Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-02-08
DEAD ON THE FLOOR.

AN OLD MAN DIES IN A SUDDEN SICKNESS IN
LONELY DUMSfERsToN FARM HOUSE, WHILE
HIS AGED MOTHER LIES NEAR UNABLE TO
HELP HIM.
Last Saturday about noon Chesselton Stock
well, weak minded man of about GO years.
was found lying dead upon the floor of the
house, in the southwest corner OF Dummer.
ston, where he and his mother, Mrs. Anna
Stockwel had lived by themselves for years
In the same room with the body the nged
mother lay in bed without food or fire, and it
appeared things had been thus for two days
the man having sickened and died on
Thursday, and the mother, unable to do any
thing for herself or him, had covered herself
in bed to await, as patiently as she might
the coming of help.
The house where these two eccentric peo-
pie have spent their lives is situated on the
hill road from West Brntteboro to Williams
vile. 1t stands a mile and q half or two
miles beyond the top of Wicopee hill ard on
ly few rods beyond the point Coward Will
liamsvile) where the road crosses Stickney
brook, the outlet of Marlboro North pond
The neighborhood is a lonely one, and in
winter is desolate and almost forsaken. The
buildings are old and in decay, and a better
picture could hardly be found than the whole
place presents of that forsaken, gone. to ruin
appearance which marks so many of the old
time thriving hOmesteads in remote New
England neighborhoods.
Mrs Stockwell, the mother is 80 years old
and for more than year has been in bed and
helpless through the infrmites of old age
The story which she told to those who found
and succored her was that during Wednesday
night her son was seized with a fit, or with
some sort of mortal sickness. She told him
to get upon her bed, and he attempted to do
so, but fell upon the floor before tho fire in
the old-fashioned open fire. place. He was in
great distress and helpless. She fually man
aged to get out of bed and reach him. She
moved him little away from the fire and put
pillow under his head, but this was all she
could do, and soon after he died The old
woman crawled back into bed the fire went
out, and she covered herself as warmly as
she could and awaited developments. Sl,ur-
day morning she contrived to get to a cup
board in the room where she found two or
three cookies and ate them, and this was all
she had 10 eat in this time
About noon on Saturday Frank Morse, n
farmer who lives on the top of Wicopoe hill,
and whom the town of Dummerston appoint.
ed guardian of these two people, went around
to see how they were getting on, and found
the condition of things which we have de.
scribed. q. Il. Wheeler and Densow Stock
well, neighbors living toward Williamsyille,
Portable, the body of her son was deccntly
cared for, and on Monday his funeral was
held.
A story which has become current in some
! quarters and been sent to the daily papers,
that here was a case of heartless neglect in
| (so-called) Christian community, does not ap.
| pear to be borne out by the facts in the case.
| As has already been intmated, these two peo.
/ pie were eccentric, and were living in Just the
] IoI "a hoA Incl 81 La
ing for years. The son, though OF weak
mind, was able to care for his mother after IA
fashion which che thought sufficient He
could fetch the wood and tend the fire, pre-
pare their meals, and take care of the COW
and ono or two other creatures in the old
umble-iown barn. Until within o year or
two both mother and son were familiar figures
both in this village and in Willamsville. They
were accustomed to drive to both villages
with team as antiquated as they themselves
to sell q few farm products and to make few
necessary purchases Their farm, as we un-
derstand, was in charge of Mr.. Morse, the
guardian. He managed it, and If the balance
left above expenses was not enough to sup
port his wards the town of Dummerston
made up the deficiency.
We are told that the Dummerston authori-
ties wished this winter, to put some one in
to the house to live with and care for them,
out mr5. OLOCkWell prOtehtou against Bucl al
arrangement. She and her son had always
lived in this way and cared for themselves,
and why not now? As q compromise it was
finally arranged that Mrs. Luce, neighbor
living on the old road to Marlboro, should go
there one or two days in a week. as might be
necessary to cook for them, wash, and put
the house TO rights; the guardian was to look
in on them occasionally, and for the rest
i mother and son were sure they could get on
together by themselves.
The case was one of class such as con-
stantly develops in every remote neighbor-
hood, where people have lived all their lives
in a rut-where they have grown into their
peculiar surroundings as tree grows into the
soil-and where If the person is forced out
of his beaten track, only misery and unhap-
piness result. phase of life is here, entire
ly natural and human, which people who herd
together in towns, have no conception of un-
ill they are brought in contact with it. 1t is
indeed tragical and shocking that, in these
days Of railroads, telegraphs telephones, and
every manner of quick communication and
personal comfort and luxury, an old woman
of 90 should lie for two days and nights, food
less, freless, helpless, with the dead body OF
her son on the floor before her eyes, but, in
the light which we now have, the case does
not seem to be chargeable to unnatural OF
wanton neglect
Mrs Stockwell has numerous distant rela-
tives living in this vicinity, but We learn thai
she has only one remaining child, a son in
California. She still protests against leaving
the old place, and it is probable that some ar
rangement will be made to care for her there
while she lives