Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-02-02

soon be ready. She's burst her new
muslin dress behind, and ;hat has put hor
INTO way ma ain"
SEQ 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.J---
The servant accordingly went up stairs,
and knocked at The bedroom door, once,
twice, thrice, but received no answer
There was dead silence, except when
the wind shook the window. Could Miss
! have fallen asleep; Oh, I'M
possible! She knocked again but unsuc-
ccssluily us before. She became little
ilustered; and after few moments S
pause opened the door and entered
There was Miss = sitting at the
glass.-"Why, la, ma'am" commenced
Betty in ii petulant tone, walking up to
her, "hcre have | been knocking for
these five minutes, and'-Bctty stagger-
ed horror-struck to the bed, and uttcring
Il loud shrek alarmed AIrs. ! who,
instantly tottcrcd up stairs almost palsicd
with iright-Miss j was dead!
was there within few minutes, for
my house was not more than two streets
distant. Ii was ii stormy night in March,
and the dcsolate aspect OF things without
deserted streets, the drcary howling of
the wind, and the inccssant pattcring of
the rain-contrbuted to cast gloom o.
yer my mind, when connected with the
intelligence Of the awful event that had
summoned me out, which was decpened
into horror by the spectacle was DOOM
ed to witness. On reaching the house,
found Mrs. ! III violent Mysteries,
surrounded by several of her nc!ghbors
who had been called to her assistance
| repaired instantly to the scene of death,
and bcheld what shall never forget
The room was occupied by white cur
tanned bed. There was but one window,
and before it was n table, on which stood
looking-glass hung with a little white
drapcry; and various paraphcrnalia of
the toilet lay scattered about-pins,
breaches, curling papers, s,ribands, gloves,
sc. An arm chair was drawn to this
table, and in it sat Miss !, stone
dead.
Her head rested upon her right hand,
her elbow supported by the table; while
her left hung down by her side, graspine
IA pair of curling-irons. Each Of her
wrists was cncirclcd by Il showy gilt
bracelet. She was dressed in a white
muslin lrock, with little bordering of
blonde, Her face was turned towards
the glass which, by the light of the ex
piring candle, reflected with frishtiul IL
deity the clammy fixed features, daub-
cd over with rouge and carmine-the
fallen lower jaw-and the eyes directed
full into the glass, with cold stare, that
was appalling, On examining the coun-
tcnance more narrowly, | thought | de-
tcctcd the traces of a smirh of conccit
and self-complacency, which not even
the palsying touch of Death could Who'll
ly obltcratc. The hair of the corpse all
smooth and glossy, was curled with elab-
crate precision; and; the skinny sallow
neck was cncirclcd with string of glls-
tcning pearls. The ghastly visage of
death thus lecring through the tinsclry
of lashion-thc "vain show" OF artificial
joy-was a horrible mockery Of the fool
cries of life.
Indeed it was most humiliating and
shocking spectacle. Poor creature! !!
struck dead in the very act of sacrificing
at the shrine of female vanity? She must
have been dead for some time, perhaps
for twenty minutes, or half an hour, when
! arrived, for nearly all the animal heat
had deserted the body, which was rapid
ly stillening. | attempted, but in VAIN,
to draw little blood from the arm. Two
or three women present proceeded to re-
move the corpse to the bed, for the pur-
pose oflaying it out. What strange pas
sivcncss! No resistance offered to them
while Strengthening the bent right arm,
and binding the Jaws together with Il
faded white rband, which Miss =
had destined for her waist that evening.
On examination OF the body, We found
that death had been occasioncd by dis
ease of the heart. Her life might have
been protyactcd, possibly for years, had
she but taken my advice and that of her
mother ! have seen many hundreds of
Corpscs, as well in the calm composurc
of natural death, as mangIcd and d,,tort-
ed by violence, but never have ! seen SO
startling satire upon human vanity, 50
rcpuIsivc, unsightly, and loathsomc a
spectacle, as a corpse dressed for JaH!
-a------------
We received Il few days since, a copy
of work Just issued from the press in