Smyrna times., 1879-04-16
Should He Have Married Rer2
By REV. II. Il. TOWNSEND.

G1lS do "Nll as every OIutE IldSIy
marriages Of persons but imperiectly known
to each other, if there be only the com.
mon arrangements of dispositions and
temper, can scarcely avoid being unhappy.
They should be carefully guarded against
and no parent who has his child's happ
ness at heart will hastily surrender to a
comparative stranger, the power OF making
her happy or miserable.
About thirty years ago, in certain
western vllage-now city--a family had
resided for many years. There were three
sons. The youngest, William by name, was
the life of the house, and young man of I
cheerful and happy disposition. Lately he
had not been at home much, for as soon as
supper was over in the evenings, he would |
don his best clOthes--called "Store clotheS'' |
in those days-and take his way to q neigh |
boring house, where a new family had but |
lately moved. The daughter, bright |
happy girl Of eighteen years of age, was
generally waiting fox him, for it was case
Of mutual love. They had acknowledged
it to each other. His mother objected pri-
vately to the match, for what she thought
a very good reason.
More than six years before he had met
Annie, he had been bitten by rahid dog,
and fears were entertained that he might
die from that most terrible disorder, hy-
drophobia. Thus far he had escaped no
doubt because he had no fear of the disease.
Soon he would be in no danger, for it was
implicitly believed by all the good folks of
the village, including the village doctor
himself, that the virus was expelled from
the system in seven years, and then all
danger would be over. 1t had been
source of trouble and anxiety to his mother
whose eyes would frequently fill with tears
at the thought of his danger to her mind.
lie was now twenty-three years of age.
and was engaged to Annie. Their true
love was on q smooth course, for the only
| obstacle to their marriage was the express
desire of his mother that the wedding
should be postponed at least three months,
and then the seven dreaded years would be
completed, and his mothers heart would
cease fearing the evil that might seize her
| loved son.
Let me make my story short. The wed.
ding day came as any future day must
come. We will not describe the ceremony
by the gTay-haired minister, the merry
making of the young folks was kept up
until late hour Of the night
1t is all over at last The bride is gone
with her husband to his mothers house, as
that was the finest and most pleasant in
the village; and they were to have their
home with the old folks until the following
spring, when a little house was to be erected
for them.
The next morning the young married
couple did not appear at the late breakfast
hour, and the bell was rung the second
time. After waiting for some time, Robert,
the oldest brother, went to the door OF
their room and knocked gutteral sound
was the only response. He pushed the
door open and sight met his eyes that he
remembered to the day of his death His
brother William was standing in the oppo
site corner of his room in his night.clothes
} bloody from face to foot. The bed was
back of the door, so he could not see that
He called Annie, but low moan of deep
est pain came from Williams lips, and h,
seemed ready to spring forward. The
3; family was quickly called and Robert agail
J essayed to enter the room. but short
J. quick, snarling bark caused him to draw
e back.
d Some one ran for the Doctor, who for
G tunately was near by. ~ sight of the youn,
d man, and the sounds that came from hi
bloody lips, were enough to convince hin
and the family that the dreaded enemy haC
a really seized William, and lie lad gone mad
@ His death was certain. To save the life O
a Annie, who was in the room with him, hi
d life must be taken. The glaring eyes o
>. the maniac were fixed on them as the
IT stood at the door. They dared not flrthe
n open it or one of them might fall a victim
d to his fury. This happened in the tim
n when victims of this fell disease wer
il smothered between feather beds as til
d easiest way of releasing them from thei
,r pangs. We believe this course is still pul
n sued in the West. But this could not b
r done in the present case, for it was death t
enter that room with William living.
was quickly decided by the authority
voice of the doctor. Robert was the olde.
ee brother; he must release him from h
pain. A rifle was brought and loaded wit
ia a bullet. Robert, with face pale as deatl
~ took his position at the door. A pray,
III was offered for poor Williams soul--a has
e. "A loud report-a shriel from his mothe
s. who had been carried fainting from Il
~ entry, and the door was thrown open
= what a spectacle Of blood met their gaze
n In the corner where he had been standn
10 now William lay-dead-shot through Il
heart, and his life.hlcod crimsoning Il
floor. They turned to tho he'd. There !;
id Annie with her beautiful hair scattert
lat and tangled over her face Her left brea
ire had been torn open by the sharp teeth
Or, her husband, and her quivering heart tor
|
as crushed and torn on the counterpart
ng Her throat had been seized between |
om teeth and dreadfully acknowledgements
he itself to have caused her death.
in His madness had seized him within a f,
minutes of his retiring to his room. T
family remembered that they heard a c
ew from Annies room, as they were retirir
he but nobody gave it any attention at t
ley time.
lis. The day following they were buried 81
all, by side; she in her wedding robes, beat
ice. ful in death.
rec Now we think this n terrible story,
the there are cases as bad, every day occurri
to about us, and we fail to notice them. 7
only difference is that the death Of wi
in these days is slow. The husband tai
ews some years in tearing the wife's heart
I of pieces and trampling it. throbbing a
has bleeding, under foot. When a won
ing marries she commits her life and welfare
all his keeping. She should be, thereto
to well acquainted with the man on VIII
eels she bestows such fearful power. It
makes mistake. Annie's tragic end n
not literally be hers, but she will die fir
nails a torn, broken, trampled heart, mono
nds. less.
ONE
,v;ll A. a ,,,aot;r0 Of the Pannsvlvania {