Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-09-24
An Hours Struggle with Poison.

was spending some days, not many years
| ago, in beautiful little country village, and in
| family that had more than common attrac-
| tions to one who loves domestic life as well as
| myself. The little circle had in it more of
real interest than have often seen developed
in the same number of persons.
The father of the fanily-almost too young
to feel yet that he was entitled to that honora-
BILE appellatiou-was a fine, frank-hearted
young mechanic with wide world of bound
ing life in his veins, an energy thst, when full
ly aroused, drove everything violently before
him. and warmth of disposition that won him
more friendship than it had then given him of
the goods of this world.
His wife, to whom he had been married
some four years, was singularly beautiful
| They had two children-the one laughing
!, brown-eyed and brown-haired little fairy of
three years. Her name was Eveleeh. The
second was Growing, laughing, blue-eyed,
| plump little beauty of less than year. promis-
| ing to have all the charms Of the older at her
age.
/ was sitting one afternoon in quiet little
room with my feet upon two chairs, reading a
| pleasant little book, in q state between asleep
and awake-my host away at his shop, hun-
gagged III her household labors-when I was
thrown.out of my Incidence by scream that
brought me to my feet like an electric shock
1t was womans voice, and had in it an ex-
cess of agony that cannot be indicated in words,
so loud, that it rang over that quiet little vii
| lage, aud brought every one forth to ascertain
the cause.
l sprang to the door that separated the sit
ting room from the dining apartments, and saw
the whole at glance The young mother
stood at the door with her first born-our dar-
ling Eveleen-in her arms dying. A brief
and hurried word from the servant told me the
sad story. The little girl had accompanied
child uncle up stairs, and while the attention
of the older child was for a moment turned
| away, she seized bottle of corrosive subli-
mate in alcohol, and had taken enough to take
| away twenty such lives. The little thing had
tottered down stairs, and the mother had met
her at the landing with the empty bottle in
her hand, and the poison oozing from her
| mouth and the child all unconscious of the
fearful thing she had done. Was it any won
der that terrible shrek rang out over the qui-
ct village, and that already the occupants of
every house near were rushing toward the spot
where the mother stood
But few moments could possibly have
elapsed since the poison was taken, and yet the
effect was already fearful. After the first
shrek Of terror, the mother had quieted to a
calm despair for the moment, and stood with
the child in her arms, making no effort for its
relief, and indeed it seemed hopeless for al
ready the subtle poison seemed dffused through
the frame the brown eyes had lost their lus-
tire, the face was blackened as in after death,
and the teeth were tight set in a convulsiye
spasm that evidently would not pass away. /
examined the little lost darling for q moment,
saw that it was hopeless, and then turned
away, unable to bear that mothers agony
The little door was already half-flled with vii
layers and sobs, and means and lamenta tons
over the fate of the dying child were heard
in every direction, mingled with quick and hur
ried questions as to the manner of its occur
renee, and vain attempts at answering, which
added an depressing 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 elapsed
before he sprang into the middle of the group.
He had been tod all and asked no questions
| had time to remark that his eye was very
stern and that his lip was very firmly compress
ed. Others, too, marked it, and knew after
wards that murmur ran round the circle of
how strange it was that he betrayed no feel NJ.
He reached out his hands and took the
child from its mother. Its eyes were closed
now, and white ooze coming from between
the blackened lips Was ever death mere as
sured / saw him open the eyelids, and heard
him give a sigh of relief. He told ME after
Iya do hat chr Ian nd
death had not began. lie then attempted to
open the mouth, but the teeth were sight set,
aud they resisted his efforts But with force
that seemed almost brutal he wrenched the
teeth apart, and opened the mouth.
Shame" cried one of the bystanders
The father did not heed them, but ,notioned
to neighbor to take the child in his arms
He did so.
Bring me the egg basket" he spoke very
sternly, almost 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, insert
ed his fingers again between the teeth, and
wrenched them open by force, though they
shut with so convulsve motion as to tear the
flesh from his fingers, aud poured the albumen
into the throat. There was slight strangle,
nothing more, and the spectators were horri.
fed at the action.
Don't, the child is dying ~ said one.
Please don't hurt the little thing-it can't
live y the mother found voice to say, laying
her hand upon his arm.
Mary, be still p he answered sternly, while
bis teeth were relaxing 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 bystanders involuntarily obeved with