The Weekly Journal. — 1903-10-23 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

JAMES GREENWOOD, " THE ./MATVA:I3 CASUAL."  JOHN PECRAFT'S WICKED WIFE.  As the friendly Doctor and myself were takin,. our usual morning stroll through that part of the grounds attached to tho asylum alloted to patients allowed this much of liberty, he called my attention to a man who was moodily walking along in front of as, with his head bowed low on his breast and Lis anus closely folded. • '"lliere's John Pyerrift in trouble again," he smilingly remarked. "Ile h.,s been hating his bad dream again, I shouldn't wonder.' "Dream, you say Doctor," I remarked; be never have but one dream?" "Never but one sir, and that is of his wife. The wickedest, cruelest, creature that ever was born, if one could take his woid for it; which, of euurac, one can't. According to his account, • his is a curious instance of a mad wife driving her sane husband into a lunatic i.sylum." "And how long has he been here" ' "Not longer than two years, but previous to that he was for throe years an iumate of a criminal lunatic asylum. That was after be bad been convicted of attempted murder of his ,wife, and sentenced to seven year's penal servitude. But after he had been a few months at Portland it was found that ha was insane. After three years he was discharged ail cured from the criminal asylum. but shortly afterwards he lost his head again, and he haa been here ever since. And the strangest part of it is, that if he was told by me this morning that be was free to take his departure be would decline. Especially if lam right in my eureniae as to his having been dreaming of his wife again." "Would he plead his dream as a reason why be would not accept his liberty?" " Precisely. I know exsctly what he would say. 'No, no; better remain here than finish up at the gallows.' But let me introduce you to him. Be talks freely enough." We overtook the man in a few steps and the Doctor laid his hand on his shoulder. Mr. Pyeraft turned about with a startled exclamation.  "does  "It is only me, John." "I see, sir," and he breathed a hasty high of "but my mind being so full of her; it wouldn't have surprised me—Thew I" And he took out his handkerchief and wiped his forehead with it. - .  "Another bad dream I suppose John," the Doctor remarked as we waked along together. "I saw her, sir," returned Pycraft facing round to us with a pallid face," at my bedside, to plainly as I see you know. And her words to me were the same as over. 'I am waiting foe you? You shall kill me! I will goad you to it, and I shall dio happy, knowiug that the gallows will claim you.' " "After all these years too!" and the Doctor nudged me with his elbow. "She must be a very unforgiving woman." " Unforgiving sir I There, as I have often toll you, you are wrong. She has nothing to forgive. It is all an -hallucination. She is Mad. And what I have suffered through it !And then to he threatened with the gallows after all 1" And ho looked at mu for sympathy. "But this gentleman knows nothing about the circumstances," observed the Doctor. "11 you would like to make him acquainted with them I have no doubt he will listen." I readily otreotod sty toactistot to tlo so.