The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-05-30

knew nothing of what Mrs Ilun had
such serious appreicnsions was glad
ii was 20, for, with her finely strung or
gsDiatiou, Il might have produced S.
rious results. made my examination of
the patient as closely IS could and drew
ms conclusion could have sworn that
Mrs Spencer daily swallowed arsenic in
small quantities aud lhe deadly drug was
telling fearfully on d constitution never
robust.
She said answering my questions, that
she had no physician except her husband.
lie had thought himself better qualified
to treat II. lie never leit any medicine
with her to take he always brought It
fresh from bis Office, aud administered il
promptly
The only dependence seemed TO be in
Mrs. Hurd. To ber unbosomed myself
freely. ] told her without reserve that |
believed Dr. Spencer was killing his wife
by slow poison, and besought her TO be
constantly on the watch to save the vic
tim, and to discover some proof by which
we could fasten The guilt upon him
a charge, Of course, could not make
against Dr. Spencer, without the amplest
proof II limited a suspicion, every one
would at once set il down TO my profes.
sional prejudice; and if / could not sub
stantiate my statement, the doctor could
make me pay dearly for such a SANDER ut
tered against him.
She smiled grimly and promised obedi-
ence. gave her powerful antidote for
the poison ! suspected, and went home
perturbed and anxious in my mind |
did not sleep that night, and all the next
day ! was in high fever Of excitement,
Dr Spencer returned home the morn
ing after my visit TO Clifton House. lie
looked wretchedly, the nurse said.-ap-
peared depressed and gloomy. Miss Mel.
rose came with him, aud was decorously
sad over the death Of her sister Women
of her stamp always DO mourn to periec-
/ ton. They never oyerdo nor underdo the
thing, as women Of feeling are likely to
/ do.
DR.. Spencer at once went to his wife's
chamber. lie thought she looked i'll, and
prescribed a cordial at once saying that lie
would 90 and fetch it,
You are always ordering cordials for
her, said Mrs Hurd, musingly. You look
like ghost.
He eyed her kecnly, but replied com
posedly:
Mrs. Spencer smiled sadly in assent
she never disputed her husband-and he
went out Presently he returned with
two glasses. Both contained liqnid col
orless and inoderous.- Mrs. Hurd was
watching him with her he' in her throat,
Tor she told me, she fell that the decisive
moment had come. There was something
in the grave palor in the doctors hard
rigid face that told her Of desperate pur.
pose in the mans soul. a
He lifted the glass Oh the right of tho
tray and gave it to his wife.
Drink it dear, he said, it is a.panace'
for all ills. | also am going to take /
glass Of IL. And he pointed to glass
still on the tray.
, Mrs. Spencer accepted it and was put
ting it to her lips. When Mrs. Hurd in
terupted %
If you viii bring hera tgSlbler of waite
doctor. Mrs. Spencer complains that th,
cordial leaves a bad taste in her mouth
and my old bones are so ftfll Of rheuma
tism that it nearly kills me to go dowl
stairs.
The doctor turned and bent on her sucl
alook as if he would read her thought. Bu
she kept her face passive. If be had an,
suspicious, her manner quietcd them, an,
putting down the glasses, he left th
room. Then Mrs. Hufd secretly change,
, The position Of the glasses.
When he came back--an he was gon
but moment--the nurse stood just wher
he left her, and Mrs Spencer was lyin
!. back in her chair with her eyes closed.
/ Again he lifted the glass-this time
! was the one intended for hmself-an
2 placed It to the lips Of bis wife sh
! drank the contents, swallowed little {
a the water he had brought her, and thanl
lt.,, -, IoV cal pv#arf NAV
4 Now for my cordial, said he with a
{ fected gayety. indulge myself in som,
e thing little stronger; and as he spoke ]
r tossed off the mixture.
1t made me stone cold TO my finger
ends to sec him do 1t, said Mrs. Hurd,r
i. lating the circumstances TO me; but
j heaven is my witness, felt not sing
I twinge Of conscience Iargued like thi
o il was as simple as be said, it would (
r no harm. If II was poison, his bloc
: would be nhis own head.
Is He went to bis bed soon aflerwar
Il complaining Of fatigue In the mornir
y they found him dead !
y was called to the post-mortem exam
/ nation, and we discovered in the stoma
, of the deceased a sufficient quantity OF 4
s. deadliest poison know to modern scien
( to kili half dozen men.
My brother physicians agreed that {
4 man was insane, and bad taken the do
- n one OF bis unsettled fits Of mind. q
not dispute them, bot even before Nj
@ Hurd told her story had my own theo
v" ia regard to bis death.
u There was no public exposure, ho
- ever. Mrs Hurd and | agreed that
would profit no one to makethe wretch
~ a-l. III Ia a Ha Lnr.a nnn n.