The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-09-08
The Waxen Head.
A STUDY OF MADNESS.
Yes. l killed him.

Yes, killed him.
But why? you ask. All, that is the
question. The judge, the lawyers,
and the jury can not tell. They have
ascribed all manner of motives to me.
They have said that l was brutal and
cold-blooded from my birth-a moral
monster. Wrong-I am gentle almost
to timidity. They have said that there
was n woman I'm the case. Wrong-l
scarcely knew the man, and knew no
woman whom lie knew. My advocate
has said that l am mad, and that the
waxen head reminded me of some wo-
man whom ! had loved. Wrong-l
neved loved but one, and she was
dark.
The head, you will notice, is that of
a blonde.
Yes. l killed him, and for what you
will think a trifie-because he refused
to remove a waxen image from the
window of his hair-dressing shop.
Odd, was it not?
Let me tell you my story. l was
poor-miserably, wretchedly poor. l
had come to the great city, as come so
many men, In search Of employment.
Anything, whether hand-work or
brain-work, would 1 willingly have
done. But work l could not get. The
first day / went to seventeen places.
They were sorry there was no open
ing; possibly there might be; would
cali again? and was politely ushered
out.
1 waited. I called again. was
again rebuffed-a little less politely
than before. l went to other places.
The same experience. In all the great
city there seemed no work for me to
do.
I was gradually spending the small
stock of money l had brought with
me-all had In the world. Finally II
was gone. l pawned what few arti
cles of jewelry l had, and continued
my quest for work. At last received
some. 1t was copying. at miserable
pittance. but it was work.
My humble lodging was in ding.
street, and directly opposite was a hair
dresser's shop. In the window wa
an object the sight of which annoyed
me. In this life you meet persons VIII
are repugnant to you, as well as thos
whom you like. To one of a SENSITIVE
nature, like myself, the same rule ar
plies to inanimate objects. Even TO
tables and chairs / have my likes an
dislikes.
Things, says the Latin poet, hav
tears; So too. have they irony. An
this object in the hair-dresser's wiz
dow produced upon me disagreeabl
sensation of irony. The impressio
was all the more disagreeable. becaus
am ashamed of myself for feeling !
1 crossed the street. and examine
the object of my dislike. 1t wa
nothing-nothing but Waxen Hea'
But 1t was disagreeable. 1t locke
like a real head--a head cut from
body. 1t was not bust, such as hal
dressers ordinarily have, but simp
head, cut off ut the neck, and place
on a shelf. with n background
coarse, red cloth. A flowing blond
wig was upon 1t, and its CLASSY bill
eyes had a metallic lustre. There W,
a mechanical smile upon its painte
lips-a disagreeable smile. Almost
contemptuous smile. And l could n
help thinking that the Thing locke
superciliously Mt me.
/ finished the copying l had, M
went for more. None to be ha
Again l went my weary round.
work. Despirited and melancholy,
returned to my lone room. 1t w
was family Illuminated by n sickl
sputtering lamp. But In the darkne
there shone out two brilliant points
light
They were the eyes of the Wax
Head.
began to grow alarmed, desp
myself. Could the cursed Thing
acting on my brain? Was in dang
of madness? But no; what folly!
would not look upon It, would ave
gazing out VI the WluuoW. Il VI
week I would not let my eyes fail I
on it. But 1t was not without an
fort. l experienced veritable tugs
times, pulling me around to look
the Waxen Head. But resisted.
At last one night l was return
home just after dark. The wind
was not lighted; I was safe. Just
reached the front of the shop lal
lighter touched street lamp near
The flame shot from the Jet, the II
fell upon the window. Starting
of the darkness l saw the mock
Head.
/ could not restrain myself.
tered the shop. determined to IN
the owner remove the hideous I'll
As crossed the threshold SNUG
low advanced, bowinEi rnirkips.
RUBBING his hanO.