Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-09-19

help seeing everything. mus L was
aware that | was striking her below the
ribs, and that the blade would pene-
trate. The very moment l was doing
this 1 knew ] wa, doing something ter
rible, but that consciousness was in
Simultaneous, like flash of lightning,
and the deed followed so close upon it
as to be almost simultaneous with it,
My consciousness of the deed and of its
nature was painfully distinct. l felt
and l remember the momentary re-
sistance of the corset, and OF something
else, and then the passage of the knife
cutting its way through the soft parts
of the body. She seized the dagger
with both her hands, wounding them,
but without staying its progress.
Then having plunged the dagger into
her body, / simultaneously drew it out,
anxious thereby to remedy what l had
done, to stay my hand. l then stood
motionless an instant, waiting to see
what would happen, whether IN was
possible to remedy it.
She suddenly sprang to her feet and
screamed out, Nurse, she has MUIR
llered mel" The nurse, having heard
the noise, was already on the TIRES
hold. was still standing motionless,
expectant, incredulous. Suddenly the
blood welled forth from under her cor
set, and then l saw that what l had
done was past renetlying, and the same
instant | decided that it was not desir-
able that it should be remedied, that
this very thing was whet l wanted and
what ought to have been done. ] lin
gered on still, till she fell, and the
nurse, exclaiming, "Good God!" ran to
her assistance; it was only then I flung
away the dagger and went to my room.
"What must do now?' l asked my
self. and I at once knew what. Going
into my study | went up TO the wall,
took down the revolver, examined it
it was loaded-and placed it on the
table. | next picked up the scabbard
from behind the sofa, and then seated
myself on the sofa. I remained thus
seated for a long time. thinking of moth
ing, recollecting nothing. 1 was con-
scious, however, of q considerable stir
in the other rooms. l heard vehicle
driving up to the door with some one;
then another. Then heard and saw
George coming. did you hear what
had happened?" asked him. "Tel
the dvornil to go and inform the po-
lice" He went out. L rose from the
sofa, and got out my cigarettes. Be.
fore had smoked one, l was overcome
by drowsiness and fell asleep.
slept for about two hours. I
dreamt that she and 1 were living on
terms of affection, that we had quar-
relied, but were making it UP, there
was some little obstacle in the way,
but that at bottom we were friends.
I was awoke by knocking at the
door.
That's the police" I thought. 81
fancy l murdered her. But perhaps it
is she herself who is knocking, and that
nothing at all has happened" The
knocking at the door was continued. l
did not answer it, but strove to decide
the question. Had all that really taken
place or not? Yes, it had. remem-
bered the resistance of the corset and
tho passage of The bJnde through tho
body, and the recollection sent an icy
cold chill along my back and made my
flesh creep. Yes, it had taken place
There was no mistake about that. Now
it's my turn, 1 thought, but even while
l was still saying that to myself, l knew
that would not kill myself. And yet
[ rose and took up the revolver again.
1t seemed strange. l remember how
many times before that [ had been on
the point OF suicide-it always seemed
such an easy thing to do. But now
could not even harbor the thought.
why should 1 kill myself?' I asked.
And no answer was forthcoming.
The knocking at the door continued.
"Ah, yes, must first see who is at
the door. There will be always time
enough for this" and l laid the revolver
down Oh the table and covered it over
with newspaper. I then went to the
door and drew back the bolt 1t was
my wifes sister-a well-meaning, silly
widow. "Nasa, what's all this?" she
| exclaimed, and the tears-always ready
with her-fowed abundantly. "What
do you want?" I asked, turning to her
grut1iy. "yasa, she's dying; Ivan
Zakharievitch said So" Ivan Yak
harievitch was the doctor-her doctor
and adviser. is. he here?" [ inquired,
and all my hatred for her revived.
Well, and what If she is?" | con-
tinned "Vasa, go to her" "ShaL I
go to her?" asked myself. And at
once decided that it was my duty to go
to her, that it was the correct thing to
do in such cases; that when husband
kills his wife, as / had done, he is
bound to go to her. Ii it is always
doEe, I reasoned, then L suppose I must
go. Yes, if it shonld prove needful, 1
SAID to myself, thinking of my intention
to commit suicide-I shall have plenty
of time to do it afterward, and ( fol-
lowed my wife's sister.
Strange as it may seem, as I left my
study and passed through the familiar
rooms, I once more conceived hope
that all this had not really taken place;
but the pupgent smell of the abomin-
able drugs, of iodine, of carbolic acid,
| oyerpowered me, and [ knew it had
really taken place. Passing along the
corridor by the nursery, saw Liza; she
gazed at me with terrified look in her
eyes. fancied the whole five children
were there and were steadfastly looking
ut me.
I Went up to the door OF her room,
and the maid opened it and went ont.