The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-09-10

| WAOd you OOdSLI OS, me uOESC
pretty fine horse. Whoa! Judy
stand still therel How did he be
have on the gallows?'
Like man, the paper says. Fol
the first time in his life, reckon
Yes, died without fiinchin'; didn'
seem to care what become of him.
It's dreadful said Townsley
Jerking his horses mouth and will
difficulty controlling her. The way
crime = whoa is increasing =
whoai Mrs. Punch, or I'll get out
and whip you till you know who
am. That's the third case of wife
murder we've heard of within
Here Judy dashed off at full speed
and ToWnsley was obliged to leave
his sentence unfinished.
What allied the brute that morn
ing? The nerve aud muscle of ont
strong man were not enough to hold
her. The buggy was tossed from
side to side of the road as the horse
rushed onward. TOWnsley grew
pale with rage. He cut the anima
right and left. Then he grew pale
at the sight of the danger before
him, and tried to restrain her with
kind, reassuring words. Caressel
after whippings are accepted by the
child when refused by the beast
TOwnsley was conscious of splintert
zigzagging like lightning before his
eyes; conscious of bracing and hold
| ing with both hands then of a great
plunge through the air; of blowing
the ground with his shoulder, and
gurgling q prayer, through the gray
ell which filed his mouth, that God
would save him. Then his neck
apparently broke, and he was no
more.
When Townsley came to himself
he opened his eyes YEARLY, then
wonderingly, then fearfully. After
which he closed them in hurry.
Townsley was scared, he had seen
his own soul. 1t was lowering over
him like a balloon and struggling to
free itself from the body. Was he
dead or dying, or trembling on the
border-land? He did not know.
He opened his eyes again, looking
this time from the souls stand point.
He saw that mangled, motiOnless
body of his wrapped in the wayside
dust and he felt himself the soul
suspended in air, with all that earth
ly flesh clogging his uprising.
But which am I?' groaned he, a
cold perspiration breaking out all
over him.
He seemed to comprise two be-
ings, each wrestling for the mastery.
The soul pulled hard for liberty, but
the body's dead weight would grant
it no release. Sounds filled his ears
like rushing waters and his throat
was parched and burning. Towns
ley was never in such a fix in his
life. Was this life or was it death ?
The heart of this strong man failed
him.
'Helpr he cried. 'Helpp
But only the perfume of bruised
and dying flowers floated by, and
above the noise of the waters only
the little, grieved note of a singing
bird gave answer.
Trem milling, frightened, weak, one
other cry escaped that quiVering
mass of flesh which the soul tortnr-
ed and pulled and strained unceas-
ingly.
jamie, Ja-niep pleaded Towns
ley; help me-keep me-stay by
me-Tm going mad-ohI Janiep
But all he saw as his eyes closed
heavily was a white-faced woman
rubbing sprouts from q mountain OF
potatoes. She sat in cold, damp,
cellar, with a tallow-dip for light.
Her sleeves were rolled above the
elbow; but the arm exposed had
long ago lost all beauty OF shape
skin and bones was all it could boast
of now. Hers had been a pretty
face once, he remembered-a sunny,
laughing, rounded face. But it was
old and worn and thin and haggard
now. Tears washed down the cheek
hollows and washed white streaks
down the muddy potatoes and the
dark stained hands. She did not
cease working an instant, save now
and then to pick up and put back
the wedding ring, which kept fall
ing from her wasted finger.
Little, loyal woman down there
in the dark, God bless you,' exclaim-
ed a voice which penetrated Towns
ley's soul.
'Janie-help me-save me! cried
the feeble body, checking with the
dust which had filled his throat.
Seems to me, said the same voice,
growing harsh and unfeeling, you
are maxim pretty big fuss for a
dead man, Cut that mortal coil and
come along with me. / can't wait
here forever, and I've been hangin'
around here blamed long while for
you. A man of your force an nerve
Oughtn't to be maxim such a row
when it comes to bitin' off his own
thread an laying aside his earthly
garments. l tell you you're dead
man-been dead these two hours.
What yer waitin' for?'
Townsley turned his eyes in the
direction of the voice, ana beheld
the soul of a man, unincumbered by
the body, sitting there on the fence
by the roadside. The face of this
individual was not in keeping with
the rough, careless words he had ut
tered. 1t seemed to Townsley he
had never beheld a countenance so
full of suffering and woe, so sad, SO
sorroWful. SO hopeless. But the re-
marks of this individual were often
sive in the extreme; and Townsley,
accustomed to difference, resented
them. In his Indignation he forgot
his helpless condition; he felt him
self to be the man early morning
has shown us-tLe richest man In
Tuckahoe county. He wouldn't take
such talk even from q soul.
who are you, sir? he demanded,
In tones of dignified authority.
who am L? Well, was a mau
once, and l amt q baby now. II
you'll examine my burden of sins
here you will find that am all that's
left as Krieff, the man who murder
ed his wife an had to swing for it 2
Townsley shuddered. He had in
tense adherence for this Krieff, in
his earthly guise, and his spiritual
form was more repuisive.
Move onI' said Townsley, and
get out of the way of respectable
people. God have mercy on you !;
but 1 haven't even pity for a man
who could so disgrace himself.
You're a.
Krieff's soulful eyes had been full
of tears; and now his dry, harsh
laugh drank up all the moisture. In-
terrupting the man, he exclaimed:
Yes, I'm Kreiff, who killed his
wife and you're TOwsley, who kill
ed has wife. We're both in the same
box, only I've had to dance the
gallows for my crimes, an your
neck isn't broke accornin' to law,
though its pretty well cracked for
an accidental send of. An now
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