A Woman’s Vengeance.I thank[1292]you for your sympathy,But help! No,[1293]there is none for me.For what I’ve done I feel no stingOf penitence, nor can time bringOne pang of sorrow. You may thinkMe hard, unfeeling, and may shrink[1294]From me with loathing when I say,I’m glad my bullet found the wayInto his heart; and I would doThe same again, and glory,[1295]too,In having done it. Penalty!For what they now may do with meI care but little.[1296]He is dead,And that ends all.What made me do the deed? The old,Old[1297]time-worn story of man’s coldAnd heartless cruelty; of wrongsHeaped on her head,[1298]to whom belongsAt least respect,[1299]if nothing more.I met him—him, my husband—justFive years ago. My God! what trustI placed in his fair words, so soft,So sweet, so full of love. But love is blind,And I was madly so. The first two yearsWere full[1300]of joy—joy without tears.My life was of peaceful love.But, ah! the change came sudden, fast;My summer sun was overcast.[1301]The godlike being that I thoughtOf all mankind[1302]most perfect wrought,Tore off[1303]the mask that hid his face,And, to my horror,[1304]in his placeRevealed a demon,[1305]blackest-hued,Remorseless, pitiless, imbuedWith all the wickedness that heartCan hold, or shameless sin[1306]impartThe loving words to curses[1307]turned;My fond advances all were spurned.[1308]I soon became for him a thingTo tread upon—a clod to fling[1309]From out his path. I took my childAnd fled[1310]one night, half maddened, wild,Far from his sight—I cared not whereSo I again his face might ne’erBehold. But soon once more with wordsThat seemed to me like songs of birds[1311]He sought me out, and with eyesFilled with repentant tears, imploredForgiveness; and I—fool![1312]ignored[1313]The past, forgot my woes, and wentBack to his home with heart content.O Heaven![1314]could I have but foreseen,Could I have known he did not meanTo keep the vows so freely made!Once more his promises were castAside,[1315]as idle words, and worseThan e’en before—a daily curse[1316]My life became.Then came at last the final blow—The worst that love can contemplate,And which can turn that love to hate.[1317]One night, when he had gone from me,I found a letter which he carelesslyHad overlooked. The script[1318]was smallAnd neat—a woman’s hand! A wallOf fire outstretched[1319]before my eyes;A nameless horror seemed to rise.No, no! this could not be. He mightBe bad, be dead to sense of right,But false! O Heaven![1320]The dreadful thoughtSurged in my brain.[1321]I crushed[1322]it, fought[1323]It down with frenzied eagerness.The note was open; chilled, nerveless,I drew it[1324]from its fold and read,[1325]“This night to meet him,” so it said.This night! how throbbed[1326]my aching head!Her house it gave—the place, the hour—I seemed renewed with sudden power.He[1327]would be there, and so would I.[1328]I cast[1329]the hated letter by;My child from off the floor I clasped,And from the bureau drawer I graspedA loaded pistol that would rightMy wrong. So out[1330]into the night,Into the raging storm, I fled,My babe clasped[1331]in my arms.I could but repeat,“False! false! I’ll be revenged!”[1332]My soulNow stirred and roused beyond control,Was filled with one desire alone,And that was that he should atone[1333]For this—to woman—foulest[1334]wrong.So through the night I sped alongUntil I reached her house.And then I heard[1335]A voice within—his voice! Each wordIn sweet and loving tenderness,And accents thatmy[1336]heart should blessWere lavished onher[1337]listening ears.I listened, listened,[1338]all unseen,Until I thought I should go wild.[1339]Then, with a desperate hand, flung wide[1340]The casement. With a bound, besideThe two[1341]I stood. She started—screamed;He turned[1342]and saw me, and then seemedA moment as if turned to stone;And as his baseness I made known,She—poor thing—with a long, low cry,Sank[1343]to the floor despairingly.Then, like a fiend let loose from hell,He toward[1344]me leaped with one fierce yell,And grasping[1345]quick a heavy chairCried, “Curse you!” whirled it high[1346]in air.I sprang aside[1347]in sudden dread;The blow fell full upon the headOf my sweet child, that lifeless droppedBack in my arms. My heart throbs[1348]stopped;A red mist swam[1349]before my sight;I could not scream, try as I might.I grasped the pistol[1350]from my breast,And then I killed[1351]him!All the restFor days to me was blank;[1352]and when—O Heaven! why did I not die then?At last my sense came back. I wouldHave taken my own life if I could.But it perhaps was better[1353]so;God will not judge me hard, I know.And when, in answer to His call,I stand within the heavenly hall,[1354]And the Blessed OneSays, “Why hast thou transgressed my laws?”My babe shall plead its mother’s[1355]cause.