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| Bell’s Life in Sydney and Sporting Reviewer, Sat 21 Apr 1855 p 1 - found using Trove |
On Monday morning last, the residents of Alloway
Bank were thrown into a state of consternation
(found
poem from Bell’s Life in Sydney and
Sporting Reviewer, Sat 21 Apr 1855 p 1, reporting a story from the Bathurst Free Press, April 7 1855)
About 3
o'clock that morning her husband called her
as she
approached him, said
"
stop where you are
and
listen to what I have to say."
a pistol
in his hand
a candle
burning on the table
she attempted
to wrest the pistol
out of
his hand, but could not
"
keep off or you will be shot,"
“ there
is some money in my trowsers,
and a
year's salary coming in ;
my
misery is too great for me to live."
She left at once,
as fast as she could
to the gardener's hut
called Peers,
told him Jonathan was going to shoot himself.
Peers and James Richards, who was sleeping there, started
for the cottage
entering
the room
found
Her
husband
lying on
his back on the floor,
his left
hand resting upon his breast.
blood
upon his person
from his
mouth to his feet
lying cross-legged
and quite dead
A pair
of pistols on the table
a
double-barrelled fowling-piece by his side
He was
very impatient under pain
little son
Thomas
George Austin
a boy about
9 years old
on his
knees in bed
(c) Melinda Smith, 2016
If you need to talk to someone, call Lifeline 13 11 14, or beyondblue.org.au 1300 22 4636
If you need to talk to someone, call Lifeline 13 11 14, or beyondblue.org.au 1300 22 4636
Devestating. Important work, Melinda. Want to talk to you more about it.
ReplyDeleteSuch strong poems. This poem's ending is heartbreaking and is a symbol for all that those left behind go through after suicide, I think.
ReplyDelete