Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-10-25

of man, unencumbered by body, sit
ting there on the fence by the roadside.
The face of this individual was not in
keeping with the rough, careless words
he had uttered. 1t seemed to Townsley
he had never beheld a countenance so
full of suffering and woe, so sad, so sor-
rowful, so hopeless But the remarks
of this being were offensive in the ex-
treme and Townsley, accustomed to
Difference, resented them. In his indig-
nation he forgot his helpless condition;
be felt himself to be the man the early
morning has shown us-the richest far
mer in Tuckahoe county. He wouldn't
take such talk even from a SOUL
But the soul again spoke gently. drop
ping his voice and throwing aside his
rough manner in his intense earnestness.
Were in the same box. you an l.
Townsley and Krieff-wife- killers. On
ly | hold that was the more merciful
of the two; for. while beside myself
with passion an rum, killed my wife
in an instant's time, you killed your ia
ME by slow torture-the most cold
blooded method | know of-killed her
while she erept on hands an knees to
serve you. May God have mercy on your
soul : l haven't even pity for you. |
shall get my deserts l know; an I'm
bound to stick by an see you get yours.
do you think l didn't love that lit
tie armful of Lucy when married
her? l loved her from the ribbon in
her hair to the bow on her slipper. |
worshipped her.
81 used to know somethin' of God in
those days. Used to think | could feel
Him near, holdin' an keepin' Lucy an
me in the hollow of His hand. But when
Lucy crept away from Him. L let go too,
and clung to her. When man loves a
woman as | loved her she can lead him
anywhere. He will follow her to heaven
or she may drag him to hell, if she
pleases. That is where Lucy dragged
me. She didn't mean to, l suppose. She
didn't know it, most likely. But there
amt nothin' else for man, when a wo-
man he loves an would die for stops
givin' love back.
"You see | lost my money; all Lucy
went with that. l couldn't believe she'd
married me for that little property of
mine, till she twitted me of deceivin'
her and buyin' her love wi tn counterfeit
bills. This from that little armful that
l loved so But it didn't crush me.
well have gold in their place, Lucy
says l /; .you shall be rich mans wife
yet, darlin', only love me. / hain't got
3 the heart to work without that. But
work grew scarce instead of plenty, an
was in such rush to make money for
her, l lost all gained in hurryin' from
one promisin' chance to another.
"0ther men make money, why can't
youY she would say. And | would say
it over an over to myself: "Other men
make money, why can't you p After
that, when l got little sums. speculat-
ed with 'em in poor mans small way.
l gambled at the nearest grog-shOp, to
win fortune for Lucy. But she sneer-
ed at me when | lost, an when | got
ahead, would forget the look Of love an
encouragement l craved
There's some ole else that's heart
broken in this world. There's a little
woman down in a dark cellar sproutin'
potatoes this minute, whose husband has
killed her. Her soul isn't free yet-but
, she's dead just the same. That woman
is Townsley's wife. Your soul is hear
in of me, if you amt" pursued Krieff,
touching the cold, white face, and
{ Strengthening Townships fingers. "YOu
| didn't shoot your wife with pistol, but
you let her die slow. lingerin', terrible
death You killed her in cruel, heart
less manner. You starved her. Do you
think if / had wife like yours, Towns
ley, I'd have been the man / was 2"
Tears filed Krieff's eyes.
'.You were poor man when your ia
ME married you-pOorer than | ever
$ was. Your social position was beneath
E hers. You was an awkward, homely
f verdant youth in those days. Folks said
I if ever there was a woman as married
' for love, it was jamie Jordan.
"You began life humbly. jamie wa;
delicately reared an dainty; but to dc
/. without for Philip was no hardship
/, When you hit success, she kissed you
e When you missed it. she kissed you JUS
q the same. You had little heaven o.
q it for three or four years. Then contin
p ued prosperity made you selfish. Yor
got 50 far ahead you couldn't stop t.
come back for the love an kisses of ia
n ME. Sometimes she followed you, try
a in to walk abreast with you, an tryn
|. to keep up the dear old times. But sh'
d wasn't welcome-sbe was in the way
It You couldn't bother to be foolin' an
kissin' all the time. She must settl
), down an be sensible Doin' withou
e for Philip had been her sweet delight il
A. Ii - - L. ~ Il