Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-02-02
MESCEEElANW.
From the Diary Of a late London Physician.
DEATH At TIE TOILET.
"Tis no use talking to me, mother, |


to be there, and he's going to leave town
to-morrow-so up go to dress"
"Charlotte, why will you be so obsti-
nate?-Hou know how poorly you have
been all the week, and DR.. - says
late hours are the worst things i'll the
world for you"
"Pshaw, mother; nonsense, nonsense. !"
BE persuaded for once, now, beg
Oh dear, dear, what night too-it pours
with rain, and blows perfect hurricane! !!
You'll be wet and catch cold rely on it.
Come now, won't you stop and keep me
company tonight? that's good girln'
"Somc other night will do as well for
that, you know; for now pll go to Mrs.
p-'s if it rains cats and dogs. SO
up-up-up go" singing jauntily,
oh she shall dance all dressed in white, so lady
Such were, very nearly, the words and
such the manner in which Miss j
expressed her determination to act in de-
fance of her mothers wishes and entrea-
tics. She was the only child of her wild
owed mother, and had, but few weeks
before completed her twenty sixth year,
with no other prospect before her than
bleak single biessedness. A weaker,
never brcathcd-the torment of her am
liable parent, the nuisance other acquain-
tance. Though her mothers circumstan-
ces were very straitened, suflicIng bare
ly to enable them to maintain a footing in
what is called the middiing genteel class
Of society, this young woman contrivcd
by some means or other to crafty her
penchant for dress, and gaddcd about
here, there and every where, the most
showily dressed person in the ncighbor-
hood. Tho far from being pretty y-faccd
or having any pretcnslons TO good
figure, for she both stopped and was skin
ny, she yet believed herself handsome; !;
and by "A vulgar, iippant forwardncss of
demeanour, especially in mixed company
extortcd such attentions as persuaded
her that others thought so.
For one or two years she had been an
occasional patient of mine. The settled
palor, the sallowncss of her complexion,
conjointly with other symptoms, evinced
the existence of Il liver complaint; and
the last visits | paid her were in conse-
quence of frequent sensations of oppres-
sion and pain i'll the chest, which clearly
indicated some organic disease of the
heart | saw enough to warrant me in
warning her mother of the possibility Of
her daughters sudden death, from this
nd nj IA Uh I,.h
she exposed herself by dancing, late
hours, SC; but Mrs. IS remon-
strances, gentle and ailectionate as they
always were, were thrown away up
on her headstrong daughter.
1t was striking eight by the church
clock, when Miss ], humming the
words OF the song above mentioned, lit
her chamber candle by her mothers and
Withdrew to her room to dress, soundly ra
ting the scrvant-girl by the way, for not
having starchod some article or other
which she intended to have worn that
evening. As her toilet was usually Il
long and laborious business, it did not oc-
casion much surprise to her mother, who
was sitting by the fire in the parlor, read
ing some pious book of devotion, that the
church chimes announced the first quar-
ter past nine o'clock, without her daugh-
ter's making her appearance. The noise
she had maGc overhead III walking to
and fro to her drawers, dressing table,
SC. had ceased about half an hour ago,
and her mother supposing she was then
engaged at her glass, adjusting her hair,
and preparing her complexion.
"Well | wonder what can make Char
lottc so very careful about her dress to-
nightp exclaimed Mrs } -, rcmov-
ing her eyes from the book, and gazing
thoughtiuIly at the fire; ooh! II is be-
cause young Lieutenant " Is TO
be there. Well, was young myself
once and it is very cxcusablc in Char
lo,tc-heighoP She heard the wind howl
inc so dsmally without, tha, she drew to-
ncthcr the Goals of her bii~l, 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 while" she again in-
uuired. She listened &c! have not
heard her moving ior the Last three quar-
tcrs Of an hpurl I'll call the maid and
ask" She rang the bell and the servant
appeared.
"Rcuy, Miss i Is not gone yet
j. shci'
ia, no ma'om,' replied the gil, 81