Year: 1873

mined to seek out my brother, and
tell him l knew all. Then would see
her; and release her from her promise
to me. Better for her to be happy with
another than to be my miserable, un-
loving wife. As for me. would leave
for England and travel better so than
see her the happy, devoted wife OF
another mani found my brother and
told him what | had seen. / cannot
tell how 1t came about my memory
fails me about all that took place at
that time. He must / think, have
misunderstood me for we quarreled,
and he struck me to the earth; He left
my house at once; and / have seen
him once from that day to this, and
then but for moment and unseen by
him.


Bruised by my brothers. hand. was
ashamed TO meet her. But more
grieved than angered by my brothers
conduct, l wrote to her a simple letter,
telling her all and offering 20 release
her. Her reply came only too soon:
1t was a kind but ready acceptance of
my offer. She could rot, she said ih
ii, deny her love for my brother. She
still loved me with ali the strength of
a sisters love-alas, how cold to the
love 1 felt for her-but her heart was
given to my brother, and with him
alone could she be happy. AT the
same time, she added, that if on fuTth-
er consideration | insisted on making
her my wife, she would, although re-
luctantly, perform her promise, and
would try to make q good, faithful
wife, but never happy one.


What could I do but give her up
Was |. to satisfy mean, selfish love,
to drag the woman / professed TO love
beyond the whole world, into a wretch
ed unhappiness, full of lifelong re-
grets and blighted hopes


When we met again it was as broth
er and sister But the shock and
struggle were more than / could bear,
and l sank into ill-health, becoming
nervous and at times fanciful. My
doctor advised change of air and scene
and accordingly | prepared to start for
a tour on the continent. But before L
could get away, diabolicaI plot was
prepared and put in practice by my
brother, which was to rob me of mon
ey, home, and even reason itself.


About a week before I proposed
starting | was rather surprised at re-
ceiving a call from two gentlemen.
both strangers to me, who introduced
themselves as consulting physicians,
and's said they had beeI. requested to
call and see me by my brother. Al
though astonished at such a display of
interest on my account being shown
by him, | never for au instant suspec-
ted any sinister design upon his part,
and answered most of the questions
put to me without hesitation. go much
so, in fact, that the two doctors rose,
and, wishing me good morning, said
they were very glad to be able to re-
port so favorably on me. As they
were leaving the room they stopped
for a moment, and said few words
together in an undertone. / only
caught her name, and felt myself red
den at the sound.


Yes" said one, ''yOu are right we
ought to try that subject"


Then, turning back, they began ask
ing me what / took to be impertinent
questions. | ordered them to leave,
but they only questioned me further,
until. wild with passion, | lost all con-
troll over myself. and tried to push
them out. Little / suspected then that
they were paid by my brother to eX-
anime me, and find an excuse for pro-
nouncing me mad. Once in an asy-
lum. could easily be kept there, and
my cruel brother would be able 20 en-
JOY my property undisturhed.


4 few days after what | had just
told you took place. / received letter
from my brother apologizing to rle for
his misbehaviOur, and asking me to
| forgive him, and to meet him at a GER
| tain town about % miles from my place
1t was cruel lypocritical, deceitful
letter, but 1 joyfully believed it, and
| gladly promised to meet him, eager TO
! be once more recOnciled to him.


When | got to the inn at the town
where | was to meet him, | was told
! that he had not vet come, but that he
had engaged a room and l was shown
into it. | waited long time patient
| Iy, expecting my brother 10 come ev-
erv moment; but he never came -
! Soon after dark, two men-rough, i'll
| looking felloWs-came into the room
without knocking. One of them
walked straight up to me, and said
was to be good enough to go with
them. | told them L would not do Sc
without knowing what they wanted.
The one who had spoken first replied
that they had authority to take me


with them, and that it would he bet
ter for me to go quietly, and not COM
! pei them to use force: [ stepped back
| and, seizing the poker, told them
would use it against the first one who
| laid a hand on me. Then | rang the
bell violently. 70 my surprise, the
two men still, and made no attempt at
escaping; and when the people of the
| inn came up to see what was the mat
ter they appealed to them to help them
secure me. While | thus stood at bay,
as it were, a door opened at my back,
and before [ could turn round, some
one threw a thick cloth over my head,
completely covering me, and render
me perfectly powerless 10 resist
Still | struggled, but hopelessly. and
| was soon overpowered, gagged and
blindfolded then my arms were PIN
| ioned to my side, and | was led out in
to the open air. and pushed into a car
riage. and driven rapidly away. l
soon gathered from the conversation
| of those beside me that l was being ta-


ken to q mad house, and could not but
! surmise-what was the truth-that 1t
/ WHS AT Ille lIlSliGdliOu Va
that | was being taken there. The
whole villainous scheme was now
clear to me. The visit of the two doc
lors-real rsham L knew not-the
| letter written TO entice me from home,
so as to carry me off easily, and With
out making a disturbance. My cruel
wicked brother, not content with
stealing my love from, was about 10 IN
carcerate me III private asylum, SO
that he, being next heir to the proper
ty, might freely enjoy it without my
| having the means or the power oi eN-
posing him. After about an hour
drive we stopped, and ! was hurried
out of the carriage into house, and LED
still blindfolded, up a long stair. Wnen
my eyes were uncovered, | found my
self in a small room; scantily furnish
ed, without a carpet on the bare boards
and lighted by small narrow Wlndo"
barred on the outside with heavy iron
bars. A small wooden bedstead, al
one end, and single chair were the
! o,,fx- siVps af llahitafiOn visible. III