The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1869-02-11


her tear-stained face and took her sta
ton by the bedside Still, the husband
never moved. His whole soul was
absorbed in two ideas, leach full of
overwhelming agony--that bis wife
was dying, and that her last conscious
act had been 10 turn away from him
with horror. to"ai gTt 90
! He knew, sooner than any Of the
other watchers when the faint breathing
ceased but, though his heart gave a
bound as the. awful stiffness sank over
the room, he did not stir until hand
was laid upon his shoulder, and 1t was
whispered TO him that rall5 was ended.
Then he rose, and, with staggering
steps, went to the bedside; and stood
leaning against the wall, unable to
support himself Presently he Became
aware that the attendants had left him
alone with the dead and then, aud
not till then, as be threw himself upon
her, thefe broke from him, with an ex.
ceeding bitter cry, the words: '5''' ,''-
."My God myG0dt have / sold my
soul for this i"H9tai ieeu s.d ioa Gel
| An hour later, when the last sad ar
rangements had been made, and the
darkened room had acquired that chill,
stiff neatnesstwhichi is one Of the ac-
compartments of death, the nurse and
Isott were surprised to. see him come
in. There was that in his face which
sentsthe scared women out Of The room,
appalled, at the sight Of his anguish.
He stood motionlessFof SON minutes,
looking G1edly down on the cold white
face which had lately been SO beaming
with happiness, which had been SO
lovely and so dearly loved, and to
which death was already restoring itS
usual calm and sweet expression. OIL
Presently he spoke, bending over
her as ifShe copld still hear him. IN b4
"Elsie, ] loved you loo dearly. !
have risked my soul for you: my love
has been your curse and Your death
But if you can hear me now you shall
know that love you more dearly than
ever. You are mine, mine only, and
mine you shall be for eternity as well
as for time; and if all you have believ-
ed is true, and if God can forgive, and
if disgrace and agony and death can
expiate crime, ! will meet you again,
Elsie. And when we meet again, you
not turn from me as you did this day.
Over your body / swear it, my darling.
! o my poor murdered darling:S' '' f1.
He spoke sOlsmnly, as if binding
himself by yowi and then did not
attempt TO kiss her or to touch her, but
departed with one long last look
Soon after, old Isott, hearing 4he
front door close, ran 10 the window,
and saw her master moving rapidly,
but with strange uncertain tread,
down the lane toward the village
Eagerly she she watched, and saw him
pass the turn which led to Slowcombe
and straightOn intOot the village street
| The vicar was sitting mourAfully in
bis study, puzzled and grieved an d
anxious, listening to Mr. Smith. The
door opened, aud as the strang start
ed to his feet, following the wears ex-
ample, it almost seemed to themthat
they had raised q spirit from its troub-
led grave
Mr.. Carter uttered the exclamation,
~Denbigh!" "rp1giism eaosts1l.g "Jft
"You are. magistrate" he said,
looking straight in the wears face, and
speaking slowly, as if repeating les
son by RE, "that is why 1 come to you.
Are yO' looking for Herbert CIaveringF
Drag the Abbott's Pool and you will
find all that remains Of him. he died
there on the l4th of January three
years ago" 49,,
"By his own handl"
"By mine He came to me that
evening when reached my house in
the DARK, after my days work. there
he was, standing, waiting, for there
was no one in the house to admit him.
| He told me no one knew of his coming
/ should nothave known him myself,
he looked so worn and1altepoa. b71 had
no, evil intention then,-4-I call God
to witness / had none, He wished to
90 on at once; but that could not be, -
Il would have killed Eef 1 stopped
him, j told him shewas away,A--staying
with fiieDdsuin LonionzGT don't know
what | told him,-7anythilg to gain
time. / set food and drink before him
| gave up my own bed to him; when I
had shown him Che foohf.4 went Back
to my sitting-reom; aud thefel-th6Fss9
IthOught Of the,neytdaS.F Il sat land
brooded, ,T7pot for myself, ,-it, was. not
myself I was thinking, Of, Heaven
knows. There was Sound at the
door. There he was; he told me lie
could not rest; that hehad rested very
little gince all his sufterings, He beg
ged me to give him something, He
pointed to the surgery.door, and asked
me if ] had nothing there which could
make him sleep! Then 1 saw It all be-
fore me; not until that moment; but
then, as he-stoOd and looked at me,
feltthat I could kill him, ,---that / could
trample him, down out of the way"
For moment the knitssd brow and
working mouth bore legibly enough
the brand Of Cainp but hise ernotion