St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-12

a. M WlnuOW, Wnere a
]. ~uUU ing forward in the atti-
= ~ tude of one who is OBJ
serving something in
tently. She was clad in simple black
gown. The graceful lines of her form
and the shape of her slender hands,
which were clasped loosely in her lap,
showed plainly her youth. Yet her
hair, white as snow and fine, gathered
in knot low down upon her neck. Her
face was one never to be forgotten. 1t
was not fresh and white, as one would
expect in young woman, but dead
and lifeless ashen grey, that contrasted
strangely with her snow-white hair.
But this was not what made it remark
able.
The range of expression of the human
features is almost unlimited. But the
expression of this face seemed to trans
cend the power of even human features.
In every line, in every swollen vein and
muscle, in the great staring, distended
eyes, whose pupils were expanded until
Onlya nerve line of gray iris could be
distinguished, in
THE DILATED NOsTRII.S,
in the compressed and pallid lips that
seemed to be ever SuppreSSing cry of
anguish that ever rose to them, horror,
absolute and unutterable horror, was
written. Agony, terror, misery, too
profound for tears, were there also. but
high above them all could be read this
frightful horror that seemed to only
family express itself.
At first one would think it was mask
that some marvellous genius had carved.
But then the humanneSS of the express
sion was too apparent. The soul that
was thus giving vent to itself was too
near at hand. Terrible indeed was the
picture presented by that quiet, patient,
almost girlish form, crowned by that
awfnl face in its setting of white.
sit is always that way" said the Of
ficer. ''Sleeping or waking, the eX-
preston never changes in the least.
The features were nodded into that
form, and then, as it were, frozen"
In his private Office he told the story
OF how the young woman became thus
transformed into living and breathing
statue of horror.
II think when have finished" said
he, ''yOu will agree with me that hers
is the saddest, and at the same time the
most frightful story you ever heard.
''She was brought here about two
years ago by her older brother, who re-
lated all the particulars to me. l told
him then that her case was probably in
durable. She was left with us with in
structiOnS that no expense should be
spared in making her comfortable. That
was two years ago. She was then nine
teen. When not quite eighteen she was
10 MARRIED TO YOUNG PHYSICIAN
of her native town, who, by skill and
attention, had gained an extensive
practice. In every way they seemed
! happily mated. She was beautiful, of
happy disposition and had been en-
gagged to him since early childhood.
F 1sHe had sufficient wealth to make the
match desirable from worldly point
I of view. Yet her relatives had always
looked on the engagement with dis
favor. They warned her that there was
insanity in his family, and that he him.
sself was subject to fits of melancholy,
9 but she laughed at their warnings and
married the man she loved. Nothing
could have been happier than the first
year of their married life. He was no
; longer melancholy, and seemed to be
more devoted with each passing day. In
June the young wife became mother,
and there was new joy in the little fam
lily. The young physician loved his
child passiOnately, for its own sake and
because she was its mother.
LAS the first anniversary of the wed
ding came around, they determined to
celebrate it with especial rejoicing, as
it marked an era in their happiness.
The evening before-it was the evening
of the Goth of Augustine young physi-
clan, for the first time since his mar
riage, seemed melancholy and depressed.
The summer had been hot, and the de-
mandS upon his services many. His
wife asked him some question, and he
censured her impatiently. almost
harShly. The tears came to her eyes.
He instantly repented, and all was sun
shine again. Presently she said: Il am
going to mothers for few minutes to
tell her to come over early tomorrow
morning.
TAKE CARE OF BABY
while Pm gone. You need not come
after me, as shall be home long before
dark. She spent an hour with her
mother, then started home through the
dark. The walk was short, and the
neighbOrS soon saw her pass in at her
own door with light, happy step. Ex-
actly what happened in the physicians
house that night will never be known.
The next morning early the mother, ac-
cording to promise, came over. Knock
lug at the door and finding it unattached
she walked in. annie! Annier she
called. Her daughter did not reply land
I the mother went up the stairs thinking
to find her in her bedroom She opened
the door. The room was brilliantly
lighted with gas, and the blinds were
closed. The Mortified woman almost
fell over the body of her son-in-law,
sprawled upon the floor in great pool
of blood, with his handsome face set
white and CHASTITY. A fearful cash
across his throat and dissecting knife
clutched in his right hand told the story
of suicide. The mother screamed and
looked wildly round, expecting to see
the dead body of her daughter also.
Tied to the bed-pOst, with her hands be-
hind her back and a
GAG ACROSS HER MOUTH
was Annie, while her face was Just as
you Saw it to-day. The wide, staring
iieyes were gazing at something. The
mother turned to see what it was. She
saw sight that made her bury her face
In her hands and reel, sick and faint, to
a chair. The table had been drawn
close to the woman bound to the bed.
On it was the body of her little child,
Hdissected 1t before its mothers eyes. Its
head was severed from the body its eyes
were gouged out and hung down upon
its waXen cheeks. The brain had been
taken from the skull. The clothing had
abeen torn from its body, and, with the
skill and nicely of physicians hand,
the father had removed the entrails,
Heart and lungs and laid them in heap
at one side.
40 "This was the scene that the gas
lighted up on the anniversary day of
their wedding. Through all the hours
/ Of the night the mother had gazed on
that sight. With fascinated eyes she
had watched the maniac father at his
hellish work. With hideOus interest
her eyes had been glued on the spec
tacle, while she was powerleSs and
dumb. Probably she had seen him re-
cover his senses, and, realizing what he
had done faka