Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/557

 Was expected to meet his bride—at the altar. S— had been betrothed since July of last year. He was 38 years old, the son of a surgeon. His fiancee was a most estimable and attractive young lady of this city, also for awhile a teacher, and the daughter of a well-known architect and builder. The pair were much attached to one another, as would be supposed, but certain matters as to S— … (confidential to some of his most intimate friends only) have been ominous from the first. Until the engagement with the young lady, Herr S— had led the most reserved of lives, occupied only with his profession and his mother, between whom and this only son a specially close attachment existed—the admiration of their friends. In November, the mother and son took a pleasanter and larger dwelling, in K—gasse, which also was to be the home of the pair. The betrothal met with general congratulation by the friends. The wedding was set for yesterday, at half-past twelve, in the Karlskirche, and the dinner was to follow, in a hotel. S— is spoken of as having passed the preceding evening in the best of spirits, at the home of his betrothed, which he left at ten o'clock. At eight in the morning, he was found on the floor of his room with a pistol-shot in his right temple. He recovered consciousness for an instant or so, but could not speak—and died in a state of coma. The fatal shot was not heard in the house. Mrs. S— the mother was leisurely dressing for the happy event of the morning, when the news of the tragedy was broken to her. As soon as she had recovered consciousness, (but hardly within an hour) and could control her grief, she sent word to the family of the bride, who immediately countermanded the day's ceremony as best they could. The Karlskirche was decorated tastefully with flowers, and majority of the guests were already assembling there, or preparing to drive to the wedding. The news was of melancholy effect, the more as the deliberateness of Herr S—'s action was mentioned. Many guests were at different hotels in the city, and did not hear of the death till they reached the church or hotel. Among the deeply-moved friends of the teacher was one favourite pupil, a lad of sixteen, who presently came to the deceased young man's house, weeping bitterly to "lose so kind, so good a teacher" …… It is said that S—, day before yesterday, sent a registered letter to a person in particularly close relations with him, announcing his intention. The motive of the suicide arises in certain tragic circumstances of a familiar nature. The bereaved mother is without consolation. Recently she has had grave mental anxieties, and she had hoped that henceforth her days would pass in peace. The outlook for her is sad indeed."

[Hercules Baths, Hungary]:—"Yesterday Major M. C—of the S—Garrison, who has been a guest here at a well-known