—Thomas F. Wilford.Gestures.[1292]Bow head.[1293]V. Con.[1294]B. V. to right.[1295]A. O.[1296]Shrug shoulders.[1297]H. B.[1298]P. H. O.[1299]H. O.[1300]B. H. O.[1301]V. A. O.[1302]B. H. O.[1303]V. Sp.[1304]B. V. to R.[1305]Ind. D. O.[1306]P. D. O.[1307]Cli. D.[1308]V. H. O.[1309]Left D. Sw.[1310]H. L.[1311]A. O.[1312]B. Cli. D.[1313]V. H. O.[1314]Clasp hands.[1315]V. H. L.[1316]B. Cli. D.[1317]P. D. O.[1318]Look in left hand.[1319]V. H. Sw.[1320]Clasp to breast.[1321]To head.[1322]B. P. D.[1323]B. Cli. D.[1324]Sp.[1325]Trace on left hand.[1326]Hand to head.[1327]H. O.[1328]To self.[1329]Left Sp.[1330]H. F.[1331]B. Sp.[1332]Cli. raised.[1333]D. F.[1334]B. Cli. D.[1335]Lis.[1336]To self.[1337]H. O.[1338]Lean to R. and raise hand.[1339]To head.[1340]B. V. Sp.[1341]H. F.[1342]Look to left.[1343]B. D. F.[1344]Left H. O.[1345]-[1346]B. Sp.[1347]Start back.[1348]R. hand to heart.[1349]Left V. Sw.[1350]Sp.[1351]Ind. H. F.[1352]B. V. H. F.[1353]B. H. O.[1354]A. O.[1355]To self.
I thank[1292]you for your sympathy,But help! No,[1293]there is none for me.For what I’ve done I feel no stingOf penitence, nor can time bringOne pang of sorrow. You may thinkMe hard, unfeeling, and may shrink[1294]From me with loathing when I say,I’m glad my bullet found the wayInto his heart; and I would doThe same again, and glory,[1295]too,In having done it. Penalty!For what they now may do with meI care but little.[1296]He is dead,And that ends all.What made me do the deed? The old,Old[1297]time-worn story of man’s coldAnd heartless cruelty; of wrongsHeaped on her head,[1298]to whom belongsAt least respect,[1299]if nothing more.I met him—him, my husband—justFive years ago. My God! what trustI placed in his fair words, so soft,So sweet, so full of love. But love is blind,And I was madly so. The first two yearsWere full[1300]of joy—joy without tears.My life was of peaceful love.But, ah! the change came sudden, fast;My summer sun was overcast.[1301]The godlike being that I thoughtOf all mankind[1302]most perfect wrought,Tore off[1303]the mask that hid his face,And, to my horror,[1304]in his placeRevealed a demon,[1305]blackest-hued,Remorseless, pitiless, imbuedWith all the wickedness that heartCan hold, or shameless sin[1306]impartThe loving words to curses[1307]turned;My fond advances all were spurned.[1308]I soon became for him a thingTo tread upon—a clod to fling[1309]From out his path. I took my childAnd fled[1310]one night, half maddened, wild,Far from his sight—I cared not whereSo I again his face might ne’erBehold. But soon once more with wordsThat seemed to me like songs of birds[1311]He sought me out, and with eyesFilled with repentant tears, imploredForgiveness; and I—fool![1312]ignored[1313]The past, forgot my woes, and wentBack to his home with heart content.O Heaven![1314]could I have but foreseen,Could I have known he did not meanTo keep the vows so freely made!Once more his promises were castAside,[1315]as idle words, and worseThan e’en before—a daily curse[1316]My life became.Then came at last the final blow—The worst that love can contemplate,And which can turn that love to hate.[1317]One night, when he had gone from me,I found a letter which he carelesslyHad overlooked. The script[1318]was smallAnd neat—a woman’s hand! A wallOf fire outstretched[1319]before my eyes;A nameless horror seemed to rise.No, no! this could not be. He mightBe bad, be dead to sense of right,But false! O Heaven![1320]The dreadful thoughtSurged in my brain.[1321]I crushed[1322]it, fought[1323]It down with frenzied eagerness.The note was open; chilled, nerveless,I drew it[1324]from its fold and read,[1325]“This night to meet him,” so it said.This night! how throbbed[1326]my aching head!Her house it gave—the place, the hour—I seemed renewed with sudden power.He[1327]would be there, and so would I.[1328]I cast[1329]the hated letter by;My child from off the floor I clasped,And from the bureau drawer I graspedA loaded pistol that would rightMy wrong. So out[1330]into the night,Into the raging storm, I fled,My babe clasped[1331]in my arms.I could but repeat,“False! false! I’ll be revenged!”[1332]My soulNow stirred and roused beyond control,Was filled with one desire alone,And that was that he should atone[1333]For this—to woman—foulest[1334]wrong.So through the night I sped alongUntil I reached her house.And then I heard[1335]A voice within—his voice! Each wordIn sweet and loving tenderness,And accents thatmy[1336]heart should blessWere lavished onher[1337]listening ears.I listened, listened,[1338]all unseen,Until I thought I should go wild.