The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1857-10-14
SrlrrtrA Sturu.
An Hours Struggle with
Poison,

WAS spSuiihg some days, not MANY
years ago, in a beautiful little country vii.
'ase, and in family lha, had more than
common attractions TO one who loves de-.
mesllc life as well as myself. The little
, circle had in il more OF real int esest than
| have often seen developed in the same
numh"r of persons.
The father Of the family-almost 100
young TO feel yet .ha, he was entitled to
Shat hcnoraGle arrellation, was fne,
'r"nk-hear,ed young mechanic with a
wide world OF lie bouuding in his veins,
an energv that, when fully aroused, drove
everything violently before him, aud a
warmth OF disposition ths, won him more
friendship than it had then given him the
goods Of this world.
Ills wife, to whom he had been married
some Tour years, was snguIarly beautiful.
lhey had two children, the one a l.uch
ing 'rown'eyed and brown.haired little
larry ct three years. Her name WAS Eve
'een. The second was a Growing, laugh
iaS, b'ne eyed, plumb little beauty Of less
tina" year, promising to have all the
charms OF the older at her age.
was sitting one afternoon in quiet
little room with my fee, upon two chairs,
reading pleasant little book, in n state
between asleep and awakc-mv hos, p.
way at hls shop, a hundred wards OF, and
my pretty little hostess engaged ia her
household iabors-woen WAS thrown
out ct my indo'cnce 10y scream that,
brought ~" 10 my feet ike an electric
shock. Il MAS a wo'n,m's voice, and hal
IN 1t an excess Of agony that cauno, lie
, indicated IN words, 50 loud that il rang
over '''~t quiet little ,ilIagc, and brought
every one forth to ascertain the cause.
Ispraug 10 the door ,hat separated the
sitting room from the dining apartments.
aud sdw tho whole a. glance. The
Young nutker stood at the door with her
trSt born our darling EveIeen-in her
arms dying. A brief aud hurried word
from the servant Iold me the sad storv.-
The little girl had accompanied child
nncIc up stairs, and whe the attention
of the older child Was for momen, turn.
ell away, she seized bottle Of corrosive
'ubI'mate in alcohol, and had taken en-.
onSh 10 have taken away twenty such
lives. The little thing had tottered down
stairs. and the mo'hcr had met her At the
landing With the empty bottle in her hand,
and the poison ooz;ng from her mouth,
aud the child all UNCONSCIOUS of the fear
fuI thing she had done. Was il any
wonder that terrible shrek rang out
over the quiet village, and that already
the occupants Of every house near were
rushing towards the spot where The moth.
er stood.
But a few moments could possibly have
elapsed since ia" poison was taken, and
yet The effect WAS already fearful. After
the first shrek of terror, the mother had
quicted TO a calm despair for the moment,
and stood with the child IN her arms, ma
king no effort fp lis relief, and indeed il
seemed hopeless, E,r already the subtle
poison seemed ditiuscG through the Frame
the brown eyes had lost their lustre, the
face was blackened as in after death, and
the teeth Were tight set in a convuisive
spasm that evidently would not pass ~
WAY. examined the little lost darling
for n moment, saw that it was hopeless,
and then turned away, unable to bear
that mothers agony. The littlo door
was already half filed with villagers, and
sobs, and moans and lamentations over
the fate Of the dying child were heard in
every direction, mingled with quick and
hurried questions, as to the manner of its
occurrence, and vain attempts at answer
ing, which added an expressing confusion
To the sadness OF the scene.
i"o H't'c P'ay Ic''I" uHCie, VINO hhu
been up stairs with the child, bad run ir.
stan,ly TO call the father, and but few
moments elapsed before he sprsng into
the middle of the group. lie had been
tod all aud asked no questions. I had
time 10 remark that his eye was very
stern and that his lip was very firmly COM
pressed. Others. too, remarked il, and |
knew afterwards that murmur ran
round the cjrclo Of how strange it was
that he betrayed no feeling.
lie reached out his hands and took The
child from its mother. lis eyes were
pow closed, and white ooze coming from
between the blackened lips, Was ever
death more assured saw him open
the eyelids, and heard him give a sign Of
relief lie told me afterwards that the
eye was not shrunken, aud so death had
not begun. lie then attempted to open