Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-01-17
An Hours Struggle with Poison.


lage, and in a family that had more than
common attractions to one who loves do
mestic life as well as myself The little
circle had more in II Of real interest than
i have often seen developed in the same
number Of persons.
The father Of the family, almost too
young to feel that he was entitled to that
honorable appellation, was a fine, frank
hearted mechanic, with wide world of
life bounding in bis veins: an energy that,
when fully aroused, drove everything
violently before him; and warmth of
disposition that won him more friendship
than it had then given him the goods OF
this world.
His wife, to whom he had been married
four years, was singularly beautiful. They
had two children-the one a laughing,
brown. haired, little fairy Of three years;
her name was Eveleen. The second was
a growing, laughing. bue-eyed, plump
little beauty of less than year, promis-
ing to have all the charms Of the elder at
her age.
was sitting one afternoon in quiet
little room, with my feet on two chairs,
reading pleasant little book, in state
between asleep and awake--my host away
at his shop, hundred yards of, and my
pretty little hostess engaged in her house
hold duties, when kwas 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 ex
cess of agony that cannot be indicated in
words-so loud that it rang over that
quiet little village, and brought every one
forth to ascertain the cause.
sprang to the door that separated
the sitting room from the dining apart
ment. and saw the whole at a glance
The young mother stood at the door with
her frst-born-our darling Eveleen in
her arms, dying. A brief and hurried
word from the servant girl told me the
sad story.
The little girl had accompanied child
up stairs, and while the attention of the
older child was for i moment turned
away, she seized bottle of corrosive sub
Innate in alcohol, and had taken enough
to have taken twenty such lives. The
little thing tottered down stairs, and the
mother had met her at the landing with
the empty bottle in her hand, and poison
cozing from her mouth, and the child all
unconscious Of the fearful thing she bad
done. Was it any wonder, then, that a
terrible shrek rang out over the quiet
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. AT
ter the first shrek of terror the mother
had quieted to calm despair for the mo- =
ment, and stood still with the child in
arms, making no effort for its relief; and
indeed it seemed hopeless, for already
the subtle poison seemed diffused through
the frame; the brown eyes had lost their
lnstre, the face was blacked as after death,
and the teeth was tightly set in a convul-
sive spasm that evidently would not pass
away. l examined the little lost darling
for moment, saw that it was hopeless,
and then turned away, unable to bear a
mothers agony. The little room was
already half filled with villagers; and sobs,
and means, 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 an
swering, which added an expressing con-
fusion to the sadness of the scene.
The little playfellow's uncle, who had
been up stairs with the child. had rsn in
stantly to call the father, and but few
moments elapsed before he sprang into
the centre of the group. He had been
told all, and asked no questions. l had
time to remark that his eye was very
stern and his lip firmly compressed
Others, too, remarked it, and | knew af.
forwards, that murmur ran round the
circle, of how strange it vas he betrayed
: no feeling.
He reached out his hands and took the
child from its mother. It's eyes were now
closed and white ooze coming from be.
meath its blackened lips. Was ever
death more assured? saw him open
the eyelids and give sigh OF relief. He
told me afterwards that the eye was moi
shrunken, and so death had not begun
He then attempted to open the mouth
but the teeth were tightly set and 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 no. heed him, but mo-
toned to neighbor to take the child in
his army. He did so.
"Bring me the egg basket" he spok'
very s.ernly, almost without opening hi
G teeth to the servant.
e "What do you want Of it," "Wha
K can you do with it?" "He's crazy!'
S and many such remarks followed; but tn
Il basket was there in moment.
d He seized one of the eggs, broke it; in
e serted his fingers again between the teetl
| and wrenched them open by force, thoug
e they shut with so convulsive a motion a
}. to tear the flesh from his fingers, an
# poured the albumen into the throat
t There was a slight struggle. nothin
:. more, and the spectators stood horrlfe'
q at the action.
Il "Don't-the child is dying" said one
= .'Please don't hurt the little thing
n can't live," the mother found voice t
d say, laying her hand upon his arm.
st "Mary, be STILL" he answered sternly
/ while his teeth were relaxing from tn
sr clenching, and his face as hard as if enter