The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-08-03
For the st. Cloud journal.
DEATH OF MRS. q. r. DAVIS. -,

DEATH OF MtS. q. y. DAVIS.
+ Tho very affective event Of the death,
this morning, Of Mrs. C. F. Davis, in its
manner and occasion, will give interest in
the public mind to any facts which throw
light upon the causes which led to it, and
upon her mental condition at the moment
of the tragedy. 1t is natural to look for
OCCASIONS Of events so deplorable to the
circumstances and surroundings of tho
subj ects of them. But in this instance,
SO far as these are concerned, it would be
difficult TO fluid any Offering less of expla-
nation. The mistress of i charming
and wealthy home-with every want gen.
erously provided for; the cherished OBJ
ject Of devoted husband, to any sane
spiri: life would have seemed most dcsira-
BILE. The relations of Mr.. and Mrs. Davis
we're peculiarly tender. From early boy.
hood and girlhood The ~ were members Of
the same family in the State of Maine.
After an ABSENCE of Mr.. Davis during the
three or four years succeeding his maiori-
~, they united their fortunes. A scrofu-
lous ta,nt in Mrs. Davis early developed
effects, which, appearing for time in one
part of the body, would disappear only to
take similar form in some other. Tier
health became so poor that Mr.. Davis re-
moved her for eleven months to southern
Ohio, where she was greatly benefited.
After returning to Maine. however, she
again became feeble, and breaking up his
business once more, Re took her to New
York, ana then to Illinois, giving himself
wholly to the care of her. Her health i'm
proving, he went into business in Milwau-
kee, where for time she continued COM
paratively we'll. But her case becoming
critical once more, and being assured by
her physi clan that she could live but q few
months in that climate, he brought her,
under advice, to Minnesota, at a sweeping
sacrifice to his pecuniary interests. He
was partner in one OF the most fourishing
firms in that city. But he gladly sacrifc-
ed his position and his wealth for the health
of his wife, coming to &his State with no
business prospects. The sacrifice was not
without its reward. For ten years Of his
residence here, his wife's health was, for
her, singularly good. But last February
the scroiulous humor appeared in the re-
gion of the eyes, causing intense, stubborn
ana most painful inflammation. Her nights
were sleepless except through opiates.
which gradually lost their power. Her
spirits were miserably depressed, a deeper
and denser cloud gradually settling down
upon her, until despair became the tyrant
of her bosom In the weekly visits which
made to her. as her pastor, l saw this
progressive darkening of her spirit, but
with no special solicitude; for attributed
her mental condition to her physical state
the inflammation so near her brain
and thought saw signs Of improvement in
that. had heard, two months since, that
fear for her sanity had been expressed.
The weight upon her spirit seemed to be
that she was burden to others. The last
time visited her. a week before her
death, she again adverted to her useless
ness. She spoke painfully and tenderly Of
her husband, Of his constant kindness. of
the fear she had that he would break
Gown under his increasing business cares
and nights made sleepless by her condi-
ton, of how grievous it was to her that
she could not minister to certain (slight)
physical inirmity Of his, relieving him, as
she used to do, Of inconvenience and pain.
That too much was done for her seemed to |
be her affection. She felt her life too
worthless to be the object of so much atten-
ton. Though she seemed family to re-
spond to the Christian views presented,
and to the words of suprlication offered, |
had sense Of a veil between myself and |
her. certain failure to reach her case. l |
was, in degree, surprised by her yielding !
her accustomed fervent pressure 10 my
hand upon leaving. She seemed as one |
under burden felt to be hopeless bur-
den inexplicable, except by the power Of
her disease. Even the very kindness by |
which her way was to be comforted had |
become intolerable. That il was q case of |
insanity there can be no question. There
was the clearest evidence of insanity. No
valuable end would be served by giving |
this evidence.
In a state Of health she had clear relig- !
ious views, great honesty and integrity of
spirit, faitbfulness-a truly Christian soul.
She will be sadly missed by the circle in
which she moved, and in the home
which By her quiet virtues she adorned.
While no death can be more awful to the feel
ings than that by ones own hand while the
news of such On event naturally strikes
the community with dread; while every
true and sane mind would cry at the mere
suggestion Of it, with desire come to agony,
"Good Lord deliver us v'-such death is
not intrinsically more dreadful than any
other form, when the brain has become
distempered. Every diseased organ has
its own manifestations. The brain is no
more to be reproached for its sicknesses
and the manifestations of its ills, than any
other organ for its own. The violence of
the insane is as blameless as the glow of
the fevered. Blood flowing from the wound
by the hands of q maniac is as
gulltless as any other. We are shocked,
but only the more to grieve for that virtue
and beauty Of soul that were not snatched
from an end so pitiful!
For the bereaved family there can be
but one fseling-that of deep, painful sym
pathy in their bitter affection.
HENRY MILLS.
St. Cloud, August lst, 1871.
GOLDEN Slax.-Tobey & Mitchell have
display ed. in front of their ore, an i'm
mense gold pen, an enlarged fec simAe Of
the celebrated John Foley gold pen. This