The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-02-09
DEATH AT THE TOILET.

Ole Tor lt-thats fiat You know as well
as 10, that Lieut.. N Is to lie there,
and he's going to leave town Tomorrow
so up go TO dress %
Charlotte, why will you be so o5sti-
nate You know how poorly you have
been all the week, and DR.. - says late
hours are the worst things in the world for
you."'
Pshaw, mother nonsense, NONSENSE
i be persuaded for once, now, beg Oh
dear. dear, what night it is, too! 1T pours
with rain, and blows a 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 "A good girl"
"Some other night will do as we'll for
that, you know for now I'll go to Mrs.
! P-'s, if it rains cats and dogs. So up
up-up go" singing jauntily-
sob, she shall dance, all dressed in
white,
So ladylike. -
Such were, very nearly, the words, and
such the manner in which Miss = ex-
pressed her determination 10 act in defiance
Of her mothers wishes and entreaties She
was the only child of her widowed mother
and had but n few weeks before, completed
her twenty sixth year, with yet no other
prospect before her than bleak "sngle-
blessedness." A weaker, more frivolous.
and conceited creature, never breathed-
the torment of her amlable parent, the nui-
sance of her acquaintance. Though her
mothers circumstances were very straight
ened, suficing barely to enable them to
maintain a footing in what is called the
mlddllng class OF society, this young woman
contrived by some means or other to CRAFTY
her penchant for dress, and gadded about
here, there, and every where, the most
showily dressed person in the neighborhood.
Though far from being even pretty faced,
or having any pretentons to Il good figure
for she both stopped and was skinny-she
yet believed herself handsome; and BY
vulgar, f1ppant forwardness of demeanor,
especially when in mixed company, extorted
such attentions as persuaded her that others
thought so.
For one or two years she had been an oc-
caslonal patient of mine. The settled pal
lor, the salowness of her complexion, con-
Jointly with other symptoms, evidenced the
existence of liver complaint; and the last
visits had paid her were in consequence
offrequent sensations of oppression and pain
in the chest, which clearly indicated some
organic disease ofthe heart. saw enough
to warrant me in warning her mother of the
possibility of her daughters sudden death
from this cause, and the imminent peril to
which she exposed herself by dancing. late
hours, &c, but Mrs. IS circumstances
gentle and affectionate as they always were,
were thrown away upon her headstrong
daughter.
1t was striking eight by the church clock &,
when Miss !, humming the song before
mentioned, lit her chamber candle by that
of her mother, and withdrew 10 her room to
dress, soundly rating the servant girl by the
way, for not having starched some article
OF other which she intended to have worn
that evening. AS her toilet was usually a
long and laborious business, it did not oc-
casion 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
past nine o'clock, without her daughters
making her appearance. The noise she
had made overhead in walking to and fro
to her draws, dressing table, &C., had ceas-
ed about half an hour ago, and her mother
supposed she was then engaged at her glass,
adjusting her hair, and preparing her COM
plexion.
"Well, wonder what can make Char
iotte so very careful about her dress to-
night" exclaimed Mrs. =, removing her
eyes from the book and gazing thoughtful
ly at the fire. "Oh it must he because
young Lieutenant N is to he there
Well, / was young myself once, and it's
very excusable D Charlotte-heigho! p
She heard the wind bowling so 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 while? ?" she again enqured. She
iistened--"I have not heard her moving
for the last three quarters of an hour I'll
call the maid and ask"
She rung the bell, and the servant appear
ed.
"Betty, Miss j. is not gone yet, is she's"
Ella, no, maam," replied the girl Itook
up the curling irons only about quarter of
All hour ago, as she had put one of her curls
out; and she said she should soon he ready.
She's burst her new muslin dress behind, and
that has put her into way, ma'am."
$50 up to her room, then, Betty, and see
u sHe WdHtS any tHiHH ana telI neT 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 II have fallen
asleep? Oh, impossible She knocked
again, but unsuccessfully as before. She
became little fustered; and after mo-
ment's pause. opened the door and entered
There was Miss J-sitting at The glass
"Why, la, ma'am!" commenced Betty in
petulant tone, walking up to her, "here
have been knocking for these five minutes,
and - Betty staggered, horror struck.
to the bed, and utterng loud shrek, alarm
ed Mrs ], who instantly tottered up
stairs, almost palsied with fright. Miss
J., was dead
! was there within few minutes, for my
house was not more than two streets dis
tant. 1t was stormy night in March; and
J the desolate asnect of thinus uithontde