River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-02-14
Her Active Mind.

!
lou are going TO die, William re-
marked lady Of energetic nature to her
poor little husband. "The doctor saws
you can't live two hours
VERY WE'LL responded William, in
a weak voice, but with great sigh Of
relief. Go down and blow up The SER
want at once
"Wh- whatGn said the agitated woman,
bending over him,
Free your mind, Nancy, free your
mind, he gasped, feebly. II shall be as
quick about it as possible, but shall try
your patience. Blow enough to make
you cheerful a couple of hours, and by
that time shall be out of the way. /
shall never have another opportunity, and
| want to die in peace''
"He wanders,n said the lady to herself,
Sowing through hen tears at some cheer
full voices that stole into the room of
death from the street below. II wonder
If those pesky trihers don't know there's
some one dying UP here shall speak
to the policeman about this It's shame
that I've got to be worried and worried
and worried and worried to death when
my heart is so full of other matters that
can't find time 10 think Here I've
BEEN
II should like TO comfort you" inter-
rupted the rapidly-failing man, with a
faint smile Of apology; shut the truth is,
I've got so much Of my own dying on
hand that | can't lind time Bear up, my
dear. I'll call around and make com
plant to-mor-or rather Eli send my
ghost
William CALCULATED the griefstriken
woman, that's just like you. Always
too shiftless. Always putting off till to-
morrow what should be done to-day
My mother warned me OF it before |
married you. If there's any thing hate,
it's procrastination! II there's any thing
| abominate, it's shiftless man."
Go down and give it to the servan is, =
said the dying man, huskily.
lie wanders, repeated the agitated
woman, rising hastily to make frantic
passes at fly resting in the sunshine on
the wall. "This house is overrun with
vermin from cellar. to garnet. l. makes
no difference how much | toni and delye
ant druge and work my fingers TO the bone
and wear old clothes and look like a
fright. William! if you don't gel me
some exterminator tomorrow"
Its Unnecessary" interrupted the
gentleman addressed, with a sad smile. II
i guess I'll-I'll manage toto go off
without it,
| His head fell back, and there was a
strange look in his eyes.
The Lancet supports the explanation
giTen by one Of the London daiiies. of
of the absence of tears in madness. "The
victims of crushing woe do not exhibit
| the symtomsof surface sorrow, but are,
as it were, struck dumb with the immen-
sity Of their aiiliction, and stand appall-
ed and overwhelmed, rather than express
| their grief in the conventional forms of
Lamentations. it is because the insane are
the objects OF an overpowering and OPP
pressive sense of misery, an agony of feel
ing, that they do not weep. When this
is not the true cause Of their tearlessness,
that phenomenon is due to the absence of
normal interest in the misfortunes they
bewail' This lack Of sensibility, coexist-
ing with an apparent sense of suffering,
is incomparaDly more curious than the
absence of tears.
Hes dead y shrieked the widow, throw
ing neTSeiI upon the llleless loTIA ana
weeping violently. II had forgotten that
he was dying / have so much to think
of! Nothing goes right in this house.
NV poor, patient husbandn'
There was a sound of approaching feet.
$50 away" she screamed ''Leave me
alone with my deadw
A moment OF silence interviewed.
'.Stay !" she said $50 straight to the
undertal<ers, Susan, and if he slurs this
Job as he has others We heard of, I'll
never give him another as long as I live.
Undertakers are SO shiftless.'
A CLEAN of sunshine stole into the room
and rested for moment on the dead
mans face.
II declare Y exclaimed the heart-brokon
woman. 81 told Snsan to shut the blind
tight, an she hasn't done it. We shall
be all covered with dust. / shall dis
charge the girl at once"
She put her handkerchief to her eyes,
and having found the requisite time, wept
bitterly.