[1339]Then, with a desperate hand, flung wide[1340]The casement. With a bound, besideThe two[1341]I stood. She started—screamed;He turned[1342]and saw me, and then seemedA moment as if turned to stone;And as his baseness I made known,She—poor thing—with a long, low cry,Sank[1343]to the floor despairingly.Then, like a fiend let loose from hell,He toward[1344]me leaped with one fierce yell,And grasping[1345]quick a heavy chairCried, “Curse you!” whirled it high[1346]in air.I sprang aside[1347]in sudden dread;The blow fell full upon the headOf my sweet child, that lifeless droppedBack in my arms. My heart throbs[1348]stopped;A red mist swam[1349]before my sight;I could not scream, try as I might.I grasped the pistol[1350]from my breast,And then I killed[1351]him!All the restFor days to me was blank;[1352]and when—O Heaven! why did I not die then?At last my sense came back. I wouldHave taken my own life if I could.But it perhaps was better[1353]so;God will not judge me hard, I know.And when, in answer to His call,I stand within the heavenly hall,[1354]And the Blessed OneSays, “Why hast thou transgressed my laws?”My babe shall plead its mother’s[1355]cause.—Thomas F. Wilford.
I thank[1292]you for your sympathy,But help! No,[1293]there is none for me.For what I’ve done I feel no stingOf penitence, nor can time bringOne pang of sorrow. You may thinkMe hard, unfeeling, and may shrink[1294]From me with loathing when I say,I’m glad my bullet found the wayInto his heart; and I would doThe same again, and glory,[1295]too,In having done it. Penalty!For what they now may do with meI care but little.[1296]He is dead,And that ends all.What made me do the deed? The old,Old[1297]time-worn story of man’s coldAnd heartless cruelty; of wrongsHeaped on her head,[1298]to whom belongsAt least respect,[1299]if nothing more.I met him—him, my husband—justFive years ago. My God! what trustI placed in his fair words, so soft,So sweet, so full of love. But love is blind,And I was madly so. The first two yearsWere full[1300]of joy—joy without tears.My life was of peaceful love.But, ah! the change came sudden, fast;My summer sun was overcast.[1301]The godlike being that I thoughtOf all mankind[1302]most perfect wrought,Tore off[1303]the mask that hid his face,And, to my horror,[1304]in his placeRevealed a demon,[1305]blackest-hued,Remorseless, pitiless, imbuedWith all the wickedness that heartCan hold, or shameless sin[1306]impartThe loving words to curses[1307]turned;My fond advances all were spurned.[1308]I soon became for him a thingTo tread upon—a clod to fling[1309]From out his path. I took my childAnd fled[1310]one night, half maddened, wild,Far from his sight—I cared not whereSo I again his face might ne’erBehold. But soon once more with wordsThat seemed to me like songs of birds[1311]He sought me out, and with eyesFilled with repentant tears, imploredForgiveness; and I—fool![1312]ignored[1313]The past, forgot my woes, and wentBack to his home with heart content.O Heaven![1314]could I have but foreseen,Could I have known he did not meanTo keep the vows so freely made!Once more his promises were castAside,[1315]as idle words, and worseThan e’en before—a daily curse[1316]My life became.Then came at last the final blow—The worst that love can contemplate,And which can turn that love to hate.[1317]One night, when he had gone from me,I found a letter which he carelesslyHad overlooked. The script[1318]was smallAnd neat—a woman’s hand! A wallOf fire outstretched[1319]before my eyes;A nameless horror seemed to rise.No, no! this could not be. He mightBe bad, be dead to sense of right,But false! O Heaven![1320]The dreadful thoughtSurged in my brain.[1321]I crushed[1322]it, fought[1323]It down with frenzied eagerness.The note was open; chilled, nerveless,I drew it[1324]from its fold and read,[1325]“This night to meet him,” so it said.This night! how throbbed[1326]my aching head!Her house it gave—the place, the hour—I seemed renewed with sudden power.He[1327]would be there, and so would I.[1328]I cast[1329]the hated letter by;My child from off the floor I clasped,And from the bureau drawer I graspedA loaded pistol that would rightMy wrong. So out[1330]into the night,Into the raging storm, I fled,My babe clasped[1331]in my arms.I could but repeat,“False! false! I’ll be revenged!”