The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-16
A MADMAN'S CONFESSION.

the year, came upon man lying ap
parently dead by the roadside, while his
horse, a noble-looking animal, was feed
ing near by. e-
Hastily dismounting, I turned the
body over. and, feeling his pulse, found
that life was not yet extinct, and that be
had probably been stunned by being
thrown from his horse.
Pouring down his throat some spirits
had with me, ! brought some water in
the little cup that fitted on to my flask
and with it bathed his head and face.
In short time he recovered, and, sit,
ting up, he looked at me, and asked, alb
ruptly;
"Where am If'
i told him how / had found him, and
inquired if'he was much hurt.
"No-yes, I believe I am badly hurt
for can not rise, and suffer here,
placing his hand upon his heart.
'Do you think you could ride to the
neighboriDg village, if ] aided you upon
your horseT' asked.
G%No. / feel that I must die, and yet
have much to do, much to say before
yield to DEATH" =
"Permit me to leave you while l ride
to the village for aid" / said to him.
"Nol oh, no; do not leave me. l feel
faint, and must make you my father
confessor You would not refuse dy.
ing MANI"
II think you exaggerate your condi-
tion, and that rest and doctors care
will soon bring you right again."
".You are mistaken, sir. Look at me-"
gazed into his pale, intellectual face,
and was struck with the refined beauty
resting there, tinged, however, with lines
of deep dissipation.
His eyes seemed almost on fire, and
were never quiet.
Apparently he was thirty years of age,
though a few silver threads in his dark
hair, and cynical smile that rested
upon his mouth, gave me an idea that he
was older.
He looked me intently in the face, and
said quietly:
circumstances, not choice, have
caused you to listen to what ! have to
say. / will not detain you very long,
however. Let me lean back against this
tree and please give me some more
water"
arranged him as comfortably as pos
sible, gave him the water, and sat
beside him to hear his confession.
II am" be began, "the only son of an
opulent family, whose name / will not
mention now, for I have already dis
graced it. .,
II imagined myself a man when was
fifteen, and, being unaware of the ex-
tent Of my own ignorance, believed
was great genius, and in wickedness
I certainly was.
ITO complete my education, my par
ents sent me to college when was six
teen years of age, and the institution be-
ing situated in large city, and / having
plenty of money, l soon ran into~ all
kinds of dissipation.
81 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 that the soul is stripped Of its re-
gala.
81 still preserved the manners of a
gentleman, and still cherished liking
for books.
"When l BECAME of age, and in posses
sion Of handsome estate, / could then
have left all my evil ways and resumed
my former position in society; but be-
came connected with club Of gamblers,
and in less than year lost all of my
property, except miserable pittance
that came to me monthly.
"My father, when dying, had left me
the guardian of my sister, and the execu-
tor of her handsome estate, 80 I de-
termined, as I had full power over her
property, to mortgage it, and with the
money thus obtained, attempt to redeem
my fallen fortunes.
"For time all went we'll, and I won
large sums Of money; and bought back
again my own estate, which adjoined
that of a gentleman Of great wealth, who
resided there with his only daughter, a
lovely, interesting girl of seventeen.
u formed her acquaintance, and
found that she was attractive to me,
though the wild, dissolute life / had led
rendered me incapable OF loving pure
and virtuous woman as she ought to be
loved.
II looked upon her as an advantageous
speculation, and after few months ac-
quaintance, addressed her, and was ac-
cepted.
'She trusted me with her destiny, her
love, and her happiness, and we were
married.
"For short time after my marriage
led a most unexceptionable life, giving
up drinking and gaming and thereby as
tonishing the numerous scandal mongers
of the neighborhood, who had deemed it
their duty to warn my wife that she was
marrying drunkard and gam bier; but
to all their assertions she paid no atten-
tion and wholly trusted me.
"My sister married about this time, and,
having neglected to raise the mortgage
on her estate, when / should have done
SO instead of buying back my own, I saw