Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-06-06
THE DEAD ARM.

ado you see that arm ~
"The convict, wasted by fierce disease,
raised himself to a sitting posture in the bed
with much labor, and lifting his withered right
arm with the other, cutched it as if he would
wiring it from its socket, as traitorous mem
Der of his body.
"That arm did it,'' and he glared vengeiul-
ly upon it, and shook it fercey.
'sDid what ~
fDid murders Put me here to live bu-
fled life for ten long years. Oh how long
they have been. have counted them, hour
after hour in my cell. How long can l live,
at the most 2''
''Three hours-perhaps four.''
"Too long to live, but sufficient time in
which to tell you my story. II you believe it,
IT will be more than judge or jury have done.
Would you deceive when on your death bed ?''
"My marriage. to the girl had long loved,
and who loved me with love far exceeding
my most sangune hopes, is the point, so far as
regards the nice applicability of the past events
to present certainties. at which my narrative
commences. Dating from the day of that mar
riage, there begins succession of m sfortunes,
that, insignificant at their birth, were gradual
ly nodded together by eXtraneous contingen-
cies, until they eliminated in act foul and
terrible, il premedtated or intended, that has
made me branded felon.
Ny wife and never qnarrelled. We loved
and revered each other too much for either
10 trespass or trample upon what the other
considered sacred. To be sure, in mere levi
~ and exultation of spirit, performed acts
that, to persons unaequainted with us and our
circumstances, might seem seasoned with ear
nestness.
To such misunderstanding by a third per-
son, may be attributed the origin of reports
that We, my wife and /, lived an unhappy life
a life of turmoil--of blows.
Many arc md us held to such an opinion,
but from mere ignorance of the exact nature
OF our lives.
But /, descending speedily to the grave, do
declare that we never, by word or deed, trans
cended the bounds of our great love for each
other; or transgressed those laws that should
preserve the person of the wife from blow or
coniumeiy. If it were possible to exist with
out jarring discord, to turn the sweetest SYM
pathies into bitter hatred, ours was that exis-
tence. Yet IL availed me not in the dark day
that came upon my household; but rather Of
fcred opportunities by which to strengthen an
apparent outlines.
Jessie 1 said to my wife, one evening,
"do you stand on one side of the room, while
take position on the other. Get me a ball
of yarn from the basket, and then whoever is
hit with the ball the greatest number of times,
shall make a present to the other. A nice
present, of course"
"If lose, my present will be a dressing
gown" said Jessie, ssbut you know you'll have
60 pay for it.'
alt Will be just as acceptable" answered
"But If l lose, you shall have that ring with
the emerald and pearls.''
Then the soft ball of yarn flew quickly from
hand to hand. we all the time laughing and
talking with great glee. A knock at the door,
and an acquaintance entered, finding our faces
flushed with the excitement of the contest ,and
each uncertain who was the vanquished. de-
rad hat bod III.
ed to put it upon her finger the next day;
which day, to her, alive never came.
About two O'Clock that night, was awaken
ed to consciousness by one of those inexplica-
Bile prcternatural prem onitions of near danger,
which are often encountered, but generally in
skeptical spirit.
My mind was clear to reason-not having its
delicate powers blunted by sleep. Scarcely
were my eyes unclosed, before became cog
INFANT of the presence of cold, clammy ma
tnTe, by its loathsome contact with nv face
ana by its pressure upon my bosom whereby
IL nearly stilled the beating of my heart Nat
uTaliy, am no coward but the knowledge of
the presence of this burden, combined with
utter darkness. creator of fierce fear, COM
pletely unnerved me, and my body shook like
an aspen leaf.
The quiet condition of this body, which ap-
pcr.ained not to myself nor my wifc-its mys-
ferrous situation-and above all, the moist,
chilly contact with my face. deprived me for
an instant of self-possetsion. The Gathering
OF OF blind, or the nibbling OF a mouse, seemed
hxe peal of thunder to my ears; the over
sifained eye saw, or seemed to see ghostly
Shapes pendant from the chandelier and bed
posi-. dared not shout aloud or change my
position in bed, for fear that my throat would
'oe ciutched by the incubus that sat like hid
eous nightmare fully developed into reality
upon my chest.
experienced such sensations as does the
strong swimmer, or the venturous diver, when
coming into bodily contact, unforewarned.
with corpse beneath the SURFACE of the water
when nature acts like an electric battery.
and discharges volumes of fear at the slight
est movement; or like one in the dark who
encounters a skeleton.
! was peculiarly situated; surrounded by an
immensely OF terror; expansive, inasmuch as
u oraped thoughts and motions in habiliments
inat gave them a gigantic appearance i'm
netsed IN sea of dread and doubt, and final
completely cowed by fear.
now reason made its appeals to the fright
eooo soul. The mere Consciousness of bodi-
y contact with this invisibiIity, suggested its