The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1855-11-17
hnIf naat Q n'clncE.V snil Mrs. T.

and Knocked at the bedroom door, once,
twice, thrice, but received no answer
There was dead silence, except whom
the wind shook the window. Could
Miss II have fallen to sleep? Oh
impossible. She knocked again, but um-
successfully as before. She became q
little tustcrod: and aftcra few moment
pause opened the door and cntoEpd.-
There was Miss T sitting at the
glass. ''Why Ia, ma'am," commenced
Betty in petulcnt tone, walking up to
her, ''hc:e | have been knocked these 5
minutes and''--Bctty staggered horror
struck to the bed, and uttering loud
shrek, alarmed Mrs. T, who in
stantly tottered up stairs almost palsicd
with lright-Miss T was dead.
was there within few minutes, for
my house was not more than two streets
distant. 1t was IA stormy night in March
and the desolutc aspect Fittings without
deserted strccts-the drcary bowling
of the wind, and the mccssant pattcring
of the rain-contributed to casl a gloom
over my mind which connected with the
awful intelligence that had summoned
me out, was dcepencd into horror by the
spectacle | was doomed to witness.
On reaching the house, | found Mrs.
T in violent Mysteries, surrounded
by several Of her ncghborS who had been
called in to her assistance. REPAIRED to
the scene of death, and behold what |
| shall never forget. The room was &C.
cupiod by awhile curtaincd bed. There
was but enc window. and before it was Il
table, ON which stood looking glass,
hung with little white drapory; and
various paraphernalia of the toilet lay
scattered about-pins, breaches, curling
papers, ribands, gloves, etc. An arm
chair was drawn to this table, and in it
sat Mis- T stone dead. Her head
rested en- her right hand, her elbow sup
ported by the table: while her left hung
down by her side, grasping pair CT
curling irons. Each Of her wrists were
cnclrclcd by a SNOWY gilt bracelet. She
was dressed in a white muslin frock,
with little bordering of blond. Her
face was turned towards the glass which
by the light Of the expiring candle re-
iiectcd with frightfal fidelity the clanmy
fixed features, daubed with rouge and
carmine-thc fallen lower jaw-and the
eyes directed full IN the glass with a
cold stare '':,t was appalling.
On examining the comtcnance more
narrowly thought detected tic traces
of Il smile of conccit and self-complacon-
cy, which not even the pa4syjng touch
OF death could wholly obliterate. The
hair Of the corpse, all smooth and Glossy
was curlcd with elaborate precision; and
the skinny, sallow neck was cncirclcd
with string Of glistening pearls. The
CHASTITY visage Of death, thus lcering
through the tinselry OF fashionable
"vain show" of artificial ioy--was hor-
rible mockery of the foolcres OF life
Indeed it was Il most humil;ating 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, per-
haps twenty minutes, or half an hour,
when | arrived, for nearly all the animal
heat had deserted the body which was
rapidly stening. ! attempted, but in
vain, to draw little blood from the arm.
Two or three woman present proceeded
to remove the corpse TO the bed, for the
purpose Of laying it out. What strange
passivcncss! No resistance offered to
them while strengthening the bent right
arm, and binding the jaws together with
a faded white riband which Miss It
had destined for her waist that evening.
On examination of the body we found
that death had been occasioned by dis
ease Of The heart. Her life might have
been protractcd 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 composure of
natural death, as manglcd and distorted
by violence; but never have | seen so
startling satire upon human vanity so
rcpulsive, unsightly and loathsome
spectacle, as a corpse dressed for bail.