PURSUED BY FATE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 954, 23 June 1868, Page 3

PURSUED BY FATE.

„':- • . ; '" P'i. DProm; the ' Sydney 3^.' : |ia^.3^l|iy^fl c: of DecemSjlh^l|e^3 s .Grace 1852, there was residing'at^slit|%l a station near Casino,. on the^dßichmond^f 1 . man already past the. prime of life^-sKe#i i herd, Joseph --r-;,weli;peiiapsM*™| l be as well not to mention mames, : ;a^hli# f man is still, /firing with&faf&w -iriile^l I Sydney^, me then ;simplyscair-I^ii > Joseph... He had: been iorysome ; -^m|W „ shepherdv in the employment: of- Capt4in-1 • Harsh, a squatter in that part of theeojriiti^i try,, and had the. reputation of lieinpll [steady man and a good shepherd; Hehadai : a faiivambuntofeducatiori, ; could read anoT 1 ! write well, and had at the time beeh^marrTl ried about: ten. ;y ears. He i was ra&erJafl small than a big man,, but appeai'ed - wiryriffl and activer-in^spite of the : fifty and 'ooy years- which had passed-over his headlS His wife, on the contrary, *was tall, stout|fet robust,- and- powerful; sufficiently sbi;lbfS have been :able to hold her : own against >«l her husband In a fair handto hand strugrfif igle.: ;This: couple had five' children cheer their home ; three boys, one about'^ seyen } . -another about six years okL ihe?-} third ; an infant in arm 3 of ; only a fevvl?? months, old; and two girls, one between^? four and five, and the o^her about three ■-P--7.™™°- To all appearance this family v 'l lived happily enough together. The wife --* r ? .^as never, heard to complain, of the hus- ip band, nor did the husband breathe a word"" -c against the wife. They hadfived in the/l district since their marriage, sufficiently;-! 'weJlrespected by their employers, to whom <is they always did their duty faithfully. By A 5 dmt of steadiness, they hadbeen gradually ll accumulating property round them, and i| .had horses, cattle, and poultry of their P% own. . They had thus a most comfortable %s bush home, the rations supplied from the station being turned into abundance by- > the milk, butter, eggs, and vegetables,^ which they were enabled to, add. Altogether everything seemed topromise very A fairly for the future of Joseph. ' Pyi But a storm was already ; hanging oyer the happy home, and threatening at no"^ distant period to burst upon it and render it desolate, y The children were "all robust 'ili and healthy,, just as you would expect - : children to be,, reared in the bush, with ' p the strength-giving breezes of the mouh- ~ ? tains playing upon.them from morning ib '-4 night. . They were fuU of life, and health =; and vigour, and yet with that faulty judgement so often shown by peoplein the bush; Af the parents were accustomed to give them '-•- periodical physiekings. A stock of mag- vl nesia, rhubarb, and flower of sulphur was Af usually kept on hand, and for every petty r 1 adment one or the other of these medicines^- , was administered, and even when no ail- ■ * • ment showed itself, the flower of sulphur- Z r was administered whenever it was thought !f- --. that so long a period had elapsed since the '---' last dosing ad to render the medicinal safe- : H i guard necessary. On theselast occasions, . Joseph, hke^the celebrated : Mr. Squeers - , ot - 2\ • ■ - IS . % Meb y notoriety, had most^ : confidence in the salutary effects of brim- "^ ;, stoneandhoney— not treacle, for that was difficult to be got in, the wilds ■of the Eich- r P mond Eiver ranges— but honey, which was V plentiful, and supplied :in ..any quantity -•'" from the surrounding bush. -i. In this month of December 1852, Jo- -A seph had received from Sydney a fresh : supply pf medicines, and as he had been for a long time out of stock in this respect, : , and as the children had been consequently V exempt , from their morning -doses, it wat'"^ determined between the shepherd and his wife to take advantage of the occasion, and at once to give, the youngsters a good physicking all round. A quantity of the : medicine was mixed, up by the wife and administered to the. children': In order to induce the youngsters to, accept the unpalatable mixture—for medicines, even though they be disguised in 'honey, are unpalatable to children— the mother, in that spirit of self-sacrifice so truly maternal, swallowed a portion of each spoonful herself. It was riot till later, however, '' v that sho knew the real extent of the sacrifice she was making. Twice a week during four weeks was this brimstone and J: honey administered; until at last one day ? r the mother,' who always, for' the