Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1831-01-20
DEATH AT THE TOILET.
From ihe Diarg of Phusician.

- nv NSS to4hH1 " mt tHDtltf L VIII
60 to Mrs. P--'s party to night, if die
for it, that's fat You kaow as well AS do.
that Lieutenant Ms TO be there. and
he's to leave town to morrow--so up go to
dress
Charlotte, why will you be so obstinate?
You know how poorly you have been all the
week, and DIR. - says late hours are the
worst things in the world for youn
"Pshaw, mother? nonsense, nonsense"
"be persuaded for once, now, | begl Oh
dear, dear, what night too--it pours with
ram, and blows a perfect hurricane! You'll
be wet and catch cold, rely on it. Come
now, went you stop and keep me company
to night? That's a good girl''
''Some other night will do as well for that,
you know, for now LII 90 to Mrs P--'s
II IT rains cats and dogs. So up-up-up
go!' singing Jauntly,
"oh she sLa'i dance sil dressed in white, so Ia.
dylike."
Such were, very nearly, the word, and
such the manner In which Miss - ex-
pressed her determination to act IN defiance
Of her mothers wishes and entreat,es She
was the only child Of her widowed mother,
and had, but lew weeks before, completed
her twenty sixth year, with yet no other pros
pect before than bleak single blessedness
weaker, more frivolous and conceited crea-
ture never brcathed--the torment of her a.
miahle parent, the nuisance of her acquain-
lance Though her mothers circumstance
were very straltened; suificlng barely to en-
aole them TO maintain footing in what is
called the middling genteel class Of society,
this young woman contrived by some means
er other to crafty her penchant for dress, and
gadded about here, there, and everywhere,
the most showily dressed person in the neigh
bo4r:lood. Though Ear from being even pref.
ty-faced, or having aay pfetentons to good
figure, for she both stopped and was skinny,
she yet believed herself handsome, and by
vulgar, iippant torwardness Of denlcanour,
especially when in mixed company, extortcd
such attentions as persuaded her that others
thought So
For one or two years she had been an oc-
casional patient of mine. The settled pallor,
the saowness Of her complexion, con jointly
with other symptoms, ev,nced the existence
OF liver complaint; and the last visits had
paid her were In consequence of frequent
sensations of oppression and pain in the chest,
which clearly indicated some organic disease
of tie heart. | saw enough to warrant me in
warning uer mother OF the possibility OF her
daughters sudden death from this cause, and
tie imminent peril to which she exposed her
selfhy danciag, late hours, Sc, but Mrs IS
remonstrances, gentle and ailectlonate as they
were, were thrown away upon her heads,ronS
daughter.
II was striking eight by the church clock,
when Miss =, humming the words of
the song above mentioned, lat her chamber
, casdle by Der mothers, and withdrew to her
room to dress, soundly rating the servant girl
by the way, for not having starched some
article or other which she intended to have
worn tina: evening. As her toilet was usually
long and laborIous business, it did not &C.
caslon much surprise to her mother, who
was sitting by the fire in their little parlour,
reading some book OF devotion, that the
church chimes announced the first quarter o.
clock, without her daughters making her
appearance. The noise she had made over
head in walking to and fro to her drawers,
dressing table. Sc bad ceased about half an
hour ago, and her mother supposed she was
then engaged at her glass adjusting her hair,
anu preparing her complexion.
DWELL wonder what can make Charlotte
SO very careful about her dress TO night" ex-
claimed Mrs. J -, removing her eyes from
the book, and gazing thougtitiully at the fire;
''Oh it is because young Lieutenant N
is to be there. Well, was young myself
once, and its very excusable in Charlotte
hLtsHO. ShC hCoio th~ wilma ho"AAhS ~
dismally without, that she drew together the
Goals of her brisk fire, and was laying down
the poker when the clock of - church
struck the second quarter after nine
"Why, what in the world can Charlotte
be doing all this whilep" she again enquired.
She listened--s'I have not heard her moving
for the last three quarters OF an hourl iii call
the maid and ask She rang the bell and
the servant appeared.
'Betty, Miss J--is not gone yet, is sheP"
"La, no. ma am" replied the girl, 81 took
up the curling irons about quarter Of an
hour ago. and she had put one of her curls
cut; and she said she should soon be ready
Shes burst her new muslin dress behind. and
that has put her into way, ma am"
go up to her room, then, Betty, and see
if she wants any thing; and tell her it's half
past nine O'clock" said Mrs =. The
servant accordingly went up stairs, and knock
ed al the bed room door, once, twice, thrice
but received no answer. There was dead
silence, except when the wind shook the win
dow Could Miss = have fallen asleep?
o, IMPOSSIBLE She knocked again but I'M
successfully AS before. She became little
flostered, and after moments pause opened
the door and entered. There was Miss =
sitting at the glass. "Why, la, ma'aml'
Commenced Betty in petulant tone. walking
up to her, ''here have been knocking for
these five minutes, and"-- Betty stag
gered harmon sfrneL tn the he'd and ut.erinr