Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1873-01-09
A Sad Story.

OASoA-1OoLly ICIuOfC buC DdSh pau VI buC
pigeon holes, and empty the boxes.
Sad Story.
A small place in one of the
interior counties Of the State of
New York has among its local annals
a sad story of insanity; A young lady of
eighteen years had fallen desperately in
her parents, particularly her father, op-
posed the match. The reasons are sup
posed to have been good ones, but certain
it is they assumed fearful responsibility,
and brought upon themselves dire affllc-
tion.
The young lady was forbidden to see
her lover, and he was told not to visit her
house, but they managed, as is often the
case, clandestine meetings, and inter
changed assurances of their undying af
fection for each other. Busy village gos-
sip soon informed the father of the con-
dition of affairs. Though naturally kind
father, he was greatly irritated, and i'm
mediately adopted measures to separate
the lovers,
This course on the part of the father
was the conscientious action of parent
concerned for the welfare of his child, so
he went about it deliberately, and with a
determination that was not likely to meet
with defeat. But alas alas what was
he doing These two young hearts were
already so intertwined-so grown to.
gether, so reborn as one-that to separate
them was like cutting asunder vital parts
of the human organization. The father,
stern and resolute to do his duty, thought
not of this, but pressed forward in his
purpose. The tale of love, the fond
prayer of an agonized and breaking heart
for him to listen to argument and rea-
son-these were of no avail A parents
duty must be done. His first plan was to
lock his daughter in her room. He put
on extra bolts and paddock, for he re-
membered that Glove laughs at lock-
smiths" When he was about to leave
her after all this preparation for her safe
keeping had been made, he remarked
81 do all this because love you, my
child. You cannot escape, and no one
can obtain access to you. Reflect on all
1 have said to you. Forget this man,
| and save me the pain of making you a
| prisoner"
with imploring eyes. She was sitting,
stant she sprang to her feet, and, stand
|
Father, do your worst! Imprison me,
starve me, drive me to madness; but
never, never will forget or cease to love
the man to whom, before God, stand
this hour betrothed!"
| She stood looking heavenward for a
moment; then she reeled and fell exhaust.
| ed to the floor.
The father looked at his child as if his
pity was about to overcome him, but in a
moment he recovered himself, and ad.
vanced toward the door.
"Undutiful, wicked child" were his
words as he closed the door, and, draw
| ing first one bolt and then another, finally
made all secure with the paddock. AS he
went away, he said: "May God give me
the firmness to do my parental duty"
The sad village tale, as now told by all,
relates to that imprisonment, continued
for some ten days. After day or two,
additional severity was added by making
bread and water the only food offered to
the poor prisoner. No one except the
father ever approached the room. He
found his daughter growing paler and
paler, and weaker and weaker. Most OF
the time she was in bed. Repeatedly he
attempted to talk with her, but her only
''You may kill my poor body, but my
love is undying."
"What nonsense" replied the father.
"Pray to God to fill your heart with love
and obedience to parental authority. Have
done with sickly sentimentality.
But this sick1y sentimentality was 8
passion as strong as life and reason. Al
ready it was doing its work. Health was
failing and hour by hour the mind itsel
was yielding. There were whispers in
the village Of what was going on, but the
full facts were not known.
One morning the father went to the
room bearing, as was his custom, hel
food and drink, which still consisted Of
the portion of bread and water To hii
surprise he heard her singing. He listen
ed and heard the words of song which
had always been favorite one with hi.
daughter. The verses she was singing
were the following:
81 love thee. as the glad bird loves
| The freedom of its wing,
On which delightedly it moves
In widest wandering.
ssI love thee as love the swell
And hush of some low strain,
Which bringeth. by its gentle spell,
The past OF life again.
Then all became still for a moment o,
two, then there was moaning and weep
ing, followed suddenly by laughing an(
talking. The father made haste to enter
feeling no little alarm from the strang'
proceedings. When he entered he foun(
his daughter sitting up in her bed, with
wild look about her eyes which he ha(
never noticed before.
'Ha, ha, ha, dearest, 1 will meet you
1 will come on the wings of love. Father
cruel father, has forgotten the keyhole
Ha, ha, hal"
Il Tho father Aad fro,,, tho roo,,,
seeing or hearing more. A terrible fear
for the first time, took possession of him
He ran with the greatest speed for th'
family physician, who came almost a.
speedily to see the poor sufferer. When b,
saw her face he looked serious enough, an(
was not long in informing the parent
that their daughter was insane. TIL,
father was shocked and overwhelmed
He frankly told of all that he had done
and blamed himself, though he declared
that he thought he was doing no NOR
than was his duty. Sadness fell NOR,
gloomy than ever upon that house, ant
! the whole village was stirred by the cir
} cumstances as related from mouth tt
mouth.
The young lady grew worse and worse
At length her actions were such that
was decided to be necessary to remov
her to an asylum. She is now an inmat
of the institution at Utica. A yer,
touching scene occurred in the cars
when she suddenly broke forth in tn
hearing of the passengers, many of whom
had been told of her condition and histo
|, ry, with verse from her favorite song
She sung in voice of particular sweet
ness and pathos these words
g" love thee, as love the last
Rich smile of fading day,
Which lingereth, like the look we cast,
On rapture passed away ~