Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1896-01-31
MUSING OF THE DEAD

There was the sound Of trampling feet
above my head and the sharp click of met
al against the sod, and I, a shape, vapor,
resting in my coffin, could distinctly hear
the digger at work on another grave beside
my own.
Ii had never occurred to me in life tnat
the dead had ears to hear and eyes to see,
and even now there was nothing in the
demeanor of my cofflned neighbors to up
hold me in my present theory. l was a
criminal when they buried me and my
soul seemed left within my body to grovel
in the dust of horror and humiliation for
q period at least before its further evolu-
tion.
It was as If my own contempt for the
sublimity of the soul was being Knocked
by f1eshly dissolution. Twas forced to wit
ness the filthy degeneration Of what in life
had seemed to me of paramount impor-
tanoe. Vanity and carnality had been my
ruling passions and all the higher attri-
butes Of man, in which the SOUL took prec-
edence Of body, aroused within my carnal
mind only feeling of sarcastic pity.
1t was for this destroying Of mental
self that was finally hunted down and
brought to sudden justice
For many years my wild debauohes had
been carried on with fallen mortals and
men who scorned and loathed me-even
they were satisfied to let 1t 60 as a thing
beyond their interference.
1t was only when won poor Nellie's
love that they began shaking their angry
heads and pointing their warning fingers
at me.
But had wisdom in my evil way.
feigned reformation that did not feel
and for time behaved with rigid ciroum-
spection.
There were days even when tho child s
sweet nature almost shamed me in my
wicked purpose but to a heart grown old
in sin a woman's virtue only adds per-
sistenoe, and after each brief moment OF
remorse the old desire crept swiftly back
with tenfold worse intentions added.
And day by day the foweret dropped
with the sun of passion beating on it. Day
by day truth took a weaker hold upon the
soul that wavered In my power.
Warnings I had in plenty from the
friends that loved the girl, and although
there was no violence from me at any
Z oilliO oA0J oesiioo my oOOu {" uooo oA ol1iAS
and lynched me like a common felon,
Whether 1t was just some did not know,
but to me- lying cramped and huddled IN
this moldy box, there comes at times
realization of my sin that makes the judg-
ment seem most fair and even tempered!
with that plea for mercy which doubtful
jurors often add.
Day by day. hour by hour and minute
by minute the scenes and sins OF my life
are creeping slowly through my soul, and
now, viewed by the light OF disembodled
spirit, l find how greatly the sins OF the
hesh are at variance with the spiritual be-
ing.
Hope and desire, so all important to the
carnal frame, shrink to the meanest form
of guilt when viewed through nobler,
purer lenses. Like wornout husk, bat.
tered and travel stained, my flesh lies rot
ting In this grave, while |, soul, exist,
here, there and all about, able to penetrate
the very earth, able to see the heavens
above, but totally unable to escape from
the dread proximity OF my molderlng clay
OF this constant vision OF decay IN what
was once my fondest pride.
And now another silent form Is being
Lowered to my side. hear the sound OF
falling sods, the creak OF ropes, the tread
OF feet, and wish-oh, coward that am
that it might be another soul SO doomed
that it would bear mo company.
They are going now, the mourners at
the grave above my head, and almost
touching my crumbling feet see the out
line of polished casket
No one In all those silent tombs seems
wakened or disturbed but me. The advent
of another form into the gloom and horror
OF this place brings not tremOr to the