The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1905-03-04
MUsING OF THE DEAD

There was the SOunl Oh lraIupinS
feet above my head and the sharp
click of metal against the Sod and l.
a shape, a vapor. resting In my coffin,
could distinctly hear the digger at
work on another grave beside my own.
1t had never occurred to me in life
that the dead had ears to hear and
eyes to see, and even now there was
nothing in the demeanor Of my cotfined
neighbors to uphold me In my present
theory.
| | was q criminal when they buried
me, and my soul seemed left within
my body to grevel in the dust Of hor-
/ ror and humiliation for a period at
/ least before its further evolution.
1t was as If my own contempt for
| the suHimity Of the soul was being
Knocked by 1eshly dissolution. | was
/ forced to witness the filthy degenera-
/ ton of what in life had seemed to me
/ of paramount importance.
| Vanity and carnaliy 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 mental
self that | was finally hunted down
and brought to sudden justice.
! For many years my wild debauches
had been carried on with fallen NOR
/ tails, and men who scorned and loathed
me, even they were satisfied to let 1t
go us a thing beyond their interference.
1t was only when won poor Nellie's
love that they began shaking their an
cry heads and pointing their warning
! fingers at me.
! But | had wisdom In my evil way.
! feigned reformation that l did not
/ feel and for time behaved with rigid
| circumspectton.
! There were days even when the
childs sweet nature almost shamed me
/ In my wicked purpose, but 70 heart
! grown old in sin a woman's virtue
only adds persistence, and after each
brief moment Of remorse the old desire
crept swiftly back, with tenfold worse
| intentions added
/ And day after day the foweret droop-
cd with the sun of passion beating on
1t, Day by day truth took weaker
hold upon the soul that wavered in my
/ power.
Warnings l had in plenty from the
/ friends that loved the girl, and al
/ though there was no violence from me
| at any time they called my deed a
| deed of crime and lynched me like
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 a 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
y
life are creeping slowly through my
soul, and now, viewed by the light OF
d!sembodied spirit, l find how greatly
the sins of the flesh are at variance
with the spiritual being.
Hope and desire, so all important to
the carnal frame, shrink TO the mean
est form OF guilt when viewed through
nobler. purer lenses.
Like a wornout husk, battered and
travel stained, my flesh lies rotting In
this grave, while |, a 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 mold.
ering clay Of this constant vision OF de.
cay 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 1t might be another soul 50
doomed that It would lear me com
pany.
They are going now, the mourners at
the grave above my head, and almost
touching my crumblng feet see the
outline Of a polished casket.
No one In all those silent ;ombs
seems Weakened or disturbed but me.
The advent Of another form into the
gloom and horror Of this place brings
not tremor to the dust Of those who
sleep so peacefully.
But now my soul seems pierced again
by one more yenomed. ranking dart
and through the power Of spirit sight
| see the limit Of my doom.
There IS no soul within this new
made tomb, no clay freed spirit to con
dole with mine, but low beneath the
polished boards a sweet young face
lies still and calm and seems TO mock
my misery.
Once more l trace my evil life in all
It's w.lful sinful ways and t'Irrinc.
ny 10 avert my gaze from ;Aat which
almost muddens ME.
This then is justice for the damned,
To watch DprfOrca while oil ro,, l,.,