Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-09-28

"Janie-holp me-save me J" cried th'
feeble body. choking with the dust whicl
filled its throat.
"Seems To me-" said a strange voica,
growing harsh and unfceling. "you'rc
making pretty big fuss Tor dead man
Cut that mortal coil and come along
with me. can't wait here forever; an
I've been hangin' around here = blamed
long while for you. = man uf your
nerve an force oughtn't 10 be maxim
such a row when il comes to bitin oil his
own thread an layin' aside his earthly
garments. tell you you're dead
man-been dead these two hours. What
yer wailin' for ?"
T wnsley turned his eyes in the direc-
ton OF the voice, and beheld the soul oi
a man, uuencumbered by body, sitting
there on the fence by the roadside. The
tace Of this individual was not in keep
ing with the rough, careless words he
had uttered. 1t seemed to Townsley he
had never beheld a countenance 50 full
of suffering and woe so sad. so sor'
rowlul so hopeless But the remarks oil
this being were offensive in the extreme
and Townsley, accustomed to Difference,
resented them. In his Indignation he
forgot his helpless condition; he felt
/ l.. H. ha tho aarlN n1nrniD
has shown us-the richest man III Tuck
ahoe County. He wouldn't take such
talk even from soul.
But the soul again spoke gently, drop
ping his voice and throwing aside his
rough manner in his intense earnestness.
"We're in the same box, you an /
Townsley and Krieff-wiie. killers. On
| ly hold that | was the more merciful OF
the two; Tor, while beside myself with
passion an rum. killed my wife in an
instant's time. you killed your jamie by
slow torlure-the most cold blooded
method know ol-killed her while she
crept on hands an knees TO serve you.
May God have mercy on your soul;' |
havnt even pity tor you. shall get
my deserts know; an I'm bound TO
stick by an see you get yours"
"Do YOU think | didn't love that little
armful Of Il Lucy when | IN ,rricd her
| loved her from the ribbon in her hair
to the bow on her slipper. | worshiped
her.
Il used to know somelhn' 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, | let 90 too,
and clung TO her. When man loves a
woman as loved her, she can lead him
anywhere. He will follow her 10 Heaven
or she may drag him 10 hell. if she
pleases. That is where Lucy dragged
me-. She didn't mean 10. | suppose.
She didn't know it most likely. But
there amt nothin' else for man, when
woman he loves an would die for stops
givin' love back.
You see | lost my money, an Lucy
went with that. | couldn't believe she'd
married me for that little property, OF
mine, till she twitted ME OF deceivin' her
and buyin' her love with counterfeit bills.
This from that little armiul that | loved
so But il didn't crush me. "We'll have
gold in their place. Lucy" says /: 'you
shall be a rich mans wife yet. darlin'.
only love me. hain't got the heart TO
work without that" But work grew
scarce instead of plenty. an | was in
such q rush TO make money for her, /
lost all | gained in hurryin' from one
promisin' chance TO another.
"Other men make money. why can't
you ?" she would say. And | would say
il over an over to myself "Other men
make money, why can't you? ?" Afler
that, when got little sums, | speculated
with 'em in a poor mans small way. |
gambled at the nearest grog shop, TO
win o fortune for Lucy. But she sneered
at me when | lost, an when l got ahead,
would forget the look OF love an encour.
agement craved.
There's some one else that's heart.
broken in this world. There's little
woman down in 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 q 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 Il cruel. heart
less manner. You starved her. Do you
think if had wife Ike yours. Townsley,
I'd have been the man wasP"
Tears filled Krietf's eyes.
You were q poor man when your
jamie married you-poorer than | ever
was. Your social position was beneath
hers. You were an awkward. homely
verdant youth in those days. Folks said
if ever there was woman as married
for love, it was jamie Jordan.
"You began life humbly. jamie wa:
delicate reared an dainty; but to do
without for Philip was no hardship.
When you hit success she kissed you.
] INhan rnn missed IL. she kissed You lust