The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-08-23
OR

murmured: INV little daughter has
just carried some work home. You
know neighbors should help each other
cut at such times"
Then she spread u clean napkin on a
little table at the head of my bed,
candles. | was following her move
ments here and there and taking note
OF the smallest detail. Suddenly the
! slight g INNER which hal continued
! { make its way thrOugl one of my
eyes and keep me in communication
with the outer world went out.
/ Nine. Cabin had closed my eyes. AS
telt her fingers on my eyelids the full
consciousness of my awful condition
( broke upon ne and could feel an icy
co dness creeping inward from tho ends
Of my limbs toward my heart.
Little DEAR" said Nine. Cabin. turn
ing to Marg aerite, who had entirely
ceased crying, there are certain
things to be done now. The cvath
must be reported to the authorities,
and arrangements for the funeral :nust
be made. You are not in condition
to attend to such details, and | als not
willing to leave you alone: 80, il you
have no objection, II go and eelt Mr..
| Simoneau is at home"
/ AS Nine. Cabin pronounced this
name. | could hear Margueri,e's breath
come and go with a rushing soun1.
! "GraciOus he aven," I thought to my
self. is he here, beneath this very
roof: Never, never will permit this
hated creature to enter this sacred
chamber, to take charge of my burial,
to cOndole with my bel sed Marguer-
ite. and, most maddening thought of
all, to offer her his heart, his love- his
money, his protection. No, no! will
come back from the dead: I will open
these eyes, which they think are
closed forever, and this tongue shall
+ y out in hot Indignation against this
sacrilege."
In vain, in vain. Although l called
upon my soul with frantic entreaty to
lend me just strength enough to sit up
in red and whisper single word OF
warning. it wou not heed me. | was
dead, dead. The dread chill kept
heart. / longed to shrek, to howl to
grind my teeth and clcnch my fingers
but not a fiber or a muscle would vie d.
Death held me in his embrace. | could
only lie there and listen in the inn
penctrable darkness which envclOped
me.
This is MIR. Simoneau," half whis-
pered Nine. Cabin.
In an agony of suspense waited to-
catch the first sound Of his voice, for
5, nothing whispered to me that it
mi mt possible be some other SimO-
ncall.
.,arguorite began sobbing again, and
there wa, moment OF deep silence,
broken only by these accents of woe.
1t came at last, full, deep, round
voice:
Il am entirely at you service, madam.
charge of every thing for YOU"
Oh, horror. Oh, torment. There
was no MISLEADING that voice. 1t was
SimOneau. the hated rival, from whose
clutches ha barely succeeded in saw
ing Marguerite. Simoneau, the tall,
handsome man with red cheeks and
W. III Q teeth; the man whom Ma guer-
it, had loved, but whom she had re-
sig ed to b, come tie Wife Of a poor,
mise able wretch, devoid of fortune,
lacking in every bodily grace, whose
Ii hun. by q thread, whose deep-set
eyes burned with sickly flame. and
whose pa Q lips parted over teeth
blackened by the acid medic mes
necessary to keep b dy and soul to-
gether.
More than ever | recognized now
that l was d. ad-dead in the full sen Q
of the wOrd-else had the presence of
this man called me back to life again.
l could not hear that Marguerite made
any reply to oimOneal's offer: bat pres
emily became aware of the proximity
of Nine. Cabin and SimOneau to my
| e lside. She was whispering 20 him
about the expenses of tle funeral. and
! wa, telling him how much Cabin
funeral had cost her. and pr posed ask
king Marguerite whether he had any
money, but SlmoneAu restrained her.
My soul revOlted at the thought of
having my funeral expe ses paid by
this man. and lay there suffering ten
th' usand tormentS, when | heard him
leave the room. Nine. Cabin also took
her departure. in order to pr .pare
some elmer for Margue it. We we:e
alone. | strained ever. iibcr of my
/, body to make some slight movement
ana attract my beloved wifes atten-
ton. | called upon heaven to open my
eyes for single instant. that | might
look upon my beauti III Marguerite.
ami in that look tell her all. 1Sut no.
no ii was all in vain.
I Marguerite rcfuS 4 to touch the 70 d
which Mime. Cabin had prepared. and
as l lay there listening to the faint
rumble O. the busy streets of Paris. a,
il came through the open window. a
! harsh. strange voice suddenly fell
! upon my ear. 1t wa, the Medical In
spector.
! where's the body he inquired
! Simoneau had followed him in
| "Snall / hold the candle for you:"
asked the latter.
! 1t is not necessary" replied the in
! spector. What time did he die:
! AT this morning" answered Simo-
neau
! Every instant l thought this officer
would approach my bed, feel my pulse,
| PIT his ear to my breast. look at my
! eveballs. and thus discover that my
! soul had MOI yet taken flight: but no.
be turned and left the rom. for l
heard Simoneau say:
Goodnight sir
My fate was sealed. The law hal
4 hay