Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-08-06
Judy plunged and reared and snored

leSi sdiu lOWnSIeyi ne was naru
"Ohl desput hardw interrupted Rick.
etts. You read the account, didn't You ~
"Ohl yes, yes. / recollect the whole
miserable affair A man who will abuse
woman as he did, man who in cold blood
shoots down the mother of his child,
as Krieff did-hanging isn't enough for
him; It isn't enough. Whoal Judy whoal
you BEAST Yes, a fine horse pretty fine
horse. Whoa! Judy. Stand still therel
How did he behave on the gallowsp'
Like man, the paper says. For the
fust time in his life, | reckon. Yes died
without tlinchin'; didn't seem to care
what become of HIM"
/" It's dreadful" said Townsley, Jerking
his horses mouth and with difficulty con.
trolling her "The way orime-whoal-
is increasing--,choa! Mrs. Punch. or III
get out and whip you till you know who [
am. That's the third case of wife-mur-
der 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 thatmorningY The
nerve and muscle of one 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 animal right
and left. Then he grew pale at the sight
Of the danger before him, and tried to re-
strain her with kind, reassuring words
Caresses after whippings are accepted by
the child when refused by the beast
Townsley was conscious of splinters zig
tagging like lightning before his eyes
conscious of bracing and holding with
both hands; then OF great plunge through
the air; of blowing the ground with his
shoulder and gurgling prayer, through
the gravel which filed his mouth, that God
would save him. Then his neck apparent
ly broke, and he knew no more.
When Townsley came to himself he
opened his eyes wearily, then wondering
ly, then fearfully After which he closed
them in hurry.
Townsley was scared. He had seen his
own soul. II 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-landg 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 earthly flesh clogging
his uprising.
Z" But which am II" groaned Townsley,
a cold perspiration breaking out all over
him.
He seemed to comprise two beings, each
wrestling for the mastery. The soul pulled
hard for liberty, but the body's dead weight
would grant il no release. Sounds filled
his ears like rushing waters and his throat
was parched and burning. Townsley was
never in such fix in his life. Was this
life or was it death? The heart of this
strong man failed him
"Help!" he cried. "Helpr'
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
Trembling, frightened, weak, one other
cry escaped that quivering mass of flesh
gtfdnleth hdneeRgl ltqfy..rnd and nnlled and
"Janie, Ja-nien' pleaded Townsley; /;
help me-keep me-stay by me-I'm
going mad-oh! Janiel'
But all he saw as his eyes closed heav-
lily was white-faced woman rubbing
sprouts from mountain of potatoes. She
sat in a cold, damp cellar, with tallow-
dip for ght. Hersleeves were rolled above
the elbow; but the arm exposed had long
ago lost all beauty of shape-skin and
bone was all il could boast of now. Hers
had been 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 hol-
lows and washed white streaks down the
muddy potatoes and the dark stained
hands. She did not cease working an in
stant save now and then to pick up and
put back the wedding ring, which kept
falling from her wasted finger.
Little, loyal woman down there in the
dark, God bless you" exclaimed voice
] ii, 4 Il ,1r
Janie-help me-save me!'' cried the
feeble body, choking with the dust which
filled his throat.
"Seems to me-" said the same voice,
growing harsh and unfeeling, "you're
maxim pretty big fuss for 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 nerve an
force oughm't to be maxim such row
when it comes to bitin' off his own thread
an laying aside his earthly garments.
tell you you're a dead man-been dead
these two hours. What yer waitin' for ??
, TOwnsley TUNED his eyes in the direc
, ton of the voice, and beheld the soul of q
man, unincumbered by body, sitting there
. on the fence by the roadside The face OF
this individual was not in keeping witt
1t seemed TO TOwnsley he had never )ehelC
a countenance so full of suffering and woe
, so sad, so sorrowful, so hopeless But the
remarks of this being were offensive in tho
extreme; and Townsley, accustomed tC
Difference, resented them. In his indigna
ton he forgot his helpless condition; h'
! felt himself to be the man the early morn
! ing has shown us-the richest farmer il
. Tuckahoe County. He wouldnttake sucl
! talk even from soul
; "Who are you, sirg' he demanded, il
/ tones of dignified authority.
$ "Who am L? Well, was a man once
| and l amt baby now. If you'll examin
8 my burden of sins here you will see that
5 am all that's left of Krieff, the man VIII
Y murdered his wife an had to swing for it!
d Townsley shuddered. He had intens
Il abhorrence for this Krief in his earthl.
q guise, and his spiritual form was more re
d pulsive.
i "Move ong' said Townsley, "and ge
@ out of the way of respectable people. Go'
may have mercy ON youi but | haven
a even pity for man who could so dis
d grace himself You're "a"
s Krieff's soulful eyes had been full @
d tears; but now his dry, harsh laugh dram
5 up all the moisture. Interruptng the falle
). man, he exclaimed;
8 "Yes, I'm Krieff, who killed his wife
c an you're TOwnsley, who killed his wife
d We're both in the same box, only Eve ha
d TO dance the gallows for my crimes an
o your neck isn't broke accordin' to law
e though its pretty we'll cracked for an acc
e dental send-of. AM now we'll srik
n hands an spin along"
e Krieff outstretched long, thin arm
r. through which Townsley saw the gree
d hills and the blue sky.
Ie "In the same boxlh screamed Townsle,
Ie "What do you mean, you wall-eye
k scamp? I'm respectable citizen. I'm
e. trustee of the First National Bank. II
a member Oh
ID Krien's bitter laugh broke off the SCI
X tence Ii was not merry laugh but on
z. that described agony better than words.