Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-02-24
back of the church came n voice:
.sI forbid thu hams,

horror.
Down the aisle reeled mrn in
pea jacket and sailor cap.
II got back jus n time. my dear.
didn't II In n few min'ts you'd a
been a bigamlst."
Approaching Johanna, Ben Tlllotson
attempted to put his arm about her
Che drew away from him as from a
serpent
The assembled guests, men and wom-
en-, the clergyman. all except one per
son, stood transfixed with horror. That
one person was John Parke. Stepping
forward, he placed himself between
Tillotson and Johanna.
"G'wayw roared the sailor. "She
b'longs to me! Wha' right you got to
herr"
THE right of escort | brought her
here. and shall take her to her home"
John Parke had always been consid.
cred a prosaic man, but at the moment
he spoke these words he looked like
god. The intruder shrank back cowed
Then the one good man whom Johanna
had stabbed for the sins of two other
and took her out of the church.
The guests for time remained where
they were, then began silently to dis
perse. Not one but felt that a tragedy
had been enacted before them instead
Of the happy event they had come to
witness; not one but condemned, not
one but pitled, the woman who had
hNrh h0 l,o g.,
wreak her vengeance on an innocent
man
Tillotson found his way out among
the others, every one he passed avoid
ing him as II he were an adder Once
out of the church he was lost in the
crowd on the street. He had been
wrecked on an island in the Pacific
ocean and lived there with the natives,
preferring to remain among them rath-
er than return to civilization. lie had
finally shipped on 4 vessel that brought
him TO his own country and arrived
just in time to complete the dramatic
climax of his wife's revenge.
If those who had witnessed the scene
In the church mingled pity with their
had heard of the affair-and it was a
seven days wonder-said that she had
deserved far more than she had receiv-
ed. But one held Johanna blameleSS.
That was the man she stabbed. What
ever may have been his inner feelings,
his words said that to woman who had
been wronged as she had been wrong
ed there must come an irresistible de.
sire for revenge and that women. since
they do not possess judicial minds, are
as likely to punish the wrong man as
the right one. In defense of his posi-,
ton he reminded those to whom he
made this defense that no woman
had ever been appointed to sit on s
judicial bench or serve on jury.
But as to what passed between him
and Johanna on their way from the
church to her home or on their ar
rival there or afterwarl John rarkt
spoke 10 word. The hippaut looked
upon him with that contempt one nat
urally feels for a man who has beer
duped Others gave him sympathy
To those who had witnessed his splen
did self cuutroI, his assumption of lht
manly part, under any ana all circum
stances. of protector of the weakc,
sex, he was 4 hero.
There was much speculation. mucI
curiosity, TO know the condition. men
tai and physical, of Johanna. She shu
herself up. For long while uot ever
her most intimate friend was permit
ted to visit her. When this friend
was at last admitted she found Juhau.
ma in Il far better condition thau she
had expected, but withal uniutelligible
Johanna seemed to be in state oi
mental fever. Her friend had expect
ed to find her crushed She was emo.
tional. Her friend had expected t.
find her hopeless. But not a word
passed between them concerning that
frightful scene of which one had been
witness and in which the other had
acted the principal part. Not word
of regret escaped Johanna's lips. not
word of appreciation for the man
who had returned good for evil.
ut seems to me-" said the lady after
the visit, that Mr. Parke is to Jo-
h'ht4'i Siiiip'g dS Il DlpCh OI SlOlt. All
the use she had for him was through
him to stab the male sex. But Judge
this merely from appearances. Jo-
hanna contded nothing TO me"
One morning newspaper contained
an item that man found on the street
in drunken stupor had been taken
to hospital and had died there.
Johanna and sent up his card She
came down the stairs and entered the
room so quietly that Parke. who was
standing at window. dId not near
her. Presently he turned and saw her
standing near the door. her hands rest
ing on the back of chair She was
very pale.
"Now that | have the right" he said
deferentially, 81 have come again to
ask you to be my wife"
He made Il step forward and stop
ped. She WAS trembling. she did not
speak, though for moment he thought
he saw her lips move. Then she be-
gan to sway She put out her arms to
him. He ran TO her and caught her
only in time to prevent her from fall.
ing.
Washington's Size.
George Washington was big as wei
as great. One of the doctors who at-
tended him iu hiS Lost iIluos, ,,,,,.