Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-11-15
DO Hearts Really Break ?n

This question is asked in the Home
Journal. Do hearts really break?-always
in the metaphysical meaning. Is the
shock ever so violent and permanent that
| life loses forever after a considerable
portion of the comfort and happiness it
| formerly had? Does not the deceived
| friend. whom the frenzy of the first
twenty -four hours is over, soon recover
from his dissolution and not only conduct
his business as though nothing important
had happened, but eat with undiminished
appetite and sleep dreamlessly and well?
Does'Werther, even if he abstains from
suicide, always live on with heart which
simply performs its muscular duty, in q
manner more or less impaired, to be sure,
but which never more beats to passion,
because passion can never more be felt?
Are there not Camilies who forget their
ATmands as they conquer their consump-
| ton aud settle down into unremorseful
and demi-respeetable middle age?
| Do Unreasonable disappointments al
ways make existence a desert? Is there
not such thing as forgetfulness of acute
miseries stead of rnemorizipg them in
to chronic griefs? Does not the e1-
pectant treatment often cure the most
bruised and bleeding soul-expectancy
that still looks for happiness both in
| this world and in the world to
come? Is there no true philosophy in
that vulgar maxim which reminds Us
there are as good fish in the sea as ever
were taken out? Can it be possible that
any two souls, in spite of vast diver
gencies, are so made for each other that
when sundered by imperative fate neither
again can ever find a twin?
Not long ago one of the DEMOCRATS
exchanges presented long article, writ
| ten by a noted physician, on "death
| caused by fright" Soon after reading
the article the writer of this wit
messed ga case in question" cat had
captured a mouse-the little rodent fall
ing into the arms Gas you might say of
the domestic animal of the genus Felis, in
most innocent manner. The cat ham
died its victim in the most careful man
ner-the feline toyed with the little rod
ent-endeavored TO make (to all appear
ances) playmate of it. The poor little
thing was allowed 10 "gtt away" dis
lance of few feet, and then it was quick
ly apprehended. But every move on the
| part of the cat was made in the most
"gingerly" manner. The little mouse
soon began to pant and culver. It's
breathing was terribly rapid. The cat
would paw the little thing, o, SO tenderly
at times. But the agony of the victim
| increased, and ia moment
highly expansive throbs, turned instantly
| upon it's back and died! The handling
of the cat had caused no injury. Fri, hit,
then, was the cause of death in this in
slant.
It might be thought that the person
who looked on and allowed this torture,
even unto death, is wicked-cruel in the
extreme. But is it true? God made the
mouse and the cat. And he created in
the cat a propensity to lay in wait for
capture, kill and eat mice. God, in
other words, appear to have made one
animal to fall victim to The other. And
taking this view of the matter the
DEMOCRAT men rather found delight in the
death struggle of the mouse-it evidently
being one of the great wonders of the
Creator,