The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1861-07-12
lie EFFECT 0F A CuRSE.

ne turct ol imagination as shown m th'
case Of hydrophobia on the West side recall,
to our mind a remarkable circumstance, which
occurred many years ago, and in which an ex-
cited Imagination brought obout miserable Iif.
and terrible death. Fhe affair occurred near
the place cf our nativity, and partly duIiaz oul
boybood, and as we DO not remember ever SEE
ing It m prtnt, We VIII give II IN the way i is
impressed % our memory.
a young man named Comyn had for some
hme paid attention TO a girl who was tht bslle
OF tae village, aud they were at length f1rnal-
" engaged. Elizabeth vas pf an arlpul ten.
| permanent, loving comyo with Der whole trar.,
and sensitive to the slightest appearance OF cold
ness or neglect.
! lovers quarrel sprang up for some slight
cause. There was GOODNESS for day 3f tw1,
! ard on Sunday afternoon CONS Il escorted aaoth-
er young woman to church. Elizabeth saW
them pass her window, and tue coldnes8o d.
SPAR chilled through her. Recovering liom
the shock, she took down Der prlver book, aad
turning down a leaf sent it 10 C3myn', h3ase
4 That done, she went o a neigh51fing wood aa4
| hung herself.
On returning from church, her lover had a
/ preseatiment OF evil and went TO her housa. -
She had not been seen for two or three hours
/ A terrible conviction Ao>hed upon hs mind,
and he exclaimed -. Cook heaven! she
has destroyed herself! He was hold that a book
had been sent to has house, and on running
thither be found the prayer book, with the le at
turned down on the l0Sih Psalm, aad the fol-
loving passage marked -
4" Let his days be few and let another take his
Let his children b. fatherless, aad his wife
widow.
Let bls children be yagbaonds aod beg their
bread: let them ssrk-il 10 desoialiug places.
Let tie ext0rlioner consume all that ur hath,
and let he stranger poll his labor.
Let there be 40 man to pity him, nor 10 have
compassion on his tatherless children.
Let his posteri.y 81 destroyed and N the next
generation let bis Hame be clean put out"
While reading this teulbIe maledclon, ward
was brought bin OF the discovery OF Elzabetb's
body and Of her death. Comyn rushed from
the house, saying taat he was ruined forever
and ever; aud iof days and nights be wander
ed about the neighbochood, halt cFazed with re-
morse aEd fear.
Years passed away, but brought no aileya-
ton Of his mental tottuye. He was afraid ia
enter ssi6lna raf tsfe elr, assa;s,
words read. The sight of bible or prayer
book would drive him from the house. Disas-
ters and mrstprtunes Of various kinds beisl him,
all owing, he claimed, 10 tbr curse which hung
over him. Hi ulghts were disturbed by fright
fuI dreams The dead grl appeared u bin 10
his sleep, with her features distoredSy slran-
gulatloD, and her finger pointing to a PRAYER
book open at The terrible curse Al such times
be frequently sArieked 10 agony-.' o, Betsy.
ny dear Betsy, shni the bo3k-shut th. book"
HIS friends persuaded him 10 marry honiny
thds to break the spell that weighed han down.
a length he assented. and offered his hand 10
young girl she turned from b,r with har-
Ior, asking Il he wished to bring down the
curse Of the dead girl on her head. Two 9TH
offers we're refused IN the same manner, bu. at
last the chance OF a good settlement out weighed
super>utious fears, and %omau was found to
accept his offer.
The wedding was described to US bv an eye
witness. They were married m the church.
and the way TO il lay across an open track
When about midway sudden and violent
storm sprung up. Crashing thnnders, iacgssanl
fashes Of shegtsd lightning, aud bowling winds.
daugted even the least sapers,itlous with other
Ill omsns. CnmYn tagew himself 10 iae ground
on bis face, and groveled IL conyulsve agony,
shnrklng to be protected from the dead gIrl,
who, he sad, bad come with thunder aud light
ming to destroy him. He was led helpless 10
the church, end passed through the marriage
ceremony IN a stunned ana bewildeTet man
F,r t,,, ,.s.r. oas- ,ha ,,,.,;,.,. - Co..
ba Traced ont !. rrisersbla ..,,;..7c. ~ 3.,1
,,ind r99;II, ,,a,r;,.s s,,,o, -, H. -
came ,bs c,3bsr ~ ,Do cb;iarzo ha,f, or a.bo,,