Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-04-21
4 STRANGE STORY.

-
in the Boston BRdgG:
Among the stories CT real life which /
have heard told at the capital, onc Of the
styaEgcst was % Il widow in Virginia, who
was lcEl Hiti. several children, among them
& very beautiful daughter about fifteen years
OF age. The widow, finding herself embar-
las,set. opened boarding-hOusc at the
county site, aud among her boarders was 4
Mr. w., Il wealthy merchant, over forty
vcal, OF age. but a very fine looking man.
The gentleman was the prop and stay OF
the family gave employment to the sons,
and educated The daughter at q fashionable
academy aud, very naturally, on her re,
turn fell desperately III love with her, when
ne should have preferred the mother. He
pressed his suit with perseverance, but the
beautiful Mildred resisted his appeals and
the imporlunities of all her friends. Finally,
however, after two years of asSduitv and
delicate @alantry on the part OF Mr.. W.,
and the combined tears. cntreatleS, threats
an,! prosecutions of her family, the fair girl
relucial,tl: stood before the altar and be-
came his Wife The next evening large
party w:;s given them, but in the midst
of il Mr.. W., being attacked with
vertigo and sick headache, was com.
PEELED 10 withdraw. His young wife
hung ever him in the silent watches of
the night, apparently in deep distress, and
insisted OH giving him apotion; she poured
Out a Wiueglasstul Of laudanum, and he
swallowed ii unconscious Of It's nature. 1t
acted ;is an emetic, but left him stupid and
wandering. His senses reeled. One mo-
nl.ut he lav mOtiunlc@s as il on the brink OF
the slyi! world. and the next he would
leap up conyuisiycly, 4 strong man in his
AGONY. Mrs. ". ,icned all admission into
his chamber. At length he fell into !, dead
sleep. She then stopped for Il moment over
the .mouilcriu" cmbcrS, approache" the
hci uaHrd nj her sleeping husband, and
holding :; heated iadi" III her hand at
tempted to pour II stream ot melted lead III
nj~ ear. 81" trcmbeG, and the kissing
iioui,;. intended TO ScaId the brain and thus
xiii without trace, fell upon his check. Hc
2nr!akcG in cxCrlIciat!ng torture, and tho
revclerS III The adjoining saloon rushed into
the chamber.
There writhed the still stupid husband,
the lead rivetcd deep into his check, aud
lherr stood the iicnd-wiic, he! bridal iiiIeis
vt; upon hcr brow, the instrument Gt death
in her hand and an empty vial, labeled
laudanun, lying on the floor. The fearful
realities or The cause flashed upon every
one. and, in the confusion ol the moment,
she was nUfGlcN away ANA tal>ti W tHotuo1
State. On searching tnu apartments an old
magazine was found containing The conies-
sion Of a woman who had murdered five
husbands By pouring lead into their ears.
The !audalum aad the lead. it WAS ascer-
tanned. she procured from the store of Mr..
W. :. few days before the marriage, and the
ia!iie was part of Ills wedding gifts. The
GRAND Jury next morning found a bill against
the fugitive, and The Legislature, being II
session. forthwith tlecrccd an absolute di-
yorce What renders this case mere extra
ordinary Was that Miss L. was proverhial
for th, biandncSs Of her manners aud unl-
form sweetness Of disposition. The sequel
of this romance is yet more singular. Years
rolled away, and W. continued q Wretchcd
aud solitary man, but The spell OF the en-
chan!.e5s was still upon his soul. He closed
MS store sold his estates, collected his ample
means and traced her 10 her distant retreat,
! 10 maica new oiler Of his hand. She had
| lust married u gentleman 0! high standing
acquainted with all tho details OF her career
| shUddering at The tragedy, but incapable OF
| resisting her charms. Poor W. Then,
| indeed, did the iron enter his soul. THE
deadly arrnw Guvcrcd in his side his
early love, his huctuating courtship, his
marriage anG !hc catastrophe, the flight, the
divorce, his years OF misery, the new birth
| of his passion and now his disappointment.
final and forever, came crushing over him
| like an iceberg in the tide Of bitter memories,
and he prayed for death.