Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-01-09
4 Sad Story.


A small place in one of the
interior counties Of the State of
New York has among it's local annals
a sad story of insanity. A young lady of
eighteen years had fallen desperately in
love with young man of the place, but
her parents, particularly her father, OPP
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 atlilc-
ton.
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-
lection for each other. Busy village Cos
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
| have said to you. Forget this man,
and save me the pain Of making you q
prisoner"
His voice faltered, and he looked at her
with imploring eyes. She was sitting,
weeping, pale and trembling. In an in
slant she sprang to her feet, and, stand
ing proudly before her father, exclaimed
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 heayenward 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: "NIay 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
reply was:
"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 sickly sentimentality was a
passion as strong as life and reason. AL
ready it was doing its work. Health was
failing and hour by hour the mind itself
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, her
food and drink, which still consisted of
the portion of bread and water. To his
surprise he heard her singing. He listen
ed and heard the words of song which
had always been favorite one with his
daughter. The verses she was singing
were the following:
q love thee as the glad bird loves
The freedom of its wing,
On which delightedly ii moves
In widest wandering.
L love thee as love the swell
Ald hush of some low strain,
hlch brinCeth, by its gentle SPELL
The past of life again
Then all became still for a moment Or
two, then there was moaning and weep
ing, followed suddenly by laughing and
talking. The father made haste to enter,
feeling no little alarm from the strange
proceedings. When he entered he found
his daughter sitting up in her bed, with a
wild look about her eyes which he had
never noticed before.
"Ha, ha, ha, dearest, l will meet you.
l will come on the wings of love. Father,
cruel father, has forgotten the keyhole.
Ha, ha, hap
The father fled from the room without
seeing or hearing more. A terrible fear,
for the first time, took possession of him.
He ran with the greatest speed for the
family physician, who came almost as
speedily to see the poor sufferer. When he
saw her face he looked serious enough, and
was not long in informing the parents
that their daughter was insane. The