Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-11-14
Srlrtt Galc.
AN HOURS STRUGGLE WITH POISON

wae spending some days. not many years
ago, in beautiful little country village, and
in u family that bad more than common at
| fractions to one who loves domestic life as
much as myself. The little cottage in which
| was stsyiag contained but few inmates, hut
the little circle had in it the elements of more
interest than have often seen developed in
! the same number of persons.
The father of the fsmily-slmost too young
| to feel that he was indeed entitled to that
honorable appellation-was fine, frank
hearted m1vnaui., with norlu oi bounding
life in his veins, an energy that, when fully
aroused drove everything violently before
him. and a warmth of disposition that won
| him more friendship than it had then or has
aimee given him Of the goods of this world.
His wife--to whom be had been married
some four yenrs--was singularly beautiful.
| They had two children--the one a laughing
brown-eyed and brown-haired little fairy Of
/ three years. Her name was Eveleen. The
second was growing laughing blue-eycd
! plump little beauty, OF less than year, prom
| isiug to have all the charms Of the other ut
! her age. And her name was Lillian.
| ! was sitting one afternoon in the quiet
! little room, with my feet upon two chairs,
reading pleasant book, in a state between
asleep and awake--my host away at his shop,
few hundred yards off, and my pretty hostess
engaged in her household luburs-when was
thrown out Of my incidence by a scream that
| brought me 70 my feet Ike an electric shock.
1t WAS uomau's voice, and had in it an eX-
cess OF agony that cannot be Indicated in
words, 30 loud that it rang over that quiet
little village like q trumpet, and brought
every one forth to ascertain the cause.
| sprang to the donr that separated the
L., e. Aipi,
saw the whole at glance. The young
mother stood at the door with her firsl.born
Our darling Eveleen--in her arms, dying
A few brief and hurried words from the ser
want told me the sad story. The little girl
had accompanied O child.uncle up stairs,
while the mother was busy below. aud while
the attention OF the older child was one mo.
meut turned away, she seized bottle OF cor.
roslve sublimale, in alcohol, and drank
enough to take twenty such lives. The little
thing had tottered down the stairs, and the
mother met her at the landing with the emp.
tied bottle in her hand, aud the poison oozIug
from her mouth, the child all uncoGScious yet
Of the fearful thing she had done. Was i,
any wonder that that terrible shrek rang ont
over the quiet village, and that already the
occupants Of every house near were rushing
toward the spot where the mother stood
But q few moments could have possibly
elapsed since the poison was taken, and ye,
the effect was already fearful. After thf
first shrek Of horror the mother had quiet et
TO a calm despair for the moment. and stood
with the child in her arms, making no efTuI
for its relief, and indeed it seemed hopeless
for already the subtle poison seemed diGusec
throughout the frame the brown eyes haC
lost their lustre, the face was blackeueh as /
! after death, and the teeth were tight.set 10 q
convulsive spasm that evidently would moi
pass away. ! examined the little lost darling
for moment saw that it was hopeless, an,
torned away, unable to bear that mothers
agony. The little door.ysrd vas already hal
full Of the villagers, and sobs, moans, anC
, lamentations over the fate Of the dying chile
we're heard in every direction, mingled Will
quick and hurried questions rs TO the manne
OF its occurrence, and vain attempts at an
twering, which added an depressing confusion
to the sadness Of the scene
The little play fellow uncle. who had beeI
up stairs with the CHILD, had ran instantly Il
call the father, and but a few moments hat
elapsed, before he sprang into the middle O
the group. lie had been told all, and asked
no questions. ! had time to mark that hi
eye was very sterE. and that his lips wer,
very firmly compressed. Others, too. Earket
, It; and knew aiterwagd that a mnrmur raj
around the circle, of how strange it was tina
be betrayed no feeling!
He reached out his hands and took tn
child from its mother Its eyes were close'
= now, and now white ooze coming from be
tween the blackening lips. Was ever deaf
Z more assured | saw him open The eyelids
and heard him give sigh of relief. lie toll
me afterward that the eye was not shrunker
8 an so death had not begun. Then he at
' tempted to open the mouth, bat the teet
# were tight set and they resisted his efforts
a But with force that seemed almost bruta
be actually wrcpched the teeth apart, au
opened tSs Mouth,