Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-01-16
should think that was rather

"Why only yesterday morn
ling, while | was at the store, h
Inquired after the health of Joe
Stebbins; and when | told hir
that he wasn't expected 10 liv
the day out, he said he must b
looking into the property left Il
Satisfy his demands. He saic
that Stebbins owed him upward
of two thousand dollars"
"1ndeed! Well, if that b.
the case, l must be, looking W
my own accounts with the fam.
ily," said the undertaken.
! could distinctly feel the cold
wet cloth as it was again rune
out and placed upon my face;
the sheet was again spread
over me, anu l was left TO my
reflections for a time.
"Znsolvent |" what a base false
hoodl j was indebted to Mr..
Thomas Hawkins Just one hun
drcd and fifty-one dollars and
twenty-nine cents, not a cent
more nor less; and here was
that rascal claiming upwards of
two thousand dollars of my poor,
dcfenceless family. Why, it was
enough to make one rave. To
all my other incentives to betray
my existence was added this
and | confess it was the strong
est OF ALTO protect my family
from this lying thief, who would
willingly strip them of the last
cent.
How long | had remained a.
lone / cannot tell, for the Sc
we're anxiety produced by the
ne VS. | had heard, caused me to
lapse into another fit of uncon-
sciousness, from which | again
recovered just as the door was
closing gently, and | heard the
soft footsteps of a new conner
upon the carpet. Tie sheet
was again turned down, and the
face-cloth removed; but thi 5
time I felt the touch of a tender,
loving hand that had soothed
NY fevered brow all through the
painful illness. A few sobs and
my trusting, loving wife threw
herself across the bed, and ex-i
claimed, ooh my dear, dear
lusbandl how can l ever part
with you? Why was not / ta-
ken instead? o Lordl / beg
hat either l may be taken to
join him above or he may re-
urn 10 walk by my side through |
he lonely vale of life"
A few moments Of silence en-
sued, broken only by the sobs
If my wife, as she lay conyuls-
ID with grief across my bed. !
How / longed to throw my arms
lbout her neck, and return the
warm kisses she had left ting
ing on my browl I concentra-
ed every effort again, hut all
o no purpose; ] could not burst
he iron band of paralysis that
lad control Of every nerve and
muscle. Presently some one
came and took her away, my
wife, my only friend, and l was
eft TO myself again for a long
lime. i
After nightfali / lay musing
lpon my strange condition, and
thought of all the singular cases
IF trance of which / had ever
heard, thought Of the many in
stances in which people had
,een buried alive, and feared
hat snch would be my horrible
ate.
AS night drew on apace, and
heard some Of the inmates or
he house indulging in a pro-
iound snore, | thought to COM
pose my own mind in sleep, in
he hope that slumber might
give me renewed strength for
he morning, when / resolved
lpon another effort to regain
ny freedom, and escape the fate
hat was being prepared for me.
But sleep was entirely out of |
he question; and what seemed !
very strange to me, my mind,
although harrassed continually,
lid not experiences the slightest
wearineas.
Some young people, who were
sitting up with the corpse"
came frequently and always We
y timidly, to change. the cloths |
ipon my face; and / am certain