Daily Republican., 1879-04-18
shoals He Have Married Her. .
BY REV. II, B. TOWNSEND.

not Of chance, but Of causes. Law
govern this as we'll as every other mat.
ter. Hasty marriages Of persons !u
imperfsctly known to each other, /
, there be only the common arrange
ments Of dispositions and temper, car
scarcely avoid being unhappy. They
should be carefully guarded against
and no parent who has his ohild'l
happiness at heart will hastily sur
render to a comparative stranger, IT,.
power of making her happy or mis-
erable.
About thirty years ago in q certain
western villsge--now q city--a famil,
had resided for many years. Ther.
we're three sons. The youngest, vii
liam by name, was the life Of tn.
j house, and q young man Of cheerful
and happy disposition. Lately he had
not been ct home much, for as soon al
supper was over in the evenings, he
would don his best clothes--callec
"store clothes" in those days-and tax,
his way to q neighboring house, wb-r,
= new family had bat lately moved
The daughter, a bright happy girl q
eighteen years Of age, was generally
waiting for him, for 1t was case o
mutual love. They had acknos l-dcpd
it to each other. His mother objected
privately to the match, for what sh.
thought a very good reason.
More than six years before he had
met Annie, be had heen bitten hy ,
rabid dog; and fears were entertained
thai he might die from that most terri
bic disorder, byArophobia. Thus fal
he had escaped, no doubt because he
had no fear,oG the disease. Soon he
would be in no danger, for it was i'm
pticitly believed BY all the good folks
Of the village, including the village
doctor himself, that the virus was ex.
PEELED from the system in seven years,
and then all danger would he over. II
Ihad been source Of trouble and ankle
d'ty to his mother, whose eyes would
7 frequently fill with tears at the thought
Of his danger to her mind.
He was now twenty-three years Of
are, and was engaged to Annie. Their
true lave was on a smooth course, fOr
the only obstacle to the marriage was
the express desire Of his mother that
the wedding should be postponed al
least three months, and then the seven
dreaded years would be completed, and
his mGther's heart would cease fearing
the evil that might seize her loved sop.
Let me make my story short. The
wedding day came as any future day
must come. We will describe the c-re
mony by the gray haired minister, the
merry making of the young folks was
kep. up until late honr of the night
1t is all over at last. The bride is
gore with her usband to his mother i
heuse, as that was til. filest and most
pleasant in the village; An1 they were
to'have their home with the old folks
until the following spring, when a little
lrouse was TO he erected for them.
The next morning the young married
couple did not appear al the late break
fast hour, and the bell was rung the
second time. After waiting for SOM
time, Robert, the Oldest brother, went
to the door Of their rooM and knocked 3;
q gutteral sound was the only response
He pushed the door open and sight
met his eyes that he remembered to the
k1ay o. his death. Hisybrother william
was standing in the opposite corner OF
his room in his night clothes. bloody
from face to foot. The bed was back OF
the door, so he could no. see that. He
Icalled Annie, but u low Il oan of deep
lest pain came from Wi!:am's lips, and
he seemed ready to spring forward.
The family was quickly called and
Robert asaIn ts-ay+a t.enter the room,
but a short. quiek, snariins bark caused
him to draw back.
Sons, one ran for the boctor, who for.
tunat-ly WAS near by. A sight of the
young man, and the sounds that came
from his bloody lips. were enough to
convince him and the family that the
dreaded enemy had really seized Will
liam and he had gone mSa. His death
was certain. To save the life of Annie.
who was in the room with him, his
aite must be taken. The,glaripg eyes
OF the maniac were fixed on them as
they stood at the door. They dared
mot further open it or one Of them
suight fall victim to his fury. This
happened in the time wlren victims of
sthi. fell disease were smothrred be-
tween feather beds as the easiest way
of releasing them from their pangs.
We believe this course is still pursued
in the West. But this c0nld not br
done in til. present case. Nor it was
death to enter that room with William
living.
1T was quickly decided by the au-
thoritivs voice Of the doctor. Robert
waa the oldest brother; he mast release
him from his pain. A rifle was brought
and loaded vita bullet. Rabert with
a face pale as death, took his position
at the door. A prayer was of-red for
Williams soul---a tlash--a loua report
a shrek from his mother, who had
been carried faimting from the entry,
and the door was thrown opetl---what
q 81 ectacle of blood met their gaze In
one corner Of the room where be had
been standing, nov William lay--dead
shot thxough the heart, and hh lite
blood crimsoning the floor. They turn
ed 20 til. bed. Then lay Annie with
her b.autiful hair scattered and taggled
over her face.
Her left breast had Sern torn open 10y
the sharp teeth of her husband, and
her 9niyering heart torn, pulsating,
from her bosom, and lay crushed and
Torn oat on the counterPane. Her throat
had been seized betwet.N his teeth and
lac-rated-ensugh in itseit
10 have caused her death.
His madness had seized him within
ew minutes of his retiring to his room.
The family remembered that they heard
ny n M Annie's lovr, Ehen 10 ir.
pq, but nobody gave it any attention