[1332]My soulNow stirred and roused beyond control,Was filled with one desire alone,And that was that he should atone[1333]For this—to woman—foulest[1334]wrong.So through the night I sped alongUntil I reached her house.And then I heard[1335]A voice within—his voice! Each wordIn sweet and loving tenderness,And accents thatmy[1336]heart should blessWere lavished onher[1337]listening ears.I listened, listened,[1338]all unseen,Until I thought I should go wild.[1339]Then, with a desperate hand, flung wide[1340]The casement. With a bound, besideThe two[1341]I stood. She started—screamed;He turned[1342]and saw me, and then seemedA moment as if turned to stone;And as his baseness I made known,She—poor thing—with a long, low cry,Sank[1343]to the floor despairingly.Then, like a fiend let loose from hell,He toward[1344]me leaped with one fierce yell,And grasping[1345]quick a heavy chairCried, “Curse you!” whirled it high[1346]in air.I sprang aside[1347]in sudden dread;The blow fell full upon the headOf my sweet child, that lifeless droppedBack in my arms. My heart throbs[1348]stopped;A red mist swam[1349]before my sight;I could not scream, try as I might.I grasped the pistol[1350]from my breast,And then I killed[1351]him!All the restFor days to me was blank;[1352]and when—O Heaven! why did I not die then?At last my sense came back. I wouldHave taken my own life if I could.But it perhaps was better[1353]so;God will not judge me hard, I know.And when, in answer to His call,I stand within the heavenly hall,[1354]And the Blessed OneSays, “Why hast thou transgressed my laws?”My babe shall plead its mother’s[1355]cause.—Thomas F. Wilford.
I thank[1292]you for your sympathy,
But help! No,[1293]there is none for me.
For what I’ve done I feel no sting
Of penitence, nor can time bring
One pang of sorrow. You may think
Me hard, unfeeling, and may shrink[1294]
From me with loathing when I say,
I’m glad my bullet found the way
Into his heart; and I would do
The same again, and glory,[1295]too,
In having done it. Penalty!
For what they now may do with me
I care but little.[1296]He is dead,
And that ends all.
What made me do the deed? The old,
Old[1297]time-worn story of man’s cold
And heartless cruelty; of wrongs
Heaped on her head,[1298]to whom belongs
At least respect,[1299]if nothing more.
I met him—him, my husband—just
Five years ago. My God! what trust
I placed in his fair words, so soft,
So sweet, so full of love. But love is blind,
And I was madly so. The first two years
Were full[1300]of joy—joy without tears.
My life was of peaceful love.
But, ah! the change came sudden, fast;
My summer sun was overcast.[1301]
The godlike being that I thought
Of all mankind[1302]most perfect wrought,
Tore off[1303]the mask that hid his face,
And, to my horror,[1304]in his place
Revealed a demon,[1305]blackest-hued,
Remorseless, pitiless, imbued
With all the wickedness that heart
Can hold, or shameless sin[1306]impart
The loving words to curses[1307]turned;
My fond advances all were spurned.[1308]
I soon became for him a thing
To tread upon—a clod to fling[1309]
From out his path. I took my child
And fled[1310]one night, half maddened, wild,
Far from his sight—I cared not where
So I again his face might ne’er
Behold. But soon once more with words
That seemed to me like songs of birds[1311]
He sought me out, and with eyes
Filled with repentant tears, implored
Forgiveness; and I—fool![1312]ignored[1313]
The past, forgot my woes, and went
Back to his home with heart content.
O Heaven![1314]could I have but foreseen,
Could I have known he did not mean
To keep the vows so freely made!
Once more his promises were cast
Aside,[1315]as idle words, and worse
Than e’en before—a daily curse[1316]
My life became.
Then came at last the final blow—
The worst that love can contemplate,
And which can turn that love to hate.[1317]
One night, when he had gone from me,
I found a letter which he carelessly
Had overlooked. The script[1318]was small
And neat—a woman’s hand! A wall
Of fire outstretched[1319]before my eyes;
A nameless horror seemed to rise.
No, no! this could not be. He might
Be bad, be dead to sense of right,
But false! O Heaven![1320]The dreadful thought
Surged in my brain.[1321]I crushed[1322]it, fought[1323]
It down with frenzied eagerness.
The note was open; chilled, nerveless,
I drew it[1324]from its fold and read,
[1325]“This night to meet him,” so it said.
This night! how throbbed[1326]my aching head!
Her house it gave—the place, the hour—
I seemed renewed with sudden power.
He[1327]would be there, and so would I.[1328]
I cast[1329]the hated letter by;
My child from off the floor I clasped,
And from the bureau drawer I grasped
A loaded pistol that would right
My wrong. So out[1330]into the night,
Into the raging storm, I fled,
My babe clasped[1331]in my arms.
I could but repeat,
“False! