Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-10-02
An Hours Struggle with Poison.

that he was entitled to that honorable appelation-was
fine, frankhearted young mechanic with a wide
world of life bounding in his veins energy that when
fully aroused drove every thing violently before him. and
warmth Of disposition that him more friendship
than it had then given him the goods of this world
His wife, to whom he had been married for four years
was singuarly beautiful. They had two children the
one laughing browneyed and brown-hared little fairy
of three years Her name was Eveleen The second
was growing, laughing, bueeyed plump little beauty
of less than year. promising to have all the charms Of
the older at her age.
! | sitting one afternoon in u quiet little room,
with my feet upon two chairs, reading pleasant little
book in state between sleep and awake-my host
away at his shop hundred yards off, and my pretty
little hostess engaged in her household labors-when
thrown out of my Incidence by that brought
me to my feet like electric shock. It was womans
voice. and had in it of agony that cannot be
indicated in words so loud that rang over that quiet
little village and brought every forth to ascertain
the cause
sprang to the door that separated the sittng-room
from the dining apartments, and saw the whole at a
glance The young mother stood at the door with her
first bOrn-Our darling Eveleen-in her dying A
brief and hurried word from the servant told the sad
story The little girl had accompanied child until up
stairs and while the attention of the older child was for
moment turned away, she seized bottle of corrosive
submae in alcohol and had taken enough to have taken
away twenty such lives. The little thing had tottered
down stairs and the mother had met her at the landing
|
ing from her mouth, and the child all unconscious of the
fearful thing she had done. Was it any wonder what
terrible Shrek rang out the quiet village, and that
already the occupants OF every house rushing
towards the spot where the mother stood
But few moments could possibly have elapsed since
the poison 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 effort for its
lief and indeed it seemed hopeless for already the subtle
/ 41rCn
eyes had lost their lustre, the face backened in
after death and the teeth tight set a convulsive
spasm that evidently would not pass away. examined
the little lost darling for moment saw that it was
hopeless, and then turned away unable to bear moth
ers agony The little 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 expressing confusion to the sadness
of the scene.
The little playelows uncle, who had been up stairs
with the child had run instantly to call the father anc
but few moments elapsed before he sprang into the
middle Of the group. He had been told all and asked
no questions [ had time to remark that his eye was
very stern and that his lip was very firmly compressed
Others too remarked it, and knew afterwards that
murmur round the circle of how strange it tina
he betrayed no feeling.
He reached out his hands and took the child from it
mother. Its eyes were now closed, and white ooz
coming from between the blackened lips. Was eve
death more assured | saw him open the eyeds ant
heard him give sigh of relief He told me afterward
that the eye not shrunken and death had not be
gun. He then attempted to open the mouth, but tn
toeth were tight set and they resisted his efforts Blu
with force that seemed almost brutal he Wrenched tn
teeth apart, and opened the mouth.
Shame" cried one of the bystanders.
The father did not heed them, but motioned 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.
i What do you want of it?' What can you d
with it?" He's crazy" and many such remarks fol
lowed, but the basket there in moment
He seized of the eggs, broke it, inserted his fin
gers again between the teeth and wrenched them opel
by force though they shut with so convusve motio
as to tear the flesh from his fingers and poured the al
bumen into the throat There was slight struggle
nothing more, and the spectators Mortified at th
action.
Don't the child is dying" said one.
"Please don't hurt the little thing--it can't live "
the mother found voice to say laying her hand upon h
MARY be still !" he answered sternly while his teetl
were relaxing from their clenching and his face hare
as if he were entering battle; and don't any of yol
meddle with me; keep off,
The bystanders nvountarily obeyed with many harsl
remarks upon his cruety-but he did not heed tem
went on Another and another egg broken, anC
still there sign of life. Then the whole body o
bystanders broke out into loud murmur. and cries
" the brute y {" Let the child die in peace" He il
crazy-take the child away from him. were hearC
around him.
He dessted for moment from his efforts, and turned
with erceness which had before been altogether for
eign to his nature, but who saw him afterwards
forgot it. Fools he Missed, mind your own business
and leave me to mine! Take her away will you! Try
it y. and he went emptyng egg after egg down thu
apparently lifeess throat
The mother could stand this no longer Her first bOr
being tortured to death before her eyes, and she i'm
porngy flung herself her knees before her husband
father, who had that moment arrived.
40, father, do stop him ~ she gasped he will ODE,
you do stop him. He is torturng that poor, dyinG
child
The grandfather started forward step to interfere
for he too, thought the proceeding outrageous
but he stopped and said, Mary let him alone TIL
child will die if he does not go on It cannot do NOR
if he does. | would not say word to him for tn
world The child is his, let him it at his pleasure
There was a silence then In a moment more ther
was quiver of the eyelids a cOnvusve movement c
the chest and the teeth lost their tension The athe
seized his child turned her face downward and the po
2 son began to flow from her mouth. Again and agai
as the retchng ceased he repeated the Experimental
life returning still more and the face losing its blac
color every instant. More than twenty times abume
had been administered, and than half those time
followed BY the expulsion of the poison, when the eye
opened the father desisted the little sufferer lay jus
alive in his arms exhausted, its little life terribly sha
: tered, but Saved
Then--when the necessity for exertion and determil
alton was over-when the physician had been summon
cd and they knew that darling little Eveeen might liv
after many weeks of struggle between life and death
when the relieved friend had acknowledged that the
had wronged him first when the beautiful and
u wife had blessed him through her kisses and tears
all knew that under God only such almost ferC
} determination could have saved the chid-then Il
l. father sat down. unnerved and wept like child.
Not as in Little Sister Evelyn did the poison
s its fearful office Eveeen is alive to-day and her brow