Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-09-03

Love. jealousy aud Murder.
The recent tragedy in this village, Of
which we give fall account in another COL
umu, is worthy Of especial comment IT
was an attempted murder and an accom-
plished suicide. A young lady, of ex'
cellont character aud industrious habits, is
seated at her work, when the young man to
whom she is but lately engaged to be
married comes to her side, and without any
warning Of his purpose, raises his just
bought pistol against her, aud with dcliber-
ate aim, shoots at her three times aud then
turns upon himself and with perfect COM
posurc shoots himself through the heart
All the reasons which moved this man to
this terrible deed will never be known. II
is a matter Of knowledge aud Of just iulcr.
ence that his mind had been infamed by
some yiudictve Iago, with unjust aud SLAM
dcrous stories until the demon Of cause
less aud mad jealousy got full possession
Of him. lie acted upon delusion, but it
was one that to him had all the force Of
fact. Ills reason and judgment were over
thrown by the force Of his passions, and in
the alteration Of his intellectual and moral
nature he committed a crime for which
earth, certainly has no reparolon. 1t is
certain that his mind was in a condition
most fitted for the reception Of morbid and
criminal moral influences, and that instead
Of mastering them as he ought to have
done, be permitted himself to become their
playthiue and tool. The fire Of in1amed
love, instead Of being confined, was let loose
to consume and destroy the whole hope and
being Of the man There is something very
singular in this passion Of sexual love,
to lead so often to murder and suicide,
when it is thwarted or crazcd. There is
scarcely a day in the year that the press
docs not record some story Of murder caused
by jealous love, or suicide in consequence
Of unrcquted affection. In man the passion
is terribly active and intense. 1t cannot
bear restraints or difficulties or rivalry.
The least action against its course throws
his heart into a perfect tempest Of turbulent
and angry feeling. Then jealousy catches
him like a fever and rides him like destiny,
and heaven has no affection that tries him
like the woman he loves Her innocence,
her articles to please, her most pleasant
words are turned into the fuel Of his
jealous affection. Every drop of patience
is strained out Of his soul. He pours scorn,
rage, bitter taunts, as did OthcIo on Des-
demona, upon the being whom be most adj
mires and loves. If he imagines he has
found GOODNESS, or uniaithfulness, or indif-
ference where "he has garnered up his
heart :" that he is discarded from the heart
that be thought was his own; that it is
maynard or decetlul-the most active mis-
cry or despair takes possession Of him, and
his first thought is of the sacrifice of the
object Of his love, and then Of himself
The tragedies of the drama are all built on
the tragedies of love, and the largest part
of the tragedies of real life spring from this
perennial source
1t is true that this action of love is alb
normal The larger portion of men and
women love and get married and live quiet
and humdrum lives, aud die happily in their
beds. Where one man shoots himself and
his intended bride out of jealousy, thou
sand 60 on ia their even course, with only
now and then ripple in the current Of
their lives And yet there are few who
do not have some appreciation Of the great
and terrible cause of these horrible TRACE.
dies No human heart is ignorant of the
passion whose uncontrolled power isso fear
full and destructive. No one ever heard
Macready, in Othollo, without entering in.
to the anguish Of nature torn and tor.
mented to infinite madness by the supposed
fasity Of his bride. With what tender.
ness ard rage his jealous heart alternately
soitens aud burns. In one breath he CALI
her "cistern Of foul toads,? and 81
rose-lipped cherlbim :" whore" and ." al
ANGEL He even kisses her before he
smites her, and swears that he will Kill
her and love her afterwards" And ther
jealousy strikes where it doth most love.
We suppose the world will 60 on very
much as it has done in respect to thest
crimes born ia the heat Of passions. Jeal
ousy was the cause Of the first murder, anc
will be likely to be of the last. Neither
the press, nor the pulpit, nor legislation
nor science and education can wholly guarC
society against these occasional outbreaks
Of individual passions Their occurrence il
almost always startlingand unexpected, fol
usually these crimes are committed, not by
the reckless and bad, but by those who have
been irreproachabe in their characters
The pure, generous high minded man is al
likely to fall under the terrible temptation
as the base and ignoble. History gives III
frequent instances of the nobest souls sue
cumbing to this awful supremacy of jeal
Gus love
1t is quite noticeable, that with rare ex
ceptions, Jealousy in a woman is more pas
sye than in men. 1t does not usually seek
the death Of its object, but when woman
is driven to despair, she thinks Of suicid,
rather than Of murder. Since week ago
the few papers to which we have had ac
cess, have recorded five suicides by womer
for disappointed love, and two murders anC
suicides by men from causes which stirred
their Jealousy. Two Of the September
Magazines have two thrilling stories each
describing the miserable course and fata
termination Of bafiled passion. And thu
literature gives the coloring Of romance t,
the tragedies Of real life, and fancy ant
fact, published and sown broadcast owe
the land, both stimulate the passions tha
lead 70 such results.