satisfaction of the children, took a portion of each spoonful herself, found in the small quantity she had taken'ihtb her mouth, a minute substance which, she took for a peb- . ble. ' \Removing it" from' her mouth, she examined jt, and found it to be bluestone. : brimstone was. administered that morning, and in the evening when ' Joseph came home with his sheep his wife "'•' shewed him. what she had discovered, and P asked, with some anxiety, whether it was ; | likely to do, them any harm. Joseph v thought not. It .was merely a small piece 'i that had got in the brimstone accidentally, t and most probably, there was no more. I However, to make sure, she' had better ■"1 give the children no more brimstone. And 1 Joseph had his supper, smoked his pipe, I and went to bed, dismissing the matter f altogether from his mind. . For had not the brimstone only just been received from Sydney, and how could any bluestone get ~ into it, even if he had any in the place, and there, was none— no, not a speck. The physicking was put a stop to, but 1 the children, who seemed to have been more affected by it than by former dosings, did not get any better for the cessation. They had already been much purged, and 'P now the purging became almost incessant, '"•• accompanied with vomiting and violent retchings that almost convulsed those little bodies. The unfortunate father was in despair. Unable to leave his sheep, he did the next best thing, and wroto to his V employer, informing him of the dangerous 'i state the children were in, and requesting 1: him to send at once for the doctor. This : v letter was despatched by a trustworthy r messenger, and, immediately on receiving H it, Captain Harsh sent off for the dootor, 4 and then went himself to the station to see % if there was anything he could do. t In outiof the-way parts of the country, such as the Eichmond Eiver was in 1852, .medical practitioners are not numerous! * The doctor usually sits himself down in ! the locality where population is most numerous, arid then attends to the wants of all A who choose to apply to him, these coming at times from distances varying from fifty 1 to a hundred miles; In the present in- : 1 stance the doctor lived fifty miles away, ■•': i and having his hands full of patients in his % more immediate neighbourhood, he was '"-ii unwilling to neglect them by an absence '*! of three days, which was the least time 'I that a visit to the distant station would : ? entail. He therefore took note of the '" symptoms, pronounced the disorder dysen- Ay tory, and forwarded by the messenger ''■"''} medicines for its relief Before this me- "--ki dicine reached the sheep station the young- •"£! est of the girls had sunk under the vio-' rl§ lonce of the attack and died in the most -if excruciating agony— an agony, that would yf§ have rent the heart even of a careless, 'on- '- ; '";ss looker. How must it have been then with: K| the poor mother, herself a sufferer to :a v 3 smaller extent from the same disorder that - : lM was gradually killing her children? .., Arid -HM how. must iti have been with the poor shep< v|| herd, compelled to carry his anguish with- : 4lf him into the busli, as day by day he led: ; ;^l his flock: forth to feed ? ' • - y :' r ■ _ The owner of the station did all that lay;, 3: in: his power* visited tho hut almost daily,;/ - -^ and gave such advice as to the treatrrient;. J^lt of the sick as his limited medical experiencey; fft| suggested. : But the children got worsj&^lfe and almost every evening the heart-brqkeri P im

Ipli£|[iel^ ifpos#m^ of 'tlie;§dbctor. length ' ttie elder of ythe girls began to ( aSHowJthpse symptoms; of disp^Oliltapp:- which.had/ marked the 'last hours jf^pnl; e^r^:ofihe y QUiigetf and weaker child. .• ■ mortal agony iii^aot^6|^and Joseph j tender-hearted father t^s^!^As^cq^d v hot ; bear to witness the '.^jfight^^^ when he TbeTOt^nedr-hpihe with his sheep. Deter>ijMrfeS^in;his^.despar^ to act for himself, lo he saddled bheofhis horses and started off :& io Ifetch; ithe/dbotprY his mind made up to ■ ife^agvMm'to the -spoti? rather than let him jli'i'esoa^ei^v.Unforl^ately, the season was a r-fciWet'paei'-ih^'-weather at the time was parSis and the night was datk sbssas:;pitch;-' aha' "thus it that X^Jbse^pjai>rip doubt in his anguish of ;rr*imssed:theJtraok, : lost- his way, and at davit morning found himself in sight ■ii-sj6f the^ head .station, withhishorseknocked •7' tip, and he himself ; dead beat with his n:f nh|ht ? sirai^e!Buui tunable to go fiirther. ij>J^fttkihg. '.one'. moire appeal to Mr. 1 Harsh to r'\ : sen4»;:^ , liis:o>i>aoi'^';as/-ia magistrate, for i y ihe dbctor,^ Joseph returned tp his home, l,v,; aTterflreceiyingilius master's assurance that ».:V^e"; doctor isKpidd: come.' r -: y ; }-r^e^Teaphed"hiß hut, however, only to " J find his vvife^ '-"who/ had; hitherto ' suffered >onlymWminpr\degree : , completely prosI i! : tTate.dCun.der/an. attack how little less viru/.