The Russellville Democrat., 1883-06-14
A CRUEL BLOW.


1.-THE most dangerous and trouble
some men," said Dr. Redfield, "are
those who should be regarded as fools,
but for some unexplained reason are
not. Here now is beautiful and lovely
Young woman suddenly deprived of
reason Just on the eve of her marriage
to the worthy young man on whom the
blow has also fallen with crushing force.
Two lives blighted perhaps forever by
an act that should consign its perpetra-
tor TO o prison and a lunatic asylum for
each alternate year of the remainder of
his life"
These remarks related to practical
joke played by reckless and imprudent
young man, one Fred Losher, the vic
tim of his criminal folly being his cous-
in, Florence Percival, whose marriage
would have taken place the next day.
The railway train which was bring
ing her prospective husband from his
home, three hundred miles away, was
behind time about five hours, delayed
by a heavy storm. which had also pros
trated the telegraph lines, so that no
information in regard to the cause Of
the detention could be obtained.
The train came in at last, however,
all right, and without having sustained
any serious accident. The bridegroom
elect, Frank McAllister, alighted from
the cars, going first to the hotel, from
whence, in half an hour, he would have
reported himself at the residence of his
betrothed.
That foolish cousin, however, who
had been sent to the station to obtain
the earliest news of the delayed train,
came rushing back to the house to
bring the tidings, but thought it would
be a capital Joke, as he afterward said,
to give his cousin at first q good scare
"Well, Florence" he exclaimed,
Frank has been heard from at last.
The trains smashed--forty persons
killed--and he among them!''
A bewildered, half-conscious look was
followed by fearful scream, and poor
Florence had fallen unconscious.
DIR. Redfield, the family physician,
who chanced to be passing the door,
was Immediately with the patient, and
doing his utmost to arrest the progress
of those terrible convulsions, but with
scarcely any success.
A young brother of Florence was the
only person with her Mt the time that
startling announcement was made; but
his version Of what had occurred was so
clear and positive that the reckless fell
low who was the author of the mischief
did not attempt to contradict or deny
the boys statement.
Had the life of the dear girl been sud-
denly destroyed by the careless dis
charge of a pistol, fired by some one
who did not stop to consider in what d.
rection he was pointing, the consterna-
ton and sorrow of the family could
scarcely have been greater. Frank Nc
Allister knelt at the side of the insen-
sible girl, giving vent to his feelings in
an agony of grief.
In the meantime, the young block
head by whose criminal folly the mis-
chief had been done, was lodging
around in . dozen directions, telling
everybody how very sorry he was for
what had happened, and asking each
one TO tell him what service he could
render. He subsidized, however, and
made himself less prominent, after hav-
ing been repeatedly told that his i'm
mediate departure from the scene of the
trouble would crafty everyone there.
But the blow that had fallen upon the
heart of the afflicted lover was too Sc
we're to permit an immediate reaction
even in the way of resentment against
the author of the trouble. The joyful
hope that filed his whole soul an hour
before had given place to sorrow that
seemed to have gone through every
nerve of his life.
The terrible shock was followed, as
the doctor predicted il would be, by q
typhomania, that continued three weeks
tho patients life, in the meantime,
being suspended in balance which the
weight of feather might turn.
At the end of that time the malady
began to take different form. The
cerebral excitement appeared to have
exhausted its force and to be passing
away, bat the light Of reason did MOI
return. The one terrible thought, thai
her lover had been crushed 10 death
hnd gone through and possessed hel
whole mind, and there did not seem 3,
be any way to remove IL.
The first question she asked, when
looking as IL making an effort TO reason
once more, was how long il would b.
before she could go To Franks funeral
When assured that he was not dead
but still alive, and actually IN the room
mt that moment, the meaning of th'
words did not seem TO enter her mind
for she again repeatedly asked, in |
pleading way;
Please let mo go to Franks flu
neralin
Her lover. who had been with her, o.
near her, almost continually, then came
forward. and, sitting down beside her
took one of her hands, saying:
II am not dead. dear Florence! i an
alive and here with you"
But his kind words only brought
bewildering stare.
"Youl Who are your" she asked
IL do not know you! j never saw yo'
before You are not my dear Frank
he is dead; and now they Will not even
let me 90 to his funeral Did you know
Frank you look some like him, and
believe you are trying to pass yourself
for him. Go away from mel you troubl
met
There is hope in her case. !" said tn
doctor. when at his next visit this Incl