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Essays and addresses

Pitcairn; but the doctor was out and he did not call in anyone less renowned.

At noon of that day, the terrible tragedy occurred: the table was set for dinner, apparently some awkwardness on the part of the apprentice brought on an attack of furor, which had been feared and which was far from unlikely to occur to anyone in Marys physical and mental condition, with the diathesis she undoubt- edly had and the prevalence of matters which irritated and annoyed her.

She snatched up a "case-knife", which was lying on the table and made an attempt to stab the girl; the frightened apprentice ran round the room in the effort to escape the mad woman, and Mary pursued; the crazed one threw the table- forks at random around and wounded her father, sitting in quiet ; she kept up the pursuit of the apprentice, and when her mother protested against what she was doing and tried to quiet her, she stabbed her to the heart, killing her instantly.

Charles arrived in the room just at this juncture and wrested the knife from her hand in time to prevent further bloodshed ; then he went to the assistance of his father who was bleeding from a wound in the forehead where he had been struck by one of the flying forks; "Aunt Hetty" was lying insensible and apparently dying; and unhappy Mary stood dazed and helples On the following day, an inquest was held and a verdict rendered in accordance with the facts, Mary being found insane and not respon- sible for her act Some of the biographers say that she was put in an Asylum for a time, but the fact seems to be that sufficient interest was brought to bear upon the authorities that this was spared her, and she was given into the custody of her brother.

His tender care of her for the remainder of their lives is too well-known to require retelling.