South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-05-21
Fighting With Poison.

village, and in \ family that had more
than common attractions to one who
loves domestic life as we'll as myself
The little circle had in it more of real
interest than l have often seen develop.
ed in the same number of persons.
The father of the family-almost too
young TO feel that he was entitled to that
honorable appellation-was fine frank
hearted, young mechanic, with n wide
world Of life bounding in his veins; an
energy that when fully aroused. drove
everything violently before him; and a
warmth of disposition that won him more
friendship than it had then given him Of
the goods of this world.
His wife, to whom he had been mar
ried for four years, was singularly beau
tiful. They had two children-the one
a laughing, brown-eyed and brown hair
ed little fairy of three years; her ro-
mantle name was Blossom. The second
was a browning, laughing, blue-eyed.
plump little beauty OF less than year.
promising to have all the charms Of the
elder at her age.
/ was sitting one afternoon i'll a quiet
little room, with my feet on two chairs,
reading q pleasant little book, in n state
between sleep and awake-myhost away
at his shop, a hundred yards off, and my
pretty little hostess engaged in her house
hold labors-when l was thrown out of
my Incidence by scream that brought
me to my feet like an electric shock. 1t
was womans voice, and had in it an
excess Of agony that can not be indica-
ted by words 50 loud that it rang over
that quiet little village, and brought ev
cry one forth to ascertain the cause.
sprang to the door that separated
the sitting room from the dining apart
mcnts, and saw the whole at glance.
The young mother stood nc the door,
with her first-born-our darling Blossom,
in her arms, dying A brief and hur-
ried word from the servant told the sad
story. The little girl had accompanied
a child-uncle upstairs, and while the at
tention of the older child was for mo-
ment turned away, she seized bottle
of corrosive subimate in alcohol. and
had drank enough TO have taken away
twenty such lives. The little thing had
ltottered down stairs. and the mother had
met her at the larding with the empty
bottle in hes hand, and the poison ooz-
ing from her mouth-the child all un-
conscious of the fearful thing she had
done. Was it any wonder that terri
bic shrek rang out over the quiet viii
lage, and that already the occupants of
every house hear were rushing toward
the spot where the mother stood?
But n few moments could possibly
have elapsed since the poison was taken,
and yet the effect was already fearful.
After the first shrek Of terror, the moth
er had quieted 10 n calm despair for the
moment, and stood with the child in her
arms, making no effort for its relief, and
indeed. it seemed hopeless, for already
the subtle poison seemed diffused through
the frame the brown eyes had lost their
lustre the face was blackened rs if af-
ter death; and the teeth. were tight set
in n convulsive spasm that evidently
would not pass away. i examined the
little lost darling for a moment, saw
that it was hopeless, and then turned a
way unable to bear mothers agony
The little door was already half filed
with villagers; and sobs and means, and
lamentations over the fate of the dying
child, were heard in every direction,
mingled with quick and hurried CUES
tions rs to the manner of its occurrence,
and vain attempts ut answering. which
added an expressing confusion TO the
sadness OF the scene.
The little playfelow's uncle, who had
been upstairs with the child, had run
instantly TO call the father, and but 4
few moments elapsed before he sprang
into the middle OF the group. lie had
been told all and asked no questions
! hn1 % avir i,oN
very stern, and that his lips were very
firmly compressed. Others too, remark
ed it, and knew afterward. that muir.
muir ran around the circle of how strange
il was that he betrayed 10 feeling
lie reached out his hands and took
the child from its mother.
Its eyes were now closed, and white
ooze coming from between the blacken-
ed lips. Was ever death more assured ?
I saw him open the eve lids, and give a
: sigh Of relief lie told me afterward
that the eve was not sunken, and so
b death had not begun.
lie then attempted to open the mouth.
: but the teeth we're tight set, and they
/ resisted his efforts. But with n force
b that seemed almost brutal, he wrcnched
the teeth apart. and opened the mouth
J SHANE 80 cried one ofthc bystanders
e The father did not heed them. but mo.
. toned % n neighbor 20 take tho child in
. his arms. lie did So
: Bling me tho egg-baskct," he spoke
q very sternIy. almost without opening his
! teeth, 90 the servant.
What do you want OF it," "What
q can You do with it," Hes crazy
. and many such remarks followed, but
the basket was there in n moment.
J lie seized one of the eggs. broke t.
i. inserted his fingers again between the
. teeth. and wrcnched them open by force
J though they shut with so convulsivc 2
7 motion "a 20 tear the flesh from his fin
4. gers, and poured the alhumen into the
throat. There wasa slight struggle. no
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