The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-09-03

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She was borne TO her apartment. and pow
. erful opates were administered, which
kept her in state OF Inconsistencies.
Physicians were summoned in every d.
rection; but Tor her-the Child OF MANY
hopes, the idolized, the worshiped - for her,
all hope was past! No medical skill could
avail. The venom had infected the warm
current that rushed through her veins, and
writhing in the agonies of hydrophobia
which no pen can paint. few hours must
terminate her young career. The poor
victim was bound at her own request, and
the physicians stood around, overpo wered
with the thought of the ineficacy Of their
skill to avail them at this awful hour. The
wretched and almost frantic father walked
the floor Of a distant room. that he might
not hear the moaning and occasional
shrieks Of his idolized child, but he could
not look upon her agony. The rector Of
the parish was with him. endeavoring to
whisper comfort 10 the bereaved and heart
broken man.
Physicians and attendants alone were
assembled in the darkened room of the
dying girl. The former especially. look
ell on the sufferer as if they had never be-
fore felt the utter ineficiency Of all NOR
tai aid. Presently two of them drew apart
from the rest and held whispered con-
sulta,ion; the others successvely followed.
"There is no hope," said one, ''and all
that remains is to shorten her misery and
terminate this awful scence. God knows
how dreadful the alternative seems TO me.
yet in my heart | believe there is no
other"
Some minutes more passed in consulta.
ton, and then the family physician, man
Of keen sensibility. was deputcd to open
their proposal to the agonzed father and
to obtain his consent. 1t was difficult to
fortiiy himself for the task. but with an in
ward prayer for strength, he fulfilled. with
as much delicacy as possible, the painful
duty. The suggestion was received with
cry Of anguish which went to the hearts
Of all who heard it. t1Hl '''
"Oh, my friend" he said, after mo-
ment's pause. '.if you cannot-cannot
save my child"-here was burst Of sor-
row which seemed to rend the very heart
strings-"I consent perhaps this is best
o God, sustain mel" He covered his
face with his hands, and wept like child.
The clergyman, overcome by the scene.
threw his arms about him, and whispered,
He can and He will. my friend! resign
yourself wholly to Him!" 'a
The physician pressed his hand silently;
for moment buried his face in his hand.
kerchief and then brushing away his tears.
has,ened back to the poor victim. A vein
was opened, and the current OF her young
life-blood flowed forth like water. Ere
long her struggles ceased The sorrow
stricken father was summoned; he bent
over his sweet child. and pressed his lips
to her cold forehead She opened her
eyes. fixed them upon him in long and
earnest gaze. in which was concentrated
all the affection and tenderness which had
characterized her life, and then-closed
them forever. .4
The body of poor Bessie was found
few days subsequent to this event, in a
neghboring thicket. shot through the heart
She had attacked with all the rage of by.
drophobia. young peasant, who had pre-
served his own life by destroying the we'll
known favorite. She was buried near the
grave of her young, beautiful, and i'll l-fated
mistress. .n..a .4nt' a
And desolation fell upon that house; its
sunlight and its joy were gone forever. A
blight had fallen upon the hearts Of its if-
mates, for "the hand of God hal touched
Mem." TO the bereaved mother opiates
were administered until the funeral cere-
monies were over. They were solemn
and impressive; for a calamity so peculiar
and so awful, called forth the deepest sym
pathy-and for miles around all fastened
to the scene Of this dreadful catastrophe.
A line Of mourning carriages extended as
far as the eye could see, nodding with
heavy black funeral pumes, and following
that which bore the remains of the young
and beautiful to her last resting place.
As a symbol of her innocence and purity
that was decorated with plu,nes Of snowy
white, and the coffin was thickly s,rewn
with white flowers.
They laid her down to rest; and in their
period the spring and summer flowers grew
up and bloomed around the place Of her
slumbcr; but, to the hearts of those that
loved her, blighted by the winter of their
sorrow, no spring-tme and no summer
could return. The mother never rose
from the blow which had prostraled her in
that hour. when her only one, the idol OF
her heart. had become a tenant OF the
grave. Perhaps she had forgotten, in the
period of her triumphant happiness. that
her first and holiest affections were due
to Him who had g ven that idol to her
q ms, and made her what she was; and
therefore was the beautiful. the beloved.
torn from her bosom, to prove that even
she was mortal; and that her gentle spirit
might hover over the desolate one, and
win her to her own bright abode.
A few brief months, and the mother
slept beside her child; and the father, alone