Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1876-03-03


"I am a native of the State of Vir
ginia,' he began, "and am the onl.
son Of an opulent family, whose nam
will not mention now, for | have al
ready disgraced it. I imagined my
self man when | was fifteen, ane
being unaware Of the extent of m,
own ignorance, believed l was grea
genius, and il wickedness l certainly
was. 10 complete my education my
parents sent mcto college when | was
sixteen years Of age, and the institu
tion being situated in large city
and I having plenty Of money, I soor
ran into all kinds Of dissipation.
lost my station in society, and those
aspiring hopes and ambitions that
should animate young man to reach
at things above instead Of below him
Notwithstanding the life | led, | was
not altogether debased, for it is not
all at once the soul is stripped Of its
regalia. | still preserved the man
ners of a gentleman, and sill cherish
ed an intense liking for books.
"When | became Of age and in pos
session Of a handsome estate, | could
then have left all my evil ways, and
resumed my former position in society,
but became connected with a C lub
of gamblers, and in less than year
! lost all Of my property, except mis-
cradle pittance that came to me
monthly. My father, when dying,
had left me the guardian 0; my sister,
and the executor Of her handsome
estate, so | determined, as had full
power over her property to mortgage
it, and with the money thus obtained,
attempt to redeem my fallen fortunes.
" For long time ali went well, and
| won large suns Of monev, and
brought back again my own estate,
which a1joined that Of gentleman
Of great wealth, who resided then
with lis only daughter, lovely, IN
teresting girl Of seventeen, | formed
! her acquaintance and found that she
was attractive to me, though tie wild.
dissolute life had lead, rendered me
incapable OF loving pure and vlrtu-
Gus woman as she ought to be loved.
! looked upon her as an advantageous
speculation, and after few months
acquaintance, addressed her and was
accepted. She trusted me with her
destiny, her love and her happiness,
and we We're married.
" For a long time after my marriage
| led a most unexceptional life, Civ
ing up drinking and gaming, and
thereby astonishing the numerous
andal-mongers Of the neighhorhood,
who had deemed it their duty to
warn my wife that she was marrying
druukard and a gambler, bat to all
their assertions she paid no attention
and wholly trusted me. My sister
married about this time, aud having
neglected to raise the mortgage upon
her estate, when | should have done
50 instead of buying back my own,
saw | must rob nv wife to pay her,
and the control Of her property being
! in nv hands, | soon returned to ny
sister the estate | had held in keep
ing for her.
"Thus my downward tendency be-
ga1, and again going to the gaming
table, l drew large drafts upon my
wife's property to meet my heavy
losses. My wife had borne to us two
children, a girl and boy, but even
their innocent young faces were not
sufficient to turn me from my path OF
crime, and ere long my evil ways be-
came known to her, who had trusted
me through all. She never complain
ed and silently bore her sulferlngs.-
At last the crash came, and | was a
beggar, and my wife and children cast
upon the charity Of their friends.
"stung to madness I drank deeply,
and passing an old friend who refused
to recognize me, | insulted him so
grossly that he sent me a challenge,
ignoring the fact that | was no longer
gentleman, as he expressed it in
his letter.
I'VE net and my antagonist fell.
| had widowed a wife, rendered three
children fatherless, and broken the
heart Of an aged mother.