The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1894-10-02
MARRIED A KLEPTOMANIAC.
Once a Brilliant Young Lawyer,
Now a Total Wreck.

silent histories borne without works
by the victims, those lives OF men
wrecked by faithless women, of WON
ems hearts broken by the finding that
their idols wera of clay, are more
moving, could they be truly read. than
any rounded periods of Novelist or
playwright.
"You see that shabby, dissipa.ed
fellow standing on the corner" said
a lawyer TO q ST. Louis Republic re-
porter as he pointed to a compare
lively yculg man who was almost
complete physical wreck. His
clothes were patched and old his eyes
blea sed, face urshaved, hands tren-
bling; yer he had thar about him
wnicn told OF bcltar days, and was
making an evident effort 10 keep up
appearances. "That mans father"
continued the LAWYER. ais one of the
largest capitalists in a Southern city,
his family is one of the best, too. The
young man himself few years ago
was one OF the ablest practitioners at
the bar, and enjoyed lucrative prac-
tive. lie was graduate of the London
Law School, natural born orator,
and as cross-eXaminer had few equals.
He married woman noted through
out his native State for her beauty.
How is it that he has thus forgotten
himself and her for whisky All! my
boy; he never speaks of it, but it was
the woman who first led him to drown
his sorrows in the bowl.
"Soon after his marriage he received
a message one day that he was wanted
at a jewelry store. He went, to find
his wife practically prisoner, charged
with the theft of pair of diamond
earrings. He Indignantly refused to
believe the charge, and threatened
vengence, Ont of pity for his conf
dence in her the matter was dropped
"But again and still again, at other
places. jewelry stores, dry goods houses
and other stores, came with the same
complaint, and at length he awoke to
the horrible consciousness that he had
married d kleptonaniac, as they call
the rich, but thief as applied 10 COM
mon people. He stuck to her. though,
and ruined himself paying for thinge
she was charged with stealing. After
wards there was other trouble-tbere
is no need of going into details. He
never complained, not even to his
dearest friend, but a separation
followed, He spared her all publicly
by making no defense when she sued
him for divorce.
"One day met him on the street
drunk. Up to that time / had never
known him to touch drop. After
wards l learned that, after his troubles
grew greater than he could bear, he
had been in the habit of going away
to some quiet retreat in the country
and drinking himself into forgetful-
ness. After once appearing on the
street drunk, however, his downfall
was rapid. In few months his prac-
tice was gone, and he was almost an
Outcast. His family tried hard to
check his downward course, but in
vain.
"The Kelley cure was hardly a
check. A length lie was
missed, and soon afterwards turned
NJ in ST, Louis, have myself talked
ana reasoned with him, but all to no
purpose His viii power is destroyed.
His mind is giving away under the
combined effects oftrouble and alcohol.
)nce l asked him why he did not
BRACE mp and 20 back home. ! shall
never forget the look he gave me he
Il can't, Everybody kno WIS
ne there. If they don't pity me in
words, they do in looks, and my
rouble is always fresh before me-.
"That was the only reference he
,ver made to his domestic Affections.
He thinks of her constantly. He
lever smiles. Whisky has long since
allied to bring temporary cheerfulness.
t may be wrong to help man down.
ward, but every time he asks me
or money he gets it, although 1 know
goes in drink and takes him nearer
he grave. The grave in the only rest
le will ever know. Some day he will
eek it of his own hand, and he will |
&C at peace. He is one of the men
Who is absolutely without hope in the
world"