Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-09-07

cncd soul. The mere consciousness of hodi-
ly contact with the invisibility suggested its
substantiability, but hesitated to make the
first movement, hostile or otherwise. There
was half formed supposition in my mind,
that il stirred there would conc upon me
an onset, by the incubus that could not
withhold this hesitancy to action partly
overcame by the circumspect rising of my left
arm---it was free. Imoycd my right instant.
", and contcmporancously with that move
lnent, the weight upon my face was removed
to my neck. A little more stealthy investi-
CATION, still fearful of an attack by an insid-
uous enemy, and found that my right hand
and the arm as far as the elbow, was tempo
rarily paralyzcd, or in that condition called
"asleep y that the hand was cold and with
out sensibility, and that was the object that
had rested upon my face. -.
OF course was much clatcd 1T the discoy-
cry, and ashamed that had been so easily
alarmed at an accident that was susceptible
of so easy an explanation. In order to give
my wife an account of the absurd occurrence,
turned oyer, my present condition being a
reclination upon my back. In my relief,
consequent upon what considered a correct
texplaIiation Of my fright the weight upon
my chest had been forgotten; no, the change
Of my position recalled it very unpleasantly
and inopportuncly, even before had touch
ed my wife. a'taIa@i ra g.aa a." T.-
! Imagine, if you can, the result of this sud
den knowledge that my oppressor had not
been explained away. Think how quickly
all the reasons which had been carefully re-
yolved from the mental pcrplexities in which
had been entangled, were cffectually con.
troyerted, and how absolutely mystery and
frantic horror again swayed the sccptre.
There was, then, being or thing in the
room that did not belong there, never had
been there previous to that night, and my
deductions were faulty. The result was that
l lost all control over my passions--that
was lashed into fury Of despair, by the fear
Of the presence of a supernatural being.
Clasping the object upon my breast with
my left hand, with my right nervcd with ter
ror knowing no restraint, and nummed to all
sensation of pain by reason of its paralysis, !
struck heavy, treacherous blows. 1t had
| soft hair, and at this pulled and tuggcd, in
this paroxyism Of horror. In my great ag-
ony of mind l shrieked for aid-notwith-
standing my efforts encountered no rcsis-
| tance--and called to Jessie to awaken. There
was no response. The passive submission
to blows Of the object grasped by my left
hand, was extraordinary silence Of my
wife unaccountable. @-'f 'r
| Then, for the first time during the strug.
gle, did think of Jessie's remarkable sound
slumber, and connect herewith the burden
| could not separate the identity of my wife
from that Of the object of my vengeance
Pushing the weight aside, l lcaped from
the bed and lighted the gas. nna'..*f 7
e.,
It was her head-that had so often fon-
| died, playing with its silken tresses- kissing
those dear lps-looking into those lustrous
eyes-that had so confidently reposed upon
my breast. Yet not more than five minutes
had elapsed since my awakening.
can't believe that l am her murderer,
even now, though the law SO seals me with
the crime. ya af~ .E.... ..-
| But the arm, now so shriyeled and with
| cred into its present form, came not so by a
punishment from Heaven After my con.
demnation, doubling as did my agency in
her death, yet hating the instrument that
had known no pity OF gcntleness in its blows,
| held it, that arm, as a sacrifice to my dead
| wife, in the fire, until the flames sapped its
life, blackened its beauty, and burned it out
of all semblance of human form. s-s
There are many reasons why hate it, and
have hated it since that night. l am thank
full that my stay upon earth is SO diminished
When you have lived life Of solitude such
as mine, with a doubt such as mine for an
invisible companion, you too would gladly
| seek it's conclusion.
The convict died that night. The prison
warden confirmed the truth of the convict's
narrative, adding that the mark Of blows up
on the body of his wife-the absence of all
cause to create a sudden death--and the un.
favorable testimony of the witness who had
interrupted their amusement the evening
previous to his wfe's deccase, were formida
ble arguments against the innocence of the
convict. s, III. ..,..,,... ..- .....
That, being convicted he was sentenced to
death, which sentence was afterwards com.
muted to Imprisonment for ten years. iai
If the conyict's story was true, and had
no reason to believe that it was false, it was
certainly an instance Of remarkable compile.
| ity of circumstances, sufficient to cmbarass
both judge and jury. Itwas doubtless case
Of unintentional murder, committed by the
convict in state of frenzy originated and
| finished under the influence of supersti
| tious mind-too easily excited by such a
situation as that in which he had been placed
| First Babies. b rr
A somewhat extended observation, and q
skr.-~x - L. 4 Al