Omaha daily bee., 1883-01-17

A LIVELY CORPSE.

further "protection" of American cap
ital. ~.
A LIVELY CORPSE.
A Suspicious Eusband Who Coun-
terfeited Death.
Boston Globe.
An interesting volume might be
compiled from the many stories told
by strollinV play actors of their strange
experiences in ,he obscurer regions of
the south and west. For instance,
while In conversation yesterday with a
gentleman prominently connected with
one of the theaters in this city, a
Globe reporter heard the following re-
m irksble tale:
Some seven or eight years ago a
troupe of variety performers travel
log through Arkansas, and playing
for the most part at posts frequented
by soldiers, or what in England would
be called "garrison towns" met with
q succession Of disasters, and finally
got stranded In the vicinity Of Fort
Smith. Two of the members, we'll
known in the profession as song and
dance Hall and Thompson-started
on q tramp for Fort Smith through
the lonesome country region. Night
came on, when, being without food or
shelter, they stopped at a small house
aud asked the woman who answered
their knock for supper and a nights
lod cling
"Wall, boys" che answered, "my
old mans just died, and his body's
here in the house, go it arn't exactly
a time for company; but bein's yer in
such a fix l reckon yer may come TO-"
Entering, they were ushered into a
room where the apparently dead body
of the husband lay stretched motion
less upon the bare floor, and the wo-
man stirred about to get them some
thing to eat. In the corner OF the
room was the bed they we're to occu.
py, and though the nights prospect
was rather a CHASTITY one, they were
! too tired to wait long after the meage,
| meal before retiring. They had not
. been long in bed when a second KNOCK
/. again summoned the woman to thu
J.. door. The visitor this time evidently
was not a stranger, for the woman
8 welcomed him with warmth and con
Q Quoted him to an adjoipin; 70 m
After q few minutes had elapsed wha
was the horror OF the actor at the out
sids of the bad at seeing the supposed
n corpse cautiously assu ne q sitting pos
ture. Half psralyzed with fear h
, hastily shook his comrades arm just il
, season for both to see the resuscitate'
!, husband turn his head slowly towar
!. them, Putting his finger significant
to his lips, he whispered:
"Sh-h-h! I'm only plsyin' this o.
6 my wife, for the sake of ketchin her.
a Then rising and walking softly to
= corner, and grasping an K that stoo
a thore, he went into the wher
his wife and her guest had gone. !
few terrible blows were soon heard an
the sound of q brief struggle. when tn
husband fe- enfered, his weapon DRIP
!. ping with blood. Taking the actor
! to the scene of the tragedy, he calml
l pointed out to their horror. stricke
gaze the headless trunks of his wife
and her paramour lying upon tn
blood. stained bed clothes. Then h
allowed them to 60 trembling back
s bed, q privilege Of little value at sue
q time, sleep being out Of the quel
tlon. In the morning he compelle
them to aid In digging q grave an
o burying the bodies after which he sale
y "Now, strangers, l heered yer to.
my wife who yer be and whar ye
bound. I'm not goin' to trouble yel
d But yer kin jist pick up yer traps an
git, and If yer eve let on q word
3 what what yer saw here last night It,
go hard with yer"
a 1t Is needless to add that the variet
artists were not slow In resumin
their weary journey, and for a Ion
v time they needed the husbands war;
ing, But one day in st. Louis one
them revealed the occurrence to til
ir theatrical man who now relates ii
story, and he immediately verified
20 by conversation with the other.
" "One would hardly supposed" sul
gested the reporter, when he had lis
ened to the end, "that q man cou,
have counterfeited death 30 success
fully IS to impose upon his wife,"
at does seem a little strange to US
g. answered the manager; shut then yc
must remember that folks are not Il
1t same in Arkansaw as they are
II Massachusetts"
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