Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-05-11
JUST IN TIME.

Twas coming up on a steamboat
from New Orleans to st. Louis
The night was oppressively warm,
and l had gone out upon the deck
for a breath of fresh air. There
were only two other persons there,
a man and woman, who were walk
ing back and forth conversing to-
getber in low voices. AS passed
them 1 heard her say:
"Do you want to make me crazy
tell you l can't forget him, and it's
no use talking to me about my duty.
And l don't believe a word that
wicked woman says. He isn't mar
ried again, he isn't dead; he's alive
and true to me, Pm sure of it."
The words were low, but intense,
and passionate, and stopped invoi-
UNFAIRLY.
'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 scarcely
a weeks provisions on haHd and $1(
in money; if it hadn't been for nae
you and your child would have
starved. Yet you talk as if it wa
your duty to remain faithful to thI
memory of such a man, and that
too, in spite of the proof you hav'
received, by direct revelation from
heaven, that he not only deserted
YOU but, married another woman
and lived with her as his wife thre
months before he died"
can't tell, why, but there wa
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 o
adherence that couldn't overcome
But felt that was doing wrong Il
listening to this conversation, an
so turned away, somewhat reluc
family, for my sympathy and curl
osity were both excited.
The next morning l scanned th
faces of the passengers eagerly, 70
wanted to know how the ma
looked whose voice had impresse
me so strangely. 1t had been S
dark the night before that couldn
see his features distinctly.
After a brief search l found hiI
seated at the breakfast table, and
long-haired, lank visaged man, wit
thin lips and light blue eyes, thu
/ looked hard and cruel, with q san
; timoniousness pervading his who
!. aspect. might have been prejI
E diced, but his face didn't impress II
}. any more favorably than his yoi'
had done.
A little pale faced woman sat c
: his right hand, whom, recognize
at once as his companion the nigl
before. She held in her lap chi
two or. three years old, and VI
\ rather pretty than otherwise, 8
= though her eyes were red as If fro
continued weeping.
But the face which chiefly attra
ted my attention was that of Il
woman on his left hand. Her COZ
plexien, in its unearthly pallor, r
sembled that of a corpse, her Iii
were lived and her eyes deep sunke
and with dark circles around theI
were dull and expressiOnless.
was face, that at the same tim
repulsed aud fascinated you. Sh
too, as other women, seemed to
under the control of the man who
l have described.
Inoticed a great many curio
glances directed, toward these pc
sons during breakfast. AfterwaT
l learned who they were from t
talk Of the passengers among who
various rumors were afloat conceT
ing them, but the only informati
upon which l relied was given
d. the captain. The man, it appearc
was a celebrated spiritualist will
wonderful gift of healing in
hands, who subscribed himself S.
johnson, NJ. d. The woman WI
the cOrpse-hke face was clairvC
ant who always travelled with hi
and went into frances for his bens
in as often as he desired. The two
gether were said to be very succe
q as healing mediums.
~ 81 don't know what to think
it," said the captain. There
something remarkable abont Z
clairvoyance. l am convinced Il
johnson is an imposter, but as
the woman-why, Pd take my o.
that she isn't conscious of what
&c SAYS and does. in those frances
johnson has curious kind Of pc
er over her, and l believe his v
actually forces her into a semi-coI
tose state and puts the word in
mouth that she is to say"
"But who is the little pale-fa
the creature who accompanies them
Ia INQUIRED. ''Is she clairVoyant, to
,ay "Oh, no; but her husband left
be- nearly two years ago, and this j o
son has befriended her, for reas
of his own, Tve no doubt. The,
mystery about it, somehow. l
well acquainted with her husba
re, He was a steady, .hsrd-working II
but times were poor, and he thou
lsi- he could better his fortunes by a
10 TO the mountains. So he W,
the leaving his wife and child rat
e'S' scantiiy provided for, bnt it was
best he could do. He hoped I