The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-08-31

sun. On, sWItly on, put never % swiftly @s to leave behind those haunting words. The bell rang them as came into the stations, the engine pued them out on leaving it. The wheels sang them ever. l strolled from one car to another in hope of respite. l whistled, smoked innumerabe cigars, hummed tunes, gay and solemn, but all to no pur- pose the hateful rhyme had taken possession of me and would not let me go Opening my valise for fresh cigar l accidentally came across . dainty Spanish stiletto which had picked up on my trip for Its quaint design and exquisite workmanship. l examined the keen blade and needle-like point with weird sort of pleasure. And through 1t all the wheels never ceased to repeat:
 . pos: s% :T s did And while her into hi. did loving glAnces dart
 He thrust the cruel dagger into her trusting heart
 Night came and in the shifting shadows of the dimly lighted car saw the tragedy enacted over and over again. Worn out with trying to forget the nerve-destroying refrain l dropped into an uneasy slumber, but 1t followed me even there. The conductor awakened me as the train rolled into K, and hastily gathering grip-sAck and parcels left the train, glad beyond measure to be once more at home. My residence was but a along the deserted streets, my mind filled with pleasurabe anticipation. The moon was almost at the full and its soft beams lay over all the earth like flood Of silver. The night was still, and beneath the overhanging trees the shad ows slumbered motioness As approached the gate which led into my grounds my heart grew warm at thought of the joys awaiting me. Half way up the avenue heard voices, and a mo- ment later beheld my wife coming toward me lean ing on the arm of a stranger. He bent lovingly over her and her face was lifted to his. All the blood in my being seemed to rush to my heart and there congeal to Ice. Prompted by feeling did not stop to aDaly shrunk deeper into the shadow and listened, but could understand nothing. The murmur of their voices came to my ears only sound of water flowing over pebbles. And now saw that which not all the evidence of the world, other than that of my own eyes, would have made me believe true. l saw the arms of another about my wife; saw her head pillowed lovingly on his breast; saw his lips press kisses upon her all too willing ones, and then felt my flesh turn to steel There was no moon now, no heaven, no earth no brightness anywhere. Everything in nature passed away but those two figures locked in the embrace of love Cautiously opened my valise, and talk ing therefrom the Spanish stiletto passed moi seess as 6 spirit and swift to where could touch them with my outstretched hand. But before could spxing forward to my revenge there came roAr as of many waters, felt myself thrown sud- denly forward and downward, 6 thousand bolts of
 fire shot, seething through the air. and then all was darkness. remembered nothing after this for long time. Then came dreamy, indistinct sort of liv- ing, when l was never certain for 6 moment at a time of my own identity. Sometimes was pris- oner, wandering through underground passages, dark as night feeling along the slimy walls for an opening that was never found. Sometimes I was an exile walking on and on over vast, intending stretcn or burning sanos parcned rom thirst, weak, falling, and yet forced by invisible power to struggle ever on. And then there were green fields hemmed in by fragrant forest. Birds of gorgeous plumage fitted about through the branches, and the woods were filled with the music of their sing ing. Then all these things faded away and I was lying upon my own bed in our own pleasant room. One by one the well remembered pictures came out on the shadows on the wall, and at last my wife, sitting quietly in the soft shadow of the shaded light, pale and anxious, but beautiful as of old. Her name sprung to my lips, only to fall back upon my heart like flowers on Q grave. All the horrors of that night in the garden came sweeping over me like an angry sea, and was thrown back upon the rocks of recollection, crushed and broken. I won- dered why she, whose unfaithfulness had wit messed, should be sitting so serenely by my side.