The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-08-22
A onr.e ana h. Consennsnce..

In the western part of Scotland,
young man named Comyn quarreled with
a young lady TO whom he was engaged,
and, to spite her, paid some attention TO
another woman. The lady whom he
parted from sent him the Tooth Psalm,
with the following passages marked
"Let his days De few, and let another
do his office.
Let his children be fatherless, and
his wife widow.
"Let his children be vagabonds and
beg their bread.
"Let them seek il in desolate places.
"Let the extortiOner consume all that
he hath, and let the stranger spoil all his
labOrs.
Let there be no man TO pity him, nor
have compassion upon his fatherless
children.
"Let his posterity be destroyed and
in the next generation let his name be
clean put out"
While reading this terrible maledic-
ton, word was broughl of the discovery
of the lady's body and Of the manner of
her death. Comyn rushed from the house,
saying he was ruined for ever and ever,
and four days and nights he wandered
about the neighborhOOd, half crazed with
remOrse and fear. Years passed away.
but brought no alienation Of his mental
torture. He was afraid to enter a church.
lest he should hear the dreadful words
read. The sight Of a Bible or PRAYER
book would drive him from the house
Disasters and misfortunes of various
kinds befell him. His nights were dis.
turbed by frightful dreams. The dead
girl appeared TO him in his sleep with
her features distorted by strangulation.
and her fingers pointing 70 a prayer
book, open at the terrible CURSE
His intimate friends persuaded him to
marry, hoping thus TO break the spell that
weighed him down. At length he as
| scented, and offered his hand TO a Young
| girl. She turned from him with horror,
asking if he wished to bring down the
curses of the dead girl on her head.
| Others refused in the same manner. but
at length the chance Of good settle
ment Outweighed superstitiOus fears and
woman was found 10 accept the offer.
! They were married in the church, and the
way 70 il lay across an open tract when
/ AnUuN runway n auAhNu Muu Violent
storm sprung up. Crashing thunders,
incessant flashes Of sheet lightning, and
bowling winds daunted even the least
| superstitious with their i'll omens. Comyn
threw himself TO the ground ON his face,
! and groveled in cOnvulsive agony, shrek
ing to be protected from the dead girl,
who, he said. had come with the thunder
and lightning 10 destroy him. lie was
/ led helpless 10 the church, and passed
/ through the marriage ceremony In a
stunned and bewildered manner. --
For two years after the marriage
/ COmyn dragged out a miserable exist
ence, body and mind wearing away rap
idly together. He became the father of
two children, both of whom died shortly
after. Al length he died, bis end being
embiitered by terrible visions, the hor-
ror of which threw him into violent con
vulsions. To the last the vision of the
prayer book, open al the l09th Psalm
seemed 10 scar his eyeballs, snd he died
shrieking for his attendants TO "mak,
her shut that book 70 The singular co.
medicines that had terrified him during
life did not cease at his death. He wa,
buried on Sunday afternoon, and &C,
cording TO a custom in that neighbor
hood, the coffin was placed in the aisl,
during the regular afternoon service. /
was the 22d day Of the month, and IA,
lOJth Psalm formed one Of the reeularl,
appointed for that afternoon. As In
villagers looked AZ each other ia astonish
mcnt at this coincidence the villag
clock struck four, the hour at whic
Elizabeth Lampen had gone out 10 de
stroy herself