Mr. George Wadsworth, his wife and mine, were shown into my room by Isabella, when in came the male attendant and Isabella made an excuse for showing them to my room. I was lying in bed, in low spirits, weak and discouraged. I asked no questions about friends or home. I knew Wadsworth and his wife Lotty, although I had not seen them in four years. For a person to be visited in a prison, especially by acquaintances, is not very pleasant and to be left is harder. I was asked by my wife if I knew Mrs. Wadsworth, who I so much liked to hear sing when at church.
The countenances of neighbors were as familiar to me when seen in prison as out. I knew the different kinds of birds although their sweet music had lost its charms to me. I preferred home in preference to that place, and had I had one encouraging word in that direction my heart would have leaped for joy at that time.
We took the parting hand. Oh, think for a moment, reader, how must a dear wife have felt, when the tears trickled down her cheek, to leave her husband in an incurable asylum; incurable as she had often been told by doctors.
At one time, and again a brother J. visited, at other times a brother B., and one time a brother R., from Buffalo, visited me, whom I had not seen for many years, and while the tears streamed from both our eyes we separated, perhaps to meet no more on earth. Pen cannot describe, I must hasten.
I sent to a brother L., living in California, the transaction as seen and described in the engraving, saying I would send him this history, when published. He writes as follows:
"It is enough," praying me not to send it, "I cannot bear to read of so much sufferings of a brother."
I pray you who cannot read my history and sufferings take the Bible and read of Paul, beaten and in prison, of Job, of our Saviour, in the garden, pleading that the cup might pass, and read the story of the cross.
THOMAS HALY, INCURABLE HOUSE ATTENDANT.
Haly was born of old country parents, and so was Isabella, the magdalen woman, who helped him bind me, as seen in the engraving.
The morning they bound me, as seen in the picture, I was standing by a window in the short hall, when Haly came to me and says, in a harsh voice, "go to the dummy and stand till it is ready." I immediately obeyed, and as I stopped at the place he drew his foot and kicked me severely. I turned around, showing no violence, did not speak to him, don't think I had for days; but he drew his fist and says "don't face me;" I then turned to the dummy and soon raised the breakfast from the kitchen to the third floor. This transaction was the beginning of the second one which took place soon after breakfast with me, as seen in the engraving.