Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-07-19

kind gentleman-and he gave me all
these, and be gave me money and.
Why don We eat, lass? Dye think it's
poisoned? I tell ye there's heaps more
where that came from, and I've got heaps
of gold; look!" (and he pulled some gold
and silver from his pocket); "and there's
more to come from where that come.
It's a gold mine I've found Why don't
ye eat, lass ? (almost savagely). / could
not lose We, lass!" And his voice was
full of tears.
"John cher voice had sunk to the
merest whisper), "what ais we, man
Ye're queer in your talk, John. You did
not thieve the money!"
"What, what?" said he, huslIhy; who
said thieve? What's the matter with
my talk? Why don't you eat, eat, eat,
eat, and I'll have doctor chap, and
We'll fatten you up; yes, by God, we
will p
On and on he ran, with glib tongue,
the same words over and over again,
with but little alteration except in the
order of the sentences; his eyes except
when gazing at his wife, were peering
through the darkening air towards the
door, as though he expected to see some
one, and his ear seemed strained, as
though fearfully, yet trying to catch each
sound III the house, and all the time there
was an awful, senseless smile on his
wrinkled face, as though he had done
something over which he inwardly
gloated.
"Why don't you eat, John?"
"I've fed. All on gold; there was
heaps, and heaps, and heaps, piles; and
I'm glutted, and [ want all 7 have for
you. [ could not lose you, lass! 1
could not lose you, lass!' The last SEN
tence he kept grooming to himself, as
though he had forgotten the meaning
of the words, but not how to say them.
''John |"
"Aye, lass!"
John, want to sleep; gle me your
hand; it makes me dream happy"
Holding his wife's hand in his, there
he sat on the floor by her side, hungry,
yet hating to eat, while the night grew
dark, and the rain fell with maddening,
monotonous pat-pat on the roof and
floor. There he sat. GO could not lose
you, lass" whilst the lass had already
could not lose you, lassl I could not lose
1Ous 1uoO ANO, LILY 1OINAS nOt IL
was in her pocket, and it showed to me
food, and / took it. L could not lose my
lass. [ was well off once. She's my
wife, my lord, and we are poor, poor,
poor. She was i'll, yer honor. We had
nothing to eat. / scraped, scraped, I
starved that she might live, and yet she
starved. But, yer honor, the parish is
going to relieve me; they are looking
into the case, and we are dying, ha! ha
But we shall be IN the country soon. /
swear [ am not guilty. Oh, God! [
could not lose my lass. I've lost my
soul; I've lost my soul. stole that you
might live, and now my hands are black
black with crime. Nary Mary
what shall I do? The police are com
ing, and my hands are black. Where |
shall l put the gold? Damn the gold
Mary, the great God will forgive me.
could not lose thee, lass p
The dodgers downstairs said that old
John had been playing the devil last
night, so went to see what was up;
coarse jokes were hushed, and some
cheeks turned pale; some even were
moist-eyed, and not women only. John |
had joined his wife; he had not lost
her Their souls were joined in heaven,
as true as their hfeless hands were inter
locked here; and the gold, which had
killed his reason and not saved his wife,
lay locked IN his right hand, pressed
against his dead wife's bosom.