Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1857-04-11
rushing towards the place where the

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the moment, and stood with her child
in her arms, making no effort for its
relief, and indeed it seemed hopeless,
for alresdy the subtle poison seemsd
diffdsed throug the frame, the brown
eyes had lost their lustre, the face was
blackened as if after death, and the
teeth were tight set, in a convulsive
spasm that evidently would not pass
away. | examined the little lost dar-
ling for a moment, saw that it was
hopeless, and turned away, unable to
bear that mothers agony.
The little door yard was rlready half
fill Of the villa ~ers, and sobs, noans
and lamentations over the Fate of the
dying child we're heard in every direc-
ton, mingled with quick and hurried
questions as to the manner of its occur
ence, and vain attemps at answering.
which added an oppressive confusion TO
the sadness of the scene.
The little play fellow uncle, who had
been up stairs with the child, had run
instantly TO call the father, and but /.
few moments had elapsed before he
sprang into the middle of the group.
He had been told all, and asked no
questions. | had time to mark that
his eye was very stern, and his lips
were firmly compressed. Others, too,
marked it, and | knew afterwards. that
a murmur ran round the circle of 'how
strange it was that he betrayed no feels
ing!'
He reached out his hands and took
the child from the mother lis eyes
were closed now, and a white ooze
coming from between the blackening
lips. Was ever death morea ssured
| saw him open the eyelids, and | heard
him give sigh of relief. He tod me
afterwards that the eye was not shrunk
and so death had not begun. Then he
attempted to open the mouth, but the
teeth were tight set, and they resisted
his efforts. But, with a force that
seemed almos. brutal, he atually wrench
ed the teeth apart, and opened the
mouth.
.Shame.' . cried one Of the by-stand-
ers.
The father did not heed them, but
motioned to a neighbor to take the
child in his arms. He did so.
Bring me the egg basket = he spoke
very sternly, and without opening his
teeth, to the servant.
what do you want Of it ? what
can you do with it : He is CRAZY
and many such remarks followed, but
the basket was there in moment
He seized one of the eggs, broke it,
inserted his fingers again between the
teeth, wrenched them apart BY force,
though they shut with SO convulsive
motion as to tear the flesh from his fin
gers, and poured the albumen into her
throat. There Was a alight strangle,
but nothing more, and the spectators
were horriied at the action.
Don't the child is dying! = said one
please don't hurt the poor little
thing, it can't live p the mother foaad
voice to say. laying her hand upon his
arm.
Mary, be still,' he answered stern
Iy, while his teeth never relaxed from
their clenching, and his face was as
hard as if he was entering battle
'and don't any of you meddle with me,
keep off,
The by-standers irvoluntarily obey
ed, with many harsh remarks upon his
cruelty, but he did not heed them, and
went on. Another, and another egg
was broken, and still there was no sign
of life. I hen the whole body of by
star ders broke into loud murmur, and
cries of Brute y Let the child die in
peace = sHe is crazy!' Take the
child away from him!' were heard
around him.
He desisted for moment from his
efforts, and turned with fiercefiess
which had before been supposed alto
aether foreign to his nature, but which
NO one who saw him ever afterwards
forgot. Fools he hissed, mind your
own business and leave me to mine.
Take her away, will you' Try it.'
aud he went on emptylng egg after egg
down the apparently lifeless. throat
The mother could bear this no long
er. Her frst-born was being tortured
before her ewes in its death. and she
imploringly flung herself ON her knees
before her husbands father, who lad
the moment before arrived.
'Oh, father, do stop him. she gasp
ed, 'he will obey you, do stop him. He
is torturing that poor dying child
The grandfather stepped forward a
step to interfere, for he, too, thought
the proceeding an outrageous one ; but
he stopped and said, Mary, let him
alone The child will die if he does
not 90 on. 1t cannot do more than
die if he does. | would not say word
to him for the world The child is his
let him use his pleasure
There was silence then, in a momenl
more there was culver of the eyclids
convulsive movement of the chest.
and the teeth lost their tension. Tht
father seized his child, turned its fac,
downward, and the poison began to
flow from its mouth. Again and again
as the retching ceased, he repeated the