.. Cameron said, as soon as
could trust myself to speak, '.can nOthiu,
be done to help you Is there no hope! p
There is always hope" he answered
without raising his head. II have to thanl
you. Miss Brading, for teaching me that"
II am glad to hear it, said; .'how hav
l Taught you to hope!'
You have frightened my dreary life
When am with you all my bitter remem
brances leave me. l am happy man again
and happy man can always hope. dream
now OF finding what l never yet had,
dear and devoted friend, who will rouse tn.
energy that has sunk in me under the mar
tyrdom that l have endured. Why do
submit to the loss of my rights and liberty
without an effort to recover them l wal
alone in the world until met with you.
had no kind hand to raise me; no kind voice
to encourage me. Shall l ever find the
hand Shall l ever hear the voice! When
l am with you the hope that you have
taught me answers, Yes When / am by
myself the old despair comes back and
says, NO"
He lifted his hat for the first time. If
had not understood what his words meant,
his look would have enlightened me. The
tears came into my eyes; my heart heaved
and fiuttered wildly; my hands mechanical
~ tore up and scattered the grass round
me. The silence became uncomfortable. l
spoke hardly knowing what l was saying;
tearing faster and faster at the poor. harm
less grass, as if my whole business in life
was to pull up the greatest quantity in the
shortest possible space of time
1--WE have only known each other little
WHILE" said, land a woman is but weak
ally in such a terrible position as yours
But, weak as l may be, count on me now
and always as your friend"
he moved close to me before could say
more, and took my hand. He murmured in
NY cal:
MAY l count on you one day, as the
nearest and dearest friend of ala Will you
forgive me, Mary, if own that love you
GU have taught me to love, as you have
taught me to hope. 1t is in your power to
tighten ny hard lot. You can recompense
ne tor all that l have suffered; you can
couse me to struggle for my freedom and
ny rights. Be the good angel of my life.
Forgive me, love, rescue me-be my wife :"
don't know how it happened l found
myself in his arms-and l answered him in
! kiss. Taking all the circumstances into
l dare say l was guilty, in
accepting him, of the rashest act that ever
! woman committed. Very good. l didn't
,are then-I don't care now. was then,
md am now, the happiest woman living!
VII.
1t was necessary that either he or /
hould tell my father Of what had passed
between us. On reflection l thought it besC
hat l should make the disclosure. The
lay after the picnic l repeated to my father
toland's melancholy narrative, as neces-
AIRY preface to the announcement that
lad promised to be Roland's wife.
My father saw the obvious objection to
he marriage. He warned me of the impru-
lence which contemplated in the strongest
erms. Our prospect of happiness, if we
we're married, would depend entirely on
ur capacity to supercede the proceedings
i the lunacy commission. Success in this
rduOus undertaking was, to say the least
f it, uncertain. the commonest prudence
Olnted to the prOpriety of our delaying the
marriage until the doubtful experiment has
een put to the proof.
The reasoning was unanswered BILE. 1t was,
evertheless, completely thrown away upon
le.
When did woman in love ever listen to
easCn /! l believe there is no instance of it
n record. My fathers wise words of eau
On had no chance against Roland's fervid |
ntreaties. The days of his residence at |
'astbourne were drawing to close. If |
It bin return to the asylum an unmarried |
ian, months, years perhaps, might pass |
efore our union could take place. Could |
xpsct him, could l expect any man, to
ldure that cruel separation, that unre-
eyed suspense! His mind had been sorely |
led already; his mind might give way
nder it, These were arguments that carried |
eight with them in my judgment. l was
age and free to act as pleased. You
g welcome, if you like, to consider me
10 most foolish and the most obstinate of
omen. At sixteen days from the date of
e picnic Roland and l were privately
arried at Eastbourne.
My father-more grived than angry, Door
to be present at the cere.
eny, in justice to himself. My brother
we me away at the altar.
Roland and | spent the afternoon of the
edding day and the early part of the
ening together. At nine o'clock he
turned to the doctors house, exactly as
ual; having previously explained to me
at he was in the power OF the court of
ancery, and until we succeeded in setting
lde the proceedings of the lunacy commits
N there was a serious necessity for keep
3 the marriage strictly secret. MY hus-
nd kissed, and said gOOd.by till to-
prov, as the clock struck the hour. |
tie thought, while ] looked at him from
e street door, that months on months
ere to pass before l saw Roland again.
hurried note from my husband reached |
, the next morning. Our marriage had |
en- discovered 1--WE never could tell by
lom), and we had been betrayed to the
ctor. Roland was on his way back to
8 asylum. He had been warned that I
zee would be used in case he resisted.
lowlng that resistance would be inter
eted, in his case, as new outbreak Of
'uutsH. he nau wisely submitted. 81 |
We made the sacrifice" the letter con-
lded, 1T is now for you to help me. At t
* the commission in lunacy-and be
ick about it,
We lost no time in preparing for the E
ack. On the day when 1 received the
ws of our misfortune we left Eastbourne f
London, and at once took measures to a
ain the best legal advice. i
dy dear father-though / was far from i
'erving his kindness-entered into the a
tier heart and soul. In due course of g
e we presented a petition to the Lord a
ancellOr, praying that the decision of the '
attic commission might be set aside. 4
We supported our position by quoting the l
dence of ROland's friends and neighbors. !.
ing his three years residence in the
e country as a free man Thasa uorthr | Il