The Kanzas news., 1857-07-25
An Hours Struggle with Poison.


ago, in beautiful little country village, and
In family that had more than common at
fractions to one who loves domestic life as
much as myself The little cottage in
which | was staying contained but few in
mates, but the little circle had in it the ele-
ments of more interest than l have often
seen developed in the same number of per-
sons.
The father of the family-almost too
young to feel yet he was indeed entitled to
thathonorable appellation-wasa a fine. frank
hearted mechanic, with world of bound
ing life in his veins, an energy that, when
fully aroused, drove every thing violently
before him, and warmth of disposition that
won him more friendship than it had then
or has since given him of the goods of this
world.
His wife-te whom he had been married
some four years-was singularly beautiful.
They had two chiidren-the one laughing,
brown-eyed and brown-haired little fairy of
three years. Her name was Eveleen. The
second was Growing, laughing, blue-eyed,
plump little beauty, of less than year, prom
ising. to have all the charms of the older at
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 state between
asleep and awake-my host away at his shop,
a few hundred yards off, and my pretty host
eSs engaged in her household labors-when |
was thrown out of my Incidence by scream
that brought me to my feet like an electric
shock. 1t was woman's voice, and had in
it an excess of agony that cannot be indica-
ted in words, so loud that it rang over that
quiet little village like a trumpet, and brought
every one forth to ascertain the cause.
sprang to the door that separated the sit
saw the whole at glance. The young moth
darling Eveleen-in her. arms, dying! 4
brief and hurried word from the servant told
me the sad story. The little girl had ac
companied child-uncle up stairs, while the
mother was busy below, and while the at
tention of the older child was one moment
turned away, she seized a bottle of corrosive
sublimate, in alcohol and drank enough to
take twenty such lives. The little thing
had tottered down the stairs, and the moth
er met her at the landing with the emptied
bottle in her hand, and the poison oozing
from her mouth, the child all unconscious
yet of the fearful thing she had done. Was
it any wonder that that terrible shrek rang
out over the quiet village, and that already
the occupants of every house near were rush
ing toward the spot where the mother stood !?
But few moments could have possibly
elapsed since the poison was taken, and yet
the effect was already fearful. After the
first shrek of horror, the mother had quiet
ed to calm despair for the moment, and stood
with the child IN her arms, making no eff
fort for its relief and indeed 1t seemed hope
less, for already the. subtle poison seemed
ditfused throughout the frame; the brown
eyes had lost their lustre, the face was black
ened rs If after death, and the teeth were
tight-set IN conyulsiye spasm that evident
ly would not pass away. / examined the
ittle lost darling for moment, saw that it
was hopeless, and turned away, unable to
bear that mothers agony. The little door
yard was already half full of the villagers;
and sobs. means, and lamentations over the
fate of the dying child We're heard in every
direction mingled with quick and hurried
questions as 10 the manner of its occurrence,
and vain attempts at answering. which adj
ded an expressing confusion to the sadness
of the scene.
Ine little play ioH-uhcfe, VINO hao oeeh
up stairs with the child. had ran instantly
TO call the father, and but few moments
had elapsed. before he sprung into the mid
die of the group. He had been told all and
asked ne questions. / had time TO mark
that his eye was very stern, and that his
lips were very firmly compressed. Others,
too, marked it, and knew afterxsrd that a
murmur ran around the circle. Of how strange
it was that he betrayed no feeeIingi
He reached cut bis hands and took the
child from It's mother. Its eyes were closed
now, aud white ooze coming from between
the blackening lips. Was ever death more
assured saw him open the eye-lids, and
heard him give sigh Of relief He told me
afferward that the eye was not shrunken.
and so death had not begun Then he at
tempted to open the mouth, but the teeth
we're tiobt set. and they resisted his efforts