Death Under Peculiarly Sad Circumstances
Obituary, Norfolk, VA - January 11, 1877

During Christmas week several boys in sport, placed a lot of firecrackers in a barrel under the window of the dormitory of the Wesleyan Female Seminary at Murfreesboro, and set the poppers off. Several of the school girls were very much frightened at the startling report, one of whom, MISS BETTIE ADAMS, of this county, was so shocked by the fright that it completely shattered her nervous system. She continued so ill that her parents were sent for, and on Thursday she had rallied sufficiently to justify the hope that she might be taken home, where the physicians thought that she would be more likely to recover. She arrived with her parents on the cars and was taken to the American House, and although every care was bestowed upon her that the thoughtfulness of kind friends and a skillful physician could suggest, she sank rapidly, and died about two hours after arriving in this city. The proprietors of the American House were unceasing in their attentions to the bereaved family. The deceased young lady's father, Mr. Levy P. Ames, had her remains conveyed to his residence near Churchland, where they will be interred. It has never been our duty to chronicle a more sorrowful occurrence than the death of this young lady, who was stricken down at the seemingly untimely age of 16 years, and in the bloom of youthful ambition. This should be a lesson to the young to remember that in the midst of life we are in death.

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Donated by Cupid In Hell who comments, "They don't write 'em like this anymore -- and besides that, people don't die like this anymore! Can you think of a modern instance of a teenage girl (or anyone else, for that matter) dying a LINGERING death from fright?" No, I certainly cannot - can you?

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Dreadful Sentiments...