Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-08-25
was something extraordinarily fasci.


was added a charm that was far more
attractive than handsome looks. She
was not tall, but both her form and
features were exquisite, and in her
eyes there WAS q depth and tenderness
which / have never seen equaled in
any other face. The world has since
endorsed the opinion I then formed of
her, as it afterward acknowledged her
to be one of the most lovely women of
her time.
They were evidently greatly attached
to each other. 1t was easy to see that
Terrier cherished his wife with fond
! ness and pride; and she sometimes
looked at him with that expression of
trustful affection which gives beauty
| to even the plainest features, and
makes a tace that is already lovely ap-
pear almost divine.
I was much impressed with the hap
| piness of this newly-married pair, and
| for several days afterward my thoughts
constantly required to them. How
full OF hope and happiness did their
| life appear to me; he so strong and
talented, she SO beautiful and loving
1t was scarcely possible to imagine g.
| brighter future than that which seemed
in store for them. But, alas, for the
| uncertainty of human expectations
For only a few weeks later listened
to tidings that taught me, more forci-
| bly, than all the sermons ever listened
to, the futility of mans hopes and the
instability of his happiness.
was seated one morning at break
| fast when q friend of Terriers, bar
rister like himself, entered my room.
| Though slightly known to me, he had
never called on me before, and as he
was pale and visibly agitated I saw
that something serious was wrong.
He sat down without speaking, and /
noticed that his hand was trembling.
Presently he spoke the word "Fer-
| rier," but was unable Or unwilling to
proceed with what he was about to
say. I waited short time and then
asked:
SIS anything the matter with Fer
| rier?"
"Have you not heard?"
"No."
"He is dead, or dying. He has COM
mitted suicide"
uttered an exclamation of horror,
but was too astounded to say more.
cit is terrible" he said; "but he has
inflicted this blow not on himself
alone, but on all who were associated
with him. What will the world say of
our teaching now, when our leader has
taken this means to solve the prob
lem of life? We shall meet, I think,
with well-merited contempt. You
orthodox fellows will have good rea-
son to triumph"
''It is not such q cause as this" [
replied, (which will enable us TO tri-
umph."
Scarcely had this visitor left me
when a note was brought to me.
Though hardly legible, I recognized
Terriers handwriting as I read these
words: "Please come to me at once;
am dying"
| hurried from the house without de.
lay, and, entering cab, told the driv-
er to take me as quickly as he could
to the address which gave him. On
entering Terriers house I was met by
a doctor.
"He is very anxious to see you," he
said, "but will be unable to speak to
you. He has not another hour to
live"
"His poor wife," I inquired, chow is
she bearing up beneath this terrible
trial ?"
s'She was with him when he commit
ted the rash act. She has never been
conscious since, and it is feared she
will lose her reason"
| was then conducted to Terriers
bedside. Death was implanted on his
face; and there was g. bandage beneath
that mouth from which had SO often
heard the winged words OF persuasive
eloquence. On seeing me he smiled
and stretched out his hand toward
mine, but tried in vain to speak. Then
making a sign for the writing materi-
ais, which had been placed in readi-
ness, q pencil and paper were given
him. He was propped up and began
to write, which he did with apparent
difficulty. After wilmington some time
he sank back exhausted. Then he
made a sign that [ should take the
paper, which [ did, and Immediately
sfterward he expired.
On seeing the first words he had
written I knew he had wished me to
retain the paper. so / folded it up and
on my return home read as follows:
"This is meant for your eyes alone
and, during my wife's lifetime, what I
tell you must never be divulged. Dur
ing the last vacation | went for rest
to quiet part of Wales, and there I
formed an acquaintance of a gentle
man of good family, but poor, who
was leading secluded life. He had an
only daughter, and between US mutual
attachment quickly sprang up, but on
my proposing for her hand her father
refused to permit ner to marry me.
When pressed him to state the rea-
sons of his objections, he at length
told me that her mother had inherited
faint of insanity, which in her early
years had nearly led to a fatal act.
All symptoms of the disease, however,
had passed away in her twenty fifth
year. In view of his daughter marry
ing he said he had consulted an emf
nent Paris specialist who for some
time had had her mother under his
care. His daughter had never at any