The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-07-30


in to him i'm tones which woke up all the
memories of my happy long-ago, an
croonin' 10 him OF the bright future COM
in when a drunkard's grave should have
swallowed up John krien, an she an Tom
Porter should be- In their own COW home.
Tom kissed her after that, an called her
his angel.
They didn't see me till came out to
the light with the pistol.
"'rom,' says !, crazed with liquor and
passion, your angel in heaven, perhaps,
but never here
=" fired then, an Lucy fell dead.
- All this was indistnct while In the
body, but it comes back fresh and clear TO
me now. could have saved my life by
dishonorin' Lucy's name but. even il
hadn't cared TO keep her white to the
world, yet would have kept STILL had
no desire TO plead my case. | was dead.
was heart.broken, an longed to get
out OF the world.
There's some one else that's heart-
broken in this world, There a little wo-
man down in dark cellar sprOutin' pota-
toes this minute, whose husband has Killed
her. Her soul isn't free yet-but she's
dead just the same. THAI woman is
Townships wife. Your soul Is a-hearin Of
me, ii you amt" pursued krieif. touch.
ing the cold, white face. and Strengthening
Townships fingers. You didn't shoot
your wife with a pistol. but YOU let her
die slow, lingerin', terrible death! You
killed her in "A cruel, heartless manner.
y gu starved her. DO you think il I'd had
wife like yours, Townsley, Ia have been
the man | wasp
Tears filled krieff's eyes.
"iou We're a poor man when your jamie
married you--poorer than ever was.
y our social position was beneath her.
y ou were an awkward. homely. verdant
youth in those DAYS. Folks said if ever
there was woman as married for love, il
was jamie Jordan.
You began life humbly. jamie was
delicate reared an dainty but TO do with
out for Philip was no hardship. When
you biz success She kissed YOU. When YOU
missed il, she kissed you just he same.
y on had little heaven of IL for three or
four years. Then continued prosperity
made YOU selfish. You got SO far ahead
youcouldn't stop 10 come back for the love
an the kisses Of jamie. Sometimes she
followed you, tryin' to walk abreast with
vou,an' tryin' 10 keep up the dear old times.
But she wasn't welcome-she was In the
way. You couldn't bother 10 be- foolin'
an kissin' all the time. She must settle
down an be sensible. Dom without for
Phillip had been her sweet delight in the
dark days; but now. when the golden
light shone around, your mean spirit kept
her 'doin without just the same. that YOU
might win more lands an stocks 10 put be-
tween your heart an hers.
Then more money came. Money rep
resents power. lou began 10 lord II over
your fellow-men. an at home yen made a
slave OF the woman who adored you. You
ordered her about as YOU would your
meanest servant, an gradually forced her
TO take that position.
"You never saved her step or bur-
der's weight. \ on let her tug away. toll
away. die away, from mornin' till night
An you killed her. Dut, overworked
though she was. that wasn't what killed
her. She lost her round. red cheeks. an
her pretty round arms. an her dainty
shaped hands drudgin' for you. She lost
her gold, her bright gold. hair toiIin' an
CROWN old for you. She lost grace OF
form an grace of spirit draggin' an slavin'
for you. But that amt what killed her.
liz was neglect that broke her heart. A
h1sband's neglect You starved her to
death. Townships wife died from lack OF
appreciation, lack of love in the man who
promised to love, honor. an cherish
her his whole life long. You
wouldn't treat dumb brute as YOU
treated your wife. You stop and pat
Bruno's head an call him good fellow
You pick up the cat an let her sit on
your knee. You pet your horses an feed
them sugar; but you never look back at
the woman whose heart, bound up in
you, followed you l0ngingly. You never
stopped 10 caress the tired head of your
little wife. Ii took too much time TO say
Darlin', love you An as for drawin'
her down on your knee an kissin' the
cheek-hollows plump an the white lips
red-you couldn't bother. An you got
10 be the richest farmer in Tuckahoe
County; but you broke your wiie's heart.
"We'se in the same box. you an T.
Townsley an kreff- wife-killers. Only
hold that was the more merciful of the
two; for. while beside myself with pas
sion an rum, killed my wife in an in
stant's time. You killed you're jamie by
slow tortsre-the most cold-blooded
method know of-killed her while she
crept on hands an knees 10 serve you.
May God have mercy on your SOUL |
haven't even pity Tor you shall get
my deserts. | know; an I'm bound 20
stick by an see you get yours"
jamie murmurcd Townsley. hi
whole body quivering. "Janie," wbi.-
pered Townsley, opening his dull, heavy
eyes. "Oh Janie-Janie---,Jane,"
"'Twon't do any good exclaimed
Krieff, ito shout after her. She can't
save you. You've got to come along with
me. Yes, ! know remorse sits heavy on
you now, but you can't skulk behind that
at this late day an all the JAMES in the
land can't help you now
But as time passed on Townsley at last
became conscious oi third person pres
cnce-a presence which soothed him.
which came between him and that wait
ing soul. He felt cool hands upon his
burning head. and soft, smooth cheek
pressed close to his. lie heard himself
called al manner Of dear names, aud once
or twice felt hot tears dash over his face,
n 4. a