^^le&^tliiim/tnat^"under- which heiv children ,;.were suffering: ;; The poor infant also suffered^ with the; rest, for it had imbibed the ; poison from , its . Once more he sent in to; his 'imasteri informing him of .'ythe-additibhar^ /calamity that threatened,' - : from the. Toss of his:' wife, and once more , beseeching him to send for the doctor. PyißefoTd ;the/messenger returned the elder ;'fgirliwa§ f released ? from torture, and had ;y--;^bl^tie^ r relief : fr6m death. In the midst '.of aU^his "/sufferings, /however, there ap--v'peared phe *ay r of hope, for his messenger. ybrbught back thei good tidings that the . jdbctor had arrived at the head-station, and •y.?;that he, would'; visit Joseph's family the ;;;^ first' thing in : ; the i morning. : yip OnP^ peculiariiry of the disease under '*■ "two bhildreh 'had succumbed / was'that;the bodies of its -victims turned /' black- almost humediately; after death ; and , '^ that in : the course of two- or three, hours /"they^smfelt-mbstoffensiveily. 1 Thus, poor V -/-.Joseph, With his heart heavy for the . fate '• ! pfhis remainmg ; 'children, i Ms/ , mind anxi!;:pus'aboutV^he precarious ! .position of his ;*TOfe,*;and.his grief still fresh for the loss of -/-his daughter,/ had at once to. set about ; his ; little one j then to intier the • body. ] ' Daylight ! had already appeared be- • -forehis. task was completed, but with the. F« dayKght came 1 hop 1 c, for the doctor was to y ; visit them early ih the morning. . So Jo- •-• [ sepiij after a ' sadly busy, night, sat him dpwn 'patiently fo wait!' / Hei' was not/ kept long in suspense. 'Those residents; in the bush are early - risers; and/the : doctpt hotvvithstanding his Iride of fifty miles ' on; the preceding day, rose with th'e^sun, : and in company with 1 Mr; Harsh; 1 rode over to the station. As '-■"--« well as his; grief wotdd let him, the beieaved/'shepherd told the doctor all the circumstances which had attended, the P si(jkness ; and death of his. children; ... /, "It's very strange," said the doctor. „ " Your .children .always appeared to me to be, remarkably healthy, so much so that I 'made light/of your anxiety." : ' ,' Joseph; shook /^ his head sorrowfully. /^; They were indeed a fine lot. of children _ /as ever was 1 seen." He had given up hope, : - for he i already spoke ','bf them in the past. ; '," Had they been eating anything likely ; fio/disagree'-with them ?" -No,: oily a little fruit," answered 1 JpsephiA"and I made my wife prevent /them takuag: more." p -/ ."And'sheisbad'as well as the rest?" ./asked the doctor. , . ' : - /" Yes,", replied' Joseph, wringing his hands' hi agony, " and that is the worst of ..;aU.";,. r lf she. had been spared — — " He was ' overcome, and could say nomore. >w \';-- .-'^What have i they been living oh?" '■■ Z, : ''j , J , ast t ; j imeat'V"Jab'd . bread, the usual ' jrationsj'-mth.aipwl pccasipnally, ;and milk ,/ ,/iuid eggs/Jand vegetables," said Joseph. ; ' : Pp'ML wholesome food," pondered the -•* - doctor^ tiien' turning; a suspicious look '. ii^)n the shepherd— a look that] buried in '^g?ief aSihe. wasj he did, not 'observe, he y asked "Have ypu been, giving them any- ' t^g, any medieihe F ;' :_i: i- , ;ffS"b," , replied Joseph, in his 'frankest : tone,;" notluhg buta little rhubarb; arid /'-s^iß<^es''niagnesia,—^ahd yes-j-" he re:/'membered'it i suddenly, he had almost for•;gbtfen.itvih his' anxiety of^ihdi "yes, "lately they have; been taking a little brim- . 'stone and' honey ." ' : "*' ;/ '^That' cotddn't do'em much harm !" J ' r again'pbhdered ihe doctor, as he eyed Joseph, thoughtfully. --.- -\u Yesy" continued Joseph volubly,' "all ' 'medicines that I have obtained from SydT ney^ Would you like to see them? Do : ' ' look at ' them and tell me if : they are ge-•■'-.nuinei'-' •;'"■■' .<'-'!';''■■;■' " ; ; The'dbctbr/said it was useless, butnoth- -'■ ing; would satisfy Joseph but that he '/■ should see the medicine. JNp result folivlowedjfoi?,the doctor gave/but little heed ki to/ what i was shewn him, ahd was more ':■ v. anxious ito examine :-his patients. When he : came tb talk to the wife, however, he learnt a circumstance which Joseph had i\ omitted to; mention,-^the discovery, of the '■>: small speck of bluestone in the ;brimstone ;anduhoney. /Here at once was a clue. • 'The mixed brimstone, and honey was examined,/aiid bluestone was unmistakably J founidin.it. ;; The^^^ brimstone itsebf, in the ri^paekagein^whichit had come from SydiPjx&y, neit underwent examination, and now (vythat hisattentibn was really fixed upon it, ,-v bluestone in ho ; small quantity was disco- . i.vcredih it.; . In fact so great. was the ;;' quantity, that^considering the amount of / inedieine they; had taken it was almost a y-miraoleihow any one of them had suri..;iyived*"' ■ , V-- ■ - - ' . ; .-^fMattps began to look serious, and Mr. : Harshin his magisterial capacity, directed the:. doctor to make a post mortem exami- .; /nation of the body of the child who had ;.r,.; : died/; the preceding evening. The body ip f^as.exhiuned^and if there had previously -;i*bee4any doubt whatever on the- doctor s Pypmm^i that doubt was removed by the reWpVsultSfbf the autopsy. ; >//;; ; ;i :^P;:caii,picture the despair of the unf*happyrfather under such distressing cirP ipunist^njJes. Two children dead, the others j}^,nptflikely to. recover,; hiswife in danger, i; : i\^nd/all caused ;by the ; negligence of the oji/phemist who supplied the medicine. Poor Ppn. Joseph. iohe - swas: ■ almost distraught, and ;is rayed like a .madman, vowing in. his -de-' t^ 4sbairpp;;mpye heaven, and earth . until he Pp. ;bp:taw^ whom he ;y.^e^ded/'as/the murderers of his children. of> the'ltragedy draws toluu^ardsia^cpnclusion.:; Ffbmthe particulars the ]^jmebUe§l-ppmi6.'^ Capt. Harsh i:(;;drew3^ transmission to iil^heiAttorheiy-G'ene^^^^ leaving; the more be taken/ i^^M^cbgr^aiim ioi the; police,- when ap'^hb^ate/of fthe other children; should have ''o^ti^'^aj^zyil^^ko doc;V;!jto"fc|^d^e|br?Mnd^ l^l^||c^^i^Ko^d"hp;sighs of improve^ i;^^epi^w^^l^;^a^ans6usHx)'go down to !||j#i£||^^ bring the f^l^p^^y^jpj |i|giftiiiy Mtdy if ; not/ to obtain fur-Ip-i^^l^ectionsjlfdr /the patients. W^^^i^i^i^viPiip^P'k-l^P^p- ■"" '

As he was going down to the township, the station letters were given him to post, and:amongst these was the official missive to the Attorney-G-eneral. Before anything else Joseph attended to his master's business by posting the letters, and then he obtained an interview with the doctor, though to little purpose. The latter posi-. ; tively. refused to attend the children^ andhonestly i confessed that.it wasout^ofhis power to do them any good. With^a stern reproof to the doctor for his inhumanity, Joseph returned home and took into his own hand the medical treatment of, his wife and children. He had soon the satisfaction of discovering that his treatment was successful, for one by one they recovered, and he blamed himself for not having earlier taken his own way, " for," said he, " if I had I should now have had my two lovely daughters with me." His mind now at ease, he began to think of taking vengeance upon those whose neglect and carelessness had robbed him of his little ones. He drew out an elaborate statement of the case, and with the papers connected with it forwarded it to the late Gr. R; Nicholls, requesting him to take immediate proceedings against the chemist who had furnished the flour of sulphur. For some cause brother, Mr. Kicholls would not undertake the case, and the papers were transferred to another legal gentleman, who would have taken the matter up, but found that all proceedings were barred at the very outset. On inquiring at the office of the At-torney-Greneral for the official report made by Captain Harsh, it was nowhere to be found, nor was there any record of its having been received. Burning with indignation at the injustice he was compelled to suffer, he wrote to Captain Harsh, complaining that the magisterial statement 'had not been sent in, and that justice was denied to him in consequence; ■and at last he addressed a letter to the Attorney-Generalhimself, laying the whole case before' that high legal functionary, and solemnly demanding justice. I presume the Attorney-General did not see his way clear in the matter, and thought that perhaps the best way of getting rid of so pertinacious a claimant ■ of justice would be to ignore him altogether, and so Joseph's letter was never answered. Thus the Unfortunate'man was left without redress. The lamentable death of the two innocent children was never sifted to its' first cause, and by degrees the terrible occurrence faded out of memory. And here the curtain falls upon the first act of the tragedy.