Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1920-11-25
CHAPTER XVI.

S0NV EN- ~Vus
shall not pretend to give more
than an idea of the manuscript | read
there by the fire that night. 1t was
narrative and reflection and Contained
the story Of the life Of Arthur Dobson,
known to me heretofore as Mr.. Sid
ney. shall give extracts from 1t:
"A family is an odious imposition
of cruel conventionalitles upon indi-
viduals who. accepting conventions.
however odious and cruel. are helpless.
The bond of blood is one no animal
(animals being rationalistic) tolerates,
even recognizes, but it is imposed up
on human beings. who find that the
most antagOnistic natures must rec
oncile themselves to an arbitrary rule
of life which can come only to hide
BUSINESS.
'"There were in our family two chill
dren, my brother Richard and myself.
Our parents were the ordinary folk
| who marry and have a family. My
| father was an communicative man,
whether from habit Of silence or a
lack of anything to say, do not
know.
MY mother. as I recall her. was
gentle but. I imagine. futile. l think
II she had had chance of establish
Ing personality my silent, glum ia
Their had destroyed 1t.
Richard was my elder by two years.
My father was wealthy. very wealthy,
and Richard and were not disciplined
as to money. Ny father was not pc
nurfous, but never knew man who
obtained so little good of his money
He had no social instincts; he had no
joviality.
/ He liked occasional ostentation-a
petty form of vanity and egotism. l
regarded him. or my memory of him.
as wholly. detestable "a sentiment
which will offend the sentimentally
conventional. or the conyentionally SEN
timental. know he was the last man
I would have chosen as father.
"But this scheme of life had this In
it that brought disaster to his sons
laxness of any discipline related tc
|
ment. When we were corrected OF
punished it was for conduct which at
fected his comfort or dignity, never
for thing which affected the develop
ment of our character.
I'VE had abundant money to spend
1t was part Of our fathers egotisn
that we should be young swells. ant
we were early in disorderly ways
Richard had genius for cruelty. 4
normal boy is likely to be thoughtless
but Richard was inventive in his cru
elites. 1t was brutal. He liked I,
tear things to pieces slowly. a fly II I
was all he could catch-a grasshopper
ia field mouse. I had faithful littl,
dog which Richard staked out in tn
ground and killed by vivisection.
saw the little animal when it wa
breathing its last with its bowels ex
posed and its lungs laid bare.
"Richard destroyed birds nests 70
pleasure. He liked to cut leg of
hen and see 1t stagger about vainl
trying to walk. He MANNED dogs. 81
tortured cattle and horses. He kille,
fine carriage horse by driving it t
death purposely to see how long
would live under the treatment h
gave it.
~ doubt that was a more lovabl
child. but at least did not have tn
, attribute Of cruelty. I was not onl
younger hut was weaker physically
! was sensitive to a degree which mad
me an extraordinary victim to Richar
when he cared to express his fendist
ness to or upon me. :
I'VE were getting into late child
hood should say that. was abou
fourteen-when Richard began to us
his inventiveness in cruelty upon m
directly. AS soon as he had a tast
Of the delight which came from to-
menting me had no further peace.
II remember with still agonize
! vividness my experience In finding
snake in my bed. He had put 1t Their
He used his superior strength to to-
!. ture me physically. He dominated m
:. spiritually. He made life a hell. sue
hell 40 life can be made only for
child by mistreatment, when realit
. has not starkly asserted itself, whe
: proportions are not established an
when illusions can be kindly or hid,
ous. r. -
IA Richard and grew up In this fasl
len l in terror Of him and his .malev
2 lence. When.I was fifteen mother die
: She had been an unassertive mothe
g Circumstances, and conditions were b