The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-04-14
r,rn,rng VITA Poison.

nnMnNIA AAAIAAAH ~ a -
had more than common attractions
20 n who loves domestic life as
well as myself. The little circle haq
in IT more Of real interest than !
have often seen developed IN the same
number Of persons.
The father of the family-almost
too voung TO feel that be was ent-
lied 10 that honorable appellation-
was a fne frank-hearted young me-
cbanic. with a wide world OF lie
bounding in his veins; al energy that
when fully aroused, drove everything
violently before him; and a warmth
NJ disposition that won him more
friendship than it bad then given nini
Of the good Of this world
His wife. to whom he had been
married for four years, was singular
~ beautiful. They had two children
The one a laughing, brown eyed and
brown haired little fairy Of three
vears: her romantic name was Bios
som The second was a growing,
laughing, blue eyed, plump little
beauty Of less than a year, promis-
inr TO have all the charms Of the ell
der at her age.
was sitting one afternoon IN a
ouiet little room, with my feet or two
chairs. reading a pleasant little book,
IN q state between sleep and awake
nv host awav at bis shop, a hun
dred wards Of, AMI my pretty little
hostess engaged ia her household
labors-wben / was thrown out OF
nv Incidence by a scream that
brought me to my feet like an cleo
tric shock. Il was a woman's voice,
aud had in il an excess Of agony that
cannot be indicated by words; so
loud that il rang over that quiet 1T
tie village. and brought every one
forth 10 ascertain the cause.
! sprang to the door that separated
the sitting room from the dinln
apartments. and saw the whole al .
glance. The Young mother stood al
the door, with her first born-our
darling Blossom, 10 her arms, dying.
A brief and hurried word from the
servant told the sad story. The lit
tic girl had accompanied a ehild-un-
Gle ub stairs. and while the attention
Of the older child was for a moment
turned away, she seized a bottle OF
corrosive sublimate in alcohol, and
bad drank enough TO have taken
away twenty such lives. The little
thing had tottered down stairs, and
the mother had met her at the land
ing with the empty bottle in her
hand, aad the poison oozing from her
mouth-the child all unconscious OF
the fearful thing sSe had done. Was
il any wonder that a terrible shrek
rang out over the quiet village, and
that already the occupants Of every
house near were rushing toward the
spot where the mother stood2
But q few moments could possibly
have elapsed since the poison was
taken, and vet the effect was already
fearful After the first shrek Of ter
r0r, the mother bad quieted to a calm
despair for the moment, and stood
with the child in her arms, making
no effort for its relief, any indeed, it
seemed hopeless, for already the sub
tie poison seemed difused through
the frame; the brown eyes had lost
their Ulster; the face was blackened
as II after death; and the teeth were
tight set in a %convulsive spasm that
evidently would not pass away. Il
examined the little lost darling for a
moment, saw that il was hopeless,
and then turned away unable to bear
O mothers agony. The little door
was already half filed with villagers;
and sobs and means, aud lamenta-
tons over the fate Of the dying child
were heard in every direction, min
gled wl:h quick and hurried ques-
tons as TO the manner Of its occur
renee, and vain attempts at answer
ing, which added an depressing con-
fusion 10 the sadness Of the cen
The little playfellow's uncle, who
had been up stairs with the child.
bad run instantly to call tn. father,
and but II few moments elapsed be-
fore be sprang into the middle Of the
group. lie bad been told all aRd
asked no questions. | had time to
remark that bis eve was very stern,
and that bis lips were very firmly
compressed. Others too remarked il:
and | knew afterward, that a muir
muir a around the circle of how
strange it was that be betrayed no
He reached out his hands and took
child from its mother. Its eyes
were now closed, and a white ooze
coming from between the blackened
FPS Was eve death more assured?
saw him open the eyelids, and give
r sigh Of relief. He told me after
ward that the eve was not sunken,
and so death had not begun. He
then attempted to open the mouth,
'ut the teeth were tight set, and they
'esisted his efforts. But with a force
hat seemed almost brutal, he wrench
I'd the teeth apart, and opened the
mouth.
"Shame!" cried one Of the by
,tanders. The father did not heed
hem, but motioned to a neigbbor
o take the child in his arms. He
did so.
Bring me the egg basket" he
poke very sternly, almost without !.
'pening his teeth, to the servant.
What do you want Of itg" What
YOU do with it," Hes erazv."
md many such remarks followed. /,
Dut the basket was there in a mo-
nent.
He seized one OF the eggs, broke T,
{, inserted his fingers again between {,
he teeth, and wrenched them open Fl.
by force, though they shut with so !,
'onvulslve 8 motion as TO ear the ,
iesh from his fingers, and poured the I,
.lbumen into the throat There was
l slight struggle, nothing more, and :
be spectators were Mortified at the :
!
"Dou't, the child is dying" said
me. !
please don't hurt the little thing [.
1t can't livel" the mother found
dice 10 say, laying her hand upon A.,
us arm. :
Mary, be STILL" be answered !,
ternly, while bis teeth were unrelax-