The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-10-27

While full of these sad thoughts JACK came
back and brought not my friend, but the laws
We'll. how is it ?" said, Hes dead"
And my sad heart said: Yes he's dead"
! But Rex, who, was sure, had kept his eyes on
| him, gave deep, long growl at this. POOR
| Jack broke down at these words, and heard
his sobs as though it would break my heart.
For quite while all was still; but l could
feel pin pierce me Oh my arm, my leg, my
foot, my chest, my cheek, till i heard Jack
voice in most stern tones say, Stop that"
Just then quick steps OH the stairs told that
the bell / heard was in some way rung for me,
as rap at the door brought proof Jack S step
TO the door. pause, and mo; thank you, not
now" told me he had heard from home. But
! he came TO me none too soon, for deep cash IN
my arm met his gaze. ! knew of the rage at
| his heart by the calm, cold voice in which he
| said
Il told you to stop that! If you touch him
! once more i will break your neck! Now. sir,
! let me tell you, to me he does not look as
! though he were dead"
Then the strange voice. as calm as a rare day
| in June and yet as cold as ice. said:
Though man may have been dead for two
| months and half the flesh will have kept its
! form and hue: fer month more and the
| scalp the lids the nose will have kept so well
that the age can be told; for few weeks
more and the face is not all gone, and tho ouik
! of the flesh for at least six months does not
take on that look as of fat. So long does flesh
/ last as flesh, though il is dead If the breath
stop. aud the heart does not beat, we might
! feel quite sure -
But" said Jack. chow is it, then, with
! frogs and toads, and snakes, and things that
! sleep in the cold?"
We'll, in that case-but man does not live
! so-and too, this man is as cold as and rs
| he gave nv chest slap the dog gave such a
SbG lp nd
| his mind to say. but went on: "Of course
| there is one case known to US where the man,
when he chose TO do So could stop his heart,
and his blood stood still, but do not think
your friend s.
NO" said Jack, in a sad tone, my friend
is no fraud"
And this flesh" said the voice, "does not
shrink at ali when i touch, sr rub, or slap, or
pinch it. And as you saw, if push pin in
! it, he does not feel, be does not move aud there
is no blood. And this deep cut here as you
see, has 10 pout. no blood"
And as he flung back the arm on my chest,
be said with scorn:
Stiff, or not stiff, this is dead man, tell
you! But. if you still doubt, 1 will prove it,
for -
Hold" said Jack. "let me read to you what
have just got from his home"
And Jack read:
"No doubt he is in trance Give him air.
Keep MIN warm. brlDg MIN HOme.
The voice rang out in high key: (which
goes to show they are pack of fools!"
heard the snap Of lock; and the next sound
told Inc he had knife in his hand. With a
threat in the voice. as if the law made me his
TO do with as he saw fit" For / will now let
you see that his heart is still and cold in
DEATH"
But with a cry as If the knife had struck his
own heart. Jack. with quick rush, thrust him
through the door, on and on, and down the
stairs He ran back and threw the man 8 traps
down on his head. / could hear it all, from the
loud curse at the foot of the stairs to Jacks
sharp, quick step, as he shut the room door
with a bang
And as he sat down on the side of the bed. he
put my hand on Rex's head, with, OH so much
care. and took long look at the deep cash in
my arm, and as he did so. he said
Curse him he thinks he knows it all but
l will teach him thing or two yet if he
once more shows his smirk here!"
He tore off a strip from The sheet and bound
up my arm with as soft touch as if had been
a child. This DONE he went with slow step
back and forth. back and forth. till Rex could
not help but whine. which brought his thoughts
round to the true state of things. He once
more got the glass and brought it close to
my face. He held it there while he took long,
deep breatbs. lis nerves were on the stretch
till, at last when / had done all / could to
bESdlHB IdIHt UllSL Oh the vi the glass, ali
| could 10 speak groan; to look at his face.
then so close to mine; to meet those eyes and
give back some of the love / knew was there,
he rose from his seat, and with deep breath,
still OF doubt. left me.
lie went and sat down, and could hear him
rock, rock, rock, and, in low, strange voice,
curse and pray By turns. All at once he WAS
on his feet; and. with talk of men put in their
graves too soon, said he would have no more to
do with the schools, as all led him from what
lie would know, and he would have no aid
from sharp blades or red hot things to cut or
burn my flesh.
heard him tell them not to come near me.
could hear him as he strobe up the street.
| And, could hear. oh, so much that / did not
| care 10 hear. The low voice of this one and
| that near MY room door, doubt and fear, and
! still worse thoughts found their way from
! brain to brain through vile tongues. They all
but drove me mad as they stood there at my
! door, or went TO and fro, and up and down, and
| kept up their talk.
In some way Rex must have been in touch
with me-must have felt my mood, for be gave
| forth such growls at the door that soon the
noise of foot and tongue was put stop to.
For long time all was still. Then Jack
| came, but so slow was his step that knew he
too had at last made up his mind that was
dead. And soon a man came, and heard the
whirl of a reel, and then felt tape put to my
head and on the stretch, to my feet. And
! Jack with sob in his soft voice went and
brought suit of Clothes and said:
These"
All came in who chose now. Rex would not
move from the side of my bed, but once in q
while gave long, low whine. They brought
him food and drink. at length / knew by
sounds and the want of sounds that it was night
They put me Oh a plank. with ice in the room.
/ could hear the drip, drip, bnt Jack would not
have il near me- Nor would he let them, as
they do, battle my face, put cloth on it.
nor press down the eyes by coins But the
cold and the hard plank gave me great pain.
Jack was there. He read, and Rex slept.
And in the small hours / must have slept,
though was in SO much pain, for once more |
had the dream. 1t made me glad, and it made
me sad for now my loves sweet face had on it
a look more sad than was my own dead heart.
As the clock struck the hour of 3 i heard
The men came in, but Jack would not let them
do thing but wash and dress me. And after
such work as had to be done they laid me ont
in the box TO suit Jack. who would not have
the lid down. He would and did have 1t so
the air could come and CO. and was borne,
with slow step, TO the hcarse.
Jack saw 10 all things. He and Rex went
with me- ] knew from what heard that he
had paid all my debts. One man paid back To
Jack bill had lent him.
When we got to the train was put in the
care of young man in the car, who would let
in all the air Jack thought it. for winch i was