Year: 1875

satisfied him, fer she is Mrs Jac!
Greene now, and that valentine =
worn and old, but choicely framed
always hangs over the doctors study
table.


A SERIOUS JoKE.-"How and
When to Kill our Relations" This
| is the title off article written for
recent number of the New York In
dependent by a Congregational min,
lister signing himself "A Convert.
He was moved to write it after read.
ing "On the Right to Take Life" .
piece by Rev. Edward Abbott, q
young and very thoughtful writer.
He was convinced the Reverends 3
opinions we're correct, hence his sig
| nature, "a Convert" Convert is q
preacher OF small income, and has an
aged father, who from a lingering
disease it is stated has become q bur-
den to his sons, who relieve one an
other in supporting him. Desiring
to see and talk to them a certain
evening about father, this minister
sent his brothers the paper contain
ing Abbott's article, requesting them
TO come. They received it, came, and
met him in his study. The object
of the meeting was stated to be to
consider the policy of taking their
fathers life, and thus end his pain.
After a thorough discussion till
midnight, they concluded as a means
of mercy to him and relief to them.
selves, to kill him. To that end
the helpless parent was made a sub
ject of special prayer. Writes Con
vert: "It was embarrassing at first
70 put our petitions in suitable devo
tional language on 30 unusual q sub
ject as parricide. But this difficulty
was soon overcome" The brothers
have applied to the New York Leg
islsture to have a special act passed
allowing them to put their father to
death. Should they get legal au-
thority, they will next consider what
means OF death to employ, what way
would he least painful to the victim.
Drowning was spoken Of as the best
mode. Convert is also much grieved
over an idiot child he has. He pro-
posed to his wife to have its name in
cluded in the petition TO the Legis.
lature along with the fathers name,
to which she was indignant and wan.
ted to call the police. She declared
he was unfit to preach, he needed
rather to be earnestly prayed for.
Convert, as before stated, is Congre-
gational minister. He states that
there are certain members Of his
church who are eternally poor, and
some who are incurably diseased, and
consequently, they are great tax
upon the peoples charity. He there
fore advises meeting of the MEM
bers for fasting and prayer, to de
voutly consider the propriety ofkill-
ing of certain of the church poor.
In the meantime he will be busy
searching scripture to find suitable
text for q sermon on the subject.
Every opportunity that is offered he
advocates death in all cases OF con.
slant suffering. Only a few days ago
he saw a woman whose right cheek
had been eaten into by a cancer,
which was gre wing still more destruc-
tive. Her misery was deadful. His
advice was, that if she desired to end
her extreme pain she should commit
suicide. How astonished she was at
such seeming rash counsel. But she
was prevailed upon to consider the
matter.


The effect of reading Converts
statements, is this: At 6rst | was
convinced that the author is sincere
instead of joking. Yet the more |
read it l was in doubt, being for
awhile disposed to think that when
a parent gets too feeble to help him
self, and to keep him is a burden too
great for his sons, he is justly relieved
when killed by them. Thinking
more seriously over it, ! could not but
conclude it to be either rebuke te
Young men who mistreat their help
less fathers, or else satire on the
absurd theories of scientific men II
was read through with consuming
interest on account Of its striking ii
tie. How to get rid Of the "old
man" was q valuable piece Of infor
nation. e., I valued knowing the
modus operandi, but was opposed t.
putting it in practice. 1t contained
such strange suggestions as tn killing
that I read it to my mother. She
rather secuted the ideas advanced,
and said. half in jest and halt il
earnest, that ! Was learning to kill of
the old folks. But ! insisted | wa.
not She is unfond of jokes. so the
reading had to be finished in another
room. Returning shortly. / read hel
q reply to Convert, which is doubt
less by lady-writer:


One or two subscribers to the n.
Y. Independent wrote and upbraided
the editor for publishing Converts
vile opinions. Mr.. Bowen, the edi
tor. declares he considered them ga