The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1871-05-25
Che efsuiilg GHris.
JUST IN TIME.

z WAS coming up on steam
boat from New Orleans to St.
81 Louis. The night was oppress-
90 lively warm and I had gone out
upon deck for a breath of air
There were only two other persons
there, a man and a woman, who
were walking back and forth con
versing together in low voices. As
I passed them I heard her say:
do you want to make me crazy?
I tell you I can't forget him, and
it's no use talking to me about my
duty. And don't believe a word
that wicked woman says. He isn't
married again, he isn't dead; he's
alive and true to me, I'm sure Of it"
The words were low but intense
and passionate, and I stopped in
voluntarily.
"Don't get excited and unreason
able, my dear woman. Look at the
facts of the case. You haven't
heard from your husband in nearly
two years; he left you with scarce
ly weeks provisions on hand and
$40 in money; if it hadn't been for
me you and your child would have
starved. Yetyo talk as if it was
your duty to remain faithful to the
memory Of such a man, and that,
too, in spite Of the proof you have
received, by a direct revelation from
heaven, that he not only deserted
you, but married another woman
and lived with her as his wife three
months before he died"
1 can't tell why, but there was
something in the smooth, insinuat-
ing voice of the speaker that sound
ed to me like the hiss of a serpent
and inspired me with a feeling Of
adherence that I could not over
come. But 1 felt that I was doing
wrong in listening to this conversa-
ton, and so I turned away, some
what reluctantly, for my sympathy
and curiosity were both excited.
The next morning I scanned the
faces Of the passengers eagerly, for
I wanted to know how the man
looked whose voice had impressed
me so strangely. It had been so
dark the night before that 1 could
not see his features distinctly.
After a brief search I found him
seated at the breakfast table, and d
long haired, lank-visaged man, with
thin lips and light blue eyes, that
looked hard and cruel, with a sane
timoniousness pervading his whole
aspect I might have been preju-
diced, but his face didn't impress
me any more favorably than his
voice had done.
A little pale-faced woman sat on
his right hand, whom I recognized
at once as his companion the night
before. She held in her lap a child
two or three years old, and was ra-
ther pretty than otherwise, though
her eyes were red as if from contin-
ued weeping.
But the face which chiefly at
tracted my attention was that of the
woman on his LETT hand. Her com
plexion, in its unearthly panor, re
sembled that Of a corpse, her lips
were liyid and her eyes deep sunk
en-, and with dark circles around
them, were dull and expressionless.
1t was face that at the same time
repulsed and fascinated you. She,
too, seemed to be under the control
Of the man beside her.
I noticed a great many curious
glances directed towards these per-
sons during breakfast. Afterward,
I learned who they were from the
passengers, among whom various
rumors were aaoat concerning them,
but the only information on which
1 relied was given by the captain.
The man, it appeared, was a -cele-
brated spiritualist with wonderful
gift of healing in his hands, who
subscribed himself S. s. johnson,
NJ. D. The woman with the corpse
like face was a clairvoyant who
always travelled with him and went
into frances for his benefit as often
as he desired it. The two together
were said to be very successful as
healing mediums.
81 don't know what to think Of
il" said the captain. There is
something remarkable about the
clairvoyance. I am convinced that
johnson is an imposter, but as to
the woman-why, I'd take my oath
that she isn't conscious OF what she
says and does in those frances
johnson has a curious kind of pow
er over her, and 1 believe his viii
actually forces her into a semi-com-
atose state and puts the word in her
mouth that she is to say
'But who is the little pale-faeed
creature who accompanies themf
I inquired. rs she elairyoyant
toog'
"Oh, no; but her husband left her
nearly two years ago, and this John
son mas befriended her, for reasons
-cl.;--o,-,, I,ra .dorht There's