Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-09-20
MISCELL A N Y .
A Sad Domestic Story.

In the obituary column of the Palmer Mass
Journal, we find tho following announcement: {:
"Died--Mary, aged 20, wife of De Witt Clinton
Packard, of Providence, r. l." In the editorial
column there is sad and touching story, relat-
ing to the announcement, which is given below
1t is a lesson from the tomb, to the young and
thoughtless, and told so eloquently that it cannot
fail to make an impression for good on readers
of every age. 1t says:
Sin another column we record the death Of q
Young lady who died of a broken heart. We do
not like to trespass upon the sacredness OF do
mesto grief to unfold the details of her sad sto-
ry; but when the privacy of atdiction becomes
public feeling, it is not improper for the Press
TO place the events on record. 1t is not neces-
sary to repeat names or relate minute particu-
lars. 1t is enough that we draw the outlines OF
picture for the reader to paint with appropr'
ate eolors Many months ago, in the neighbor-
ing town of Belchertown, young man sought
and received the promise OF the hand OF young
lady, whose home was in the lap OF luxury,
whose mental and personal attractions made all
pleasant around her. Like too many conhdlng
ones of her sex, she trusted mans unhallowed
promise, and yielded all to him. From that
hour he estranged himself from her, and soon
removed to distant State. When It became
evden, that he had exposed himself to the pen
sty of the law, at the request Of her friends he
visited her to fulfill the vows he had long before
made. They were married in one OF those hasty,
unceremonious ways, which occupy bnt little
time or attention. Late iU the evening they re.
turned to her fathers house, where he left her
IN the street, promising to return in short time.
Bur that promise was aever fulfilled. She wrote
TO him. and received encouragement that he
would soon provide home for her, but delay
followed delay, till her letters and entreates
were unheeded and unanswered AT length q
pledge of woman's love for her husband came
into the world to open new fountains OF attec-
tion TO the Young wife. Still the husband and
father came not.
"The mother recovered from confinement;
but, after repeated letters to her husband found
no answer, the idea that she was deserted by
him forced itself upon her, and she gave way TO
despondency and despair. The child, partaking
of it's mothers grief, soon died. There was
nothing more that she could live for, and, though
suffering from no disease, she sank upon dying
bed Then the swift wing of lightning bore to
the distant husband the intelligence that she was
diving. He still hesitated, but at length set out
to meet his expiring wife. Conscious that her
hours were few, she only wished to live long q
nough to see her husband; he was still all to her.
Her last words TO her friends were: Tell him
that still love him-that | died for him.
When evening shadowed the earth, the husband
came. As he approached the bedside of his in
iured wife, he was recognized, and the words
He's come burst from her lips. Already had
the wing of the death angel cast its shadow over
that dwelling, and she was entering the dimness
of the dark valley. Next morning, in that room,
lay the corpse of beautiful young wife, on
which the husband had looked for the last time,
and departed.
"Lsst Sabbath afternoon, the funeral of the
Young wife took place under her fathers roof
| Her neighbors and friends, to the number OF five
handred, were present; but the husband who
had left her to die for him was not there. A
deeply affecting address was made by her for
rner pastor, and, just as the sun was sinking be-
hind the western hills, four young ladies of her
acquaintance, clad in garments OF white, bore
her to grave in the garden, where the green
turf was laid gently over her. Such is the story
of one who died of broken heart. The grave
is quiet place for the injured wife, but where
| in ali the world can there be peace for him who
would thus bring sorrow and death upon heri
The story has its moral, but we will leave the
reader TO apply it; it is full of warning, and we
leave the young to heed it,"