The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-01-22

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before my eyes, and real objects assum-
ed the semblance of what they were not,
and drove me to the verge Of delirium,
while the effort constantly exerted to
retain my reason only the more pros
trated the mental powers.
Ultimately my malady reached stage
at which seemed to realize both physi-
cal and mental double existence. At
times l could distinctly see the form
and features Of my second self, directly
confronting and gazing upon my more
immediate self. And then my own
voice addressed me, and we conversed
together-myself and my second self
now condoling in common misery, and
then in tantalizing and horrible impreca-
tions.
The terrible delusion became unbear-
able, and felt that reason could not
much longer retain command of the
disordered faculties. 1t was q night
when my mental agitation had reached o
| high degree. My wife had fallen asleep,
overcome with constant care and watoh-
ing. 1 was pacing the sitting-room of
our chamber, about the hour of mid
night, as was my habit. Occasionally 1
reclined on a sofa, in the hope of catch
ing slight respite from the distress of
my terrible hallucination; but it was for
a moment only.
lay down again on the sofa. My
brain seemed whirling in blaze of fire,
and sprang up stricken with madness.
The horrible specter stood before me
and Knocked me with fendish grin of
derision. / grasped heavy piece OF
furniture and dashed at it with the fury
of maniac. The specter seemed palpa-
bic to the blow, and yielded. saw it
vanish in darkness that spread before
me, and my tormenting second self was
gone. broke forth in frantic laughter,
that returned in a hundred echoes
around me, and sank exhausted, uncon-
scious to the floor.
The morning sun was shining in upon
me when l awoke to returning con-
sciousness. A cool perspiration oozed
from my forehead. l rose on my elbow,
and for some moments endeavored to
recall my identity and the recollections
Of the night. Then horrible convic-
tion came upon me. Great heavens
1t was she 1t was my poor devoted
wife-the reality of the form / had
dashed down and destroyed in my
frenzy
Overwhelmed with remorse, l rushed
wildly from the house and fed knew
not whittier. The greater grief that had
come upon me had terminated my men,
tai power, and became calm in despair;
but shrank cowardly from the desola-
ton that my own hand had wrought.
1t was some weeks after the dreadful
night ! have described that reached
New York city without detection, a
greater portion Of the distance working
as one of the crew of q canalboat.
wandered along the wharves of the me-
tropolis, searching anxiously for some
means of escaping the country, and
longing even to flee the fellowship of
civilized man. The opportunity was
finally discovered in n ship about sailing
around Cape Horn for the Pacific coast,
on board of which my services were ac-
cepted in menial capacity.
| was soon safe from discovery and
pursuit, and free upon the boundless
waters-free as one could feel with the
remorse of terrible deed upon his soul,
and the abandonment of all hope of n
happy hour in life again.
| / need not describe the experience OF
long and tedious sea voyage, and the
hardships and indignities pqA upon me
in consequence of ineficienq and total
! ignorance of a seaman's duties. To me
it was of little account. But the change
of life and scene, and the sea air, had q
wonderful effect in repairing my mental
and physical strength. 1t was on a
bright September morning that 1 first
spied the hazy shores of California, and
in a day or two thereafter sauntered
along the streets of San Francisco, alone
in new world, with only the compan-
ionship of bitter recollections.
AS necessity required sought en-
! ployment, and managed to sustain my
self, leading listless, purposeless sort
of life. But the monotony soon became
oppressive, and the apprehension of ul-
innate discovery excited renewed anTi
ETY.. Frequently fancied the recogni-
tion of familiar countenance on the
streets, that kept me in painful uncer-
tainty.
The day came in which my worst fears
were realized. The miserable wretch
in whose house / was soiourning de-
livered me into the hands of justice.
BY what means he discovered my iden-
tity could not determine; but met
my fate boldly; for remorse had SO far
embittered my existence that 1 dis
dained longer to struggle for it's con-
tinuance.
! "Gentlemen," 1 explained, as the
officers inclosed my wrists with iron
shackles, " take your accursed reward
am Charles Harden, the murderer,
j from -
They dragged me to the prison, and
the officers of the law came and ques-
toned me. 1 told them all, and they
transferred me to more secure confne.
ment, lest should escape again the re-
tribution of crime.
Long fingered in the solitude of q
gloomy cell, awaiting the final decree
of fate, until calm Indifference succeed
ed despair, and gradually every emo.
tion, even life itself, seemed to subsidt
! n, 1raop,