“NEVER BEEN HAPPY.”

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2, 7 May 1913, Page 2

“NEVER BEEN HAPPY.”

YOUNG MAN ENDS HIS LIFE. Tho body of a youth, Cecil Barker, was found in tG bush at Westirmad, Parramatta, on Sunday, 18th ult.., pith a partially-emptied lysol bottle, by his side. The (N.S.W.) police ascertained that he {thrived in the State about 15. inohths ago, having deserted froril his ship. He has since been employed im various places. On Thursday he was seen lit Parramatta lobkjng "for work-Linds seemed; fvmjyi despondent. Barker, which is evidently an assumed name, had been boarding with Mrs Elliott, of Grafton-street, Woollahra. On Monday morning Mrs Elliott received a letter by post, which read:—•

Dear Mrs Elliott,—l am sorry to have to write this letter, and sincerely hope it will pot give yon .a shock. I had been considering my ■ debt of £3 which will be the amount due on..'Sunday, April 13, and at present I am unable to repay, through a foolish action I edmmitted during the week, of which you can presume. Well, I have weighed my present condition as a failure. My will power seems nil. Even had I become a moderate success, it would, most probably bo at the cost of someone else. I once had great ambitions, hut now I am 20 years of ago, life has been of no benefit; "to improve me, or to have acted in anyway beneficial to those who are deserving of something from my labour. I may have seemed to bo cheerful, hut I have never been happy in all my life; rather than live on, I made up my mind to end it all. Now, you must not consider this cowardly, or an insane action; view it with a broad mind, as I am not worth it. Well, to save you any publicity or any inconvenience, I have tak6n myself from Sydney a few miles, to a, linely spot where I do not think my body will bo recovered for some time at least. In the advent of it occurring, they may have my remains at the University or the pickling tank. lam taking poison as means of exit. My only ivish. is that you will not attempt to di.aover my parentage; let mo remain mising. I must now say good-bye, thanking you from my heart for the kindness you have shown me in the past. T remain, to be, I hope, soon to be forgotten, (Nom-de-plumt) Cecil Barker. It is believed that dec ased was employed at Grace Brothers for a time, and that ho had some slight connection with library work. Ho had the appearance of a young man who had been in clerical training. It is said that he had only been in the State for two years. The funeral took place at Ruokwood and was arranged by the officials of tho University Club.