Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-07-26
but it was fora moment


brain seemed whirling ir blaze of FIRE,
and | sprung up stricken with madness,
The horrible specter stood before me and
mocked me.@ih fendish grin o! de-
rsicn. Igrasped heavy piece of furni-
ture and dashed at it with the fury Of
maniac. The specter seemed palpable to
the blow, md yielded. | saw it vanish
in darkness that spread before me, and
my tormenting second self was gone. l
broke forth in frantic laughter, that re-
turned in hundred echoes around me,
and sank exhausted, unconscious to the
floor.
The morning sun was shining in upon
me when l awoke to returning conscious
ness. A cool perspiration oozed from
my forehead. | rose on my elbow, and,
for some moments, endeavored to recall
my identity and the recollections of the
night. Then horrible conviction came
upon me. Great heavens 1t was she
1t was M poor devoted wife-the reality
of the form | had dashed down and des-
troged in my frenzy
Overwhelmed with remorse. rushed
wildly from the house and fed | knew
not whittier. The greater grief that had
come upon me terminated my mental
power, and became calm in despair
but | shrank cowardly from the desoa-
ton that my own hand had wrought,
1t was some weeks after the dreadful
night | have described that | reached
New York City, without detection,
greater portion Of the distance working
as one Of the crew ofa canal boat.
wandered along he wharves Of the me-
tropolis, searching anxiously tor some
means o. escaping the country, and long
ing even to fee the fellowship OF civilized
man. The opportunity was fualIy dis
covered in ship about sailing around
Cape Horn for the Pacific Coast, on
board Of which my services Were accept
ed in mental capacity.
| was soon safe from discovery and
pursuit and free upon the bo0ndless
wnters-free as one could fee! with the
remorse of a hellish decd upon his soul,
and the Abandonment of all hope of
happy hourin life again.
/ need not describe the experience Of a
long and tedious sea voyage, aud the
hald>hips and rdgnilies put upon me in
consequence OF inelliciency and total ig
norance of seamans duties. 70 ne it
was of littlo account. But the change of
life and scene and the sea air had won
derful effect in repairing my mental and
physical strength. 1t was on a bright
September momng that first spied the
hazy shores Of California, and ia day
or two thereafter sauntered along the
streets of San Francisco, alone in II new
world, with only the companionship Of
bitter recollectons,
As necessity required, sought en-
ployment, ard managed To sustain my |
self, leading listless, purposeless sort of
life. But the monotony soor became !
oppressive, and The apprehension OF ulu
mate discovery excited renewed anxiety. /
Frequently tancied the recognition ot a /
familiar countenance on the streets that
kept me in painful uncertainty.
The day came in which my worst fears I
were realized. The miserable wretch in
whose house | was sojourning delivered |
me into the hands of justice. BY what
means he discovered my identity |
could not determine ; but | met my fate
boldly, for remorse had so farembittered !
my existence that disdained longer to
struggle for its continuance.
Gentlemcn," 1 exclaimed, as the
officer inclosed my wrist with iron
shack}es, take your accused reward
| am Charles Harden, the murderer,
from---"
They dragged me to prison, and the
officers of the law came and questioned
me. l told them all, and they tran-'
ferred me to more secure confinement,
les; I should escape again the retrbu-
tion Of crime.
Long l fingered in the solitude Of a
gloomy cell, awaiting the final decree Of
fate, until calm Indifference succeeded de-
spair, and gradually every emotion, even
life itself, seemed to subside into dream
But day came when my sensibilitics
seemed terminating, like one emerging
from trance. Slowly my mind mani
Tested activity, and IN time recalled my
Identity; then suddenly the recollection
Of my whole life flooded back upon me
and all the weight of It's great burden Of
remorse again descended.
An old man, whose kindly countenance
had become familiar to me rs in a vision
appeared and sought 70 rally my des-
with words OF hope and en-
"You have had a long, bad SPELL Har-
den" be continued, "bnt you are coming
around all right now, and will soon be
out in the world again."
Then l was not in prison, but an in
sane asylum. Thank Heaven, my
wretched guilt had not been discovered.
And then / learned from the old man
the circumstances If my arrest as luna
tic, and the nature OF my afiiiction. In
the operation Of trepanning at the hands Of
surgeons, a small splinter of the
fractured skull had been left adhering in
a position to irritate the membran Of the
brain, aud this trihing oversight had
caused the insanity attended with such
sad results, to blast the Happiness OF my
lite forever, and stamp my memory with
The ignominy Of murder,
The arrangement had been effectively
repaired by theskilled surgeon OF the asy-