The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1920-11-18
CHAPTER XVI-ContInued.

tI""fI SlDF 1uu mental develop
nleilt. WheE we were corrected or
punished it was for conduct which af-
fpcted his comfort or dignity, never
For Il thing which affected the develop
mcnt of our chara cter.
1--WE had abundant money to spend.
1t was a part of our fathers eeotism
that we should be young swells, and
we were early in disorderly ways.
Richard had genius for cruelty. A
normal boy is likely to be thoughtless.
bat Richard was inventive in his cru
elites. 1t was brutal. He liked to
tear things to pieces slowly, a fly If 1t
was all he could catch--a graSshopper.
field mouse. had a. faithful little
dog which Richard staked out in the
ground and killed by vivisectiOn. ]
saw the little animal when 1t was
breathing Its last with it's bowels ex-
posed and its lungs laid bare.
Richard destroyed birds nests for
pleasure. He liked to cut a leg Off q
hen and see it stagger about vainly
trying to walk. He MANNED dogs. He
tortured cattle and horses. He killed
Il fine carriage horse by driving it to
death purposely to see how long 1t
would live under the treatment he
gave 1t.
81 doubt that was a more lovable
child but at least I did not have the
attribute of cruelty. l was not only
younger bnt was weaker physically.
I was sensitive to degree which made,
me an extraordinary victim to Richard
when he cared to express his fiendish-
ness to or upon me.
1--WE were getting into late child
hood should say that I was about
fourteen-when Richard began to use
his inventiveness in cruelty upon me
directly. AS soon as he had taste
Of the delight which came from tor
menting me had no further peace.
81 remember with a still agOnized
vividness my experience in finding
snake in my bed. He had put it there.
He used his superior strength to tor
ture me physically. He dominated me
spiritually. He made life a hell, such
a hell as life can be made only for q
child by mistreatment. when reality
has not starkly asserted itself. when
proportions are not established and
GUS
"Richard and I grew up in this fash
ion, I in terror of him and his malevO-
leHce. When was fifteen mother died
She had been an unaSSertive mother
Circumstances and conditions were be
yOnd her strength of mind or body, but
she had been a friend and I missed
her cruelty. It was really a terrible
loss at time when much needed
friend.
LAS we grew older Richards dia
holical habits became only shrewder.
not less assertive. He contrived the
most ingenious schemes for my tor
ment. He Inundated me whenever
possible before other boys and. better
for his purpose, before girls
my father put us out to school to-
gether. and this suited Richards pur
pose admirably. How | hated this
thing that bore my name and my blood
It became an indomitahle hate. II
exists to this day. No human bein%
ever was so hated by another as my
brother Richard was by me-and is
is to this moment and will be hated
while a breath remains in my body.
when l was eighteen my father
died, and Richard and l inherited the
estate under trusteeship to continue
until I was twenty-One. Richard was
then twenty. In another year he at
tanned his majority. He was prOtligatp
and wild. heavy drinker, coarse
cruel bOor, a licentiOus young rnffian
who had suffered twice In actions
brought by weak and unfortunate
girls.
ut irritated him beyond expression
that he had to wait the slow process
OF nv coming of age before he could
come into his share Of the property
His constant demeanOr toward me was
violent Several times tried to eStah-
lish the reasrn able relations which
ought. in convention, to exist hctwe"n
brothers. 1t was quite hopeless. ana
my hate for this bOOr came to be an
insane passion. It remains as pas
sion now.
81 may not be able to satisfy anyOn"
that this was the inevitable cOnse-
uuence Of the treatment given me, bat
7 could If were to elaborate the de-
tails-Or merely state THEM. however
my purpose is not so much to indict
nv brother as to record my own tri-
umph-to assist the commission Of a
crime which has BEEN OF intense salts
faction to me. crime in which have
maintained my cuIpability with JOY
and from whch Richard has suffered
and is suffering.
"Hp is broken old man. He is in
a renitent'ary."
Here followed a section Of the man
uccr:nt from which, as I recognized
the rrgn Dravada had taken was miss
ing. Then it continued:
81 became a little more assertive of
NV rights and dignity. with the result
that our quarrels were more violent,
T trle(; to fit myself physically to meet
~ ;ol>ord h,,+ no was vQr7 sturdy and