A CORPSE NURSING A CHILD.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3138, 24 April 1883, Page 3

A CORPSE NURSING A CHILD.

Mollie L. Taylor, seventeen years of age, a servant in the employ of Mrs Francis P. Smith, of 4007 Locust street, was found by her mistress, reclining in a rocking chair, dead, and holding the youngest child in her arms, while two others were asleep on the bed. Mrs Smith left her in apparently perfect health that morning, singing as she went about her daily duties, and did not return until four o’clock in the afternoon. Arriving at the house she was surprised to find it closed and the doors locked; and, though she rang the bell persistently, no one answered the call. Fearing that something was 1 wrong she called a policeman to her assistance, and he effected an entrance from the rear, and on entering the bouse at once opened the front door to Mrs Smith. Together they went through the house, the mother trembling with fear and anxiety for the safety of her children. On entering the bedroom, a cry of horror escaped her as she saw the rigid upright corpse of the girl Mollie in the rocking chair, while her’yonngest child nestled on the dead girl’s breast in calm repose. The other two children lay on the bed fast asleep. Mrs Smith took in the situation at a glance, and removed the sleeping babe from the death embrace of the yonng servant, and the body was at once laid put on the floor to await the arrival of the coroner.