The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1904-12-17
MUSING OF THE DEAD

feet above my head and the sharp
chGk Of metal against the sod, and |.
. shape. 4 vapor, resting in my coffin.
could Distinctly hear the digger at
wogk on another grave beside my own.
1t had nsver occurred to me in life
that the dead had ears to bear and
eyes to sec, and even now there was
nothing In the d4meanor Of my toffined
nsighbors to uphold me in my present
theory.
was 4 criminal when they buried
me, and my soul scanned left within
my body to grovsi in the dust OF hor-
ror and humiliation for a period at
least before IT. further evolution.
It was ~ II my own contempt for
he sublimiU Of the soul was being
Knocked by feshly dissolution. l was
forced to witness the filthy degenera-
ton OF what In life had seemed to me
Of paramount importance.
Vanity and carnauty had been my
ruling passions, and all the higher at
tributes Of man, In which the soul
took precedence Of body. aroused WITH
In my carnal mind only a feeling Of
sarcastic pity.
1t was for this destroying Of Z mental
self that was finally hunted down
and brought to sudden justice.
For many years my wild debauches
had been carried on with falAen NOR.
tails, and men who scorned and loathed
me. oven they were satisfied to let Il
30 az a thing beyond their interference.
It was only when won poor Nellie's
love that they besan shaking their an
gry heads and pointing their warning
fingers at me.
But L had wisdom in my evil way.
teigned a reformation that I did not
feel and for a time behaved with rigid
circumspection.
There were days even when the
child's sweet nature almost shamed me
In my wicked purpose, but to . heart
grown old In SIN 4 woman's virtue
only adds persistence. and after eack
brief moment of remorse the old desire
erept swiftly back, with tsnfold worse
Intentions added.
And day after day the howeret droop-
ID with the sun Of passion beating o.
It. Day by day truth took q weaker
hold upon the soul that wavered In my
power.
Warnings had In plenty from The
friends that loved the gih, and al
though there was no violence from me
at any time they called my ded
decd Of crime and lynched me Me a
common feion.
Whether it was Just some did noe
know, but to me, lying cramped md
huddlcd in this moldy box. there comes
at times 4 realization Of my sin that
makes the judgment 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 q my
life are creeping slowly through my
scrA. ard now. viewed BY the light Of
dissmbodied spirit I nsd bow greatly
the sins OF the dssh are at variancs
with the Aplr1trai being.
Hope and desire. % all important to
the carnal frame, shrink 10 the mean
est form OF guilt when Viewed through
nobler, purer lenses.
Like a WORKOUT husk. battered and
travel stained. my nesh Nss rotting in
this grave. while l. q soul. exist, here,
there and all about able to penetrate
the worry earth, able to see the heavens
above, but totally unable to escape
from the dread proximity Of my mold
sring clay Of this constant vision OF do.
cay In what was once my fondest
pride.
And now another ailcot form is beius
lowered to my side. hssr the sound
Of falling sods. the creak Of rep~, the
tread Of feet and wish--oh, coward that
] amEthat It might be another soul 30
doomed that it would bar me COM
pany.
, They are going nov. the mourners ut
the grave above ny head. and almost
touching my crumbling feet see the
outline OF polished casket
No one IA oil those silent tombs
seems waksned or disturbed but me-
The advent Of another form into the
gloom and horror Of this place brings
not q treu,or to the dust Of those who
sleep % peacefully.
But now my soul seems pierced again
b one more venomed, ranking dart.
and through the power Of spirit sight
I SO The limit Of my doom.
There - no soul within this new
made tomb. no clay freed spirit to con-
dole VIII mine, but low beneath the
polished boards . sweet young face
lies stiu and calm and seems to mock
my misery.
Once moro I trace my evil life In all
II willful sinful ways, and. turning.
ery to avert my gaze from that which
almost maddens me-
This then II justice for the damned.
To watch. perforce, while all you love
Decays wbile flesh. once fair. crecps
pfloly no ~L t,, d,,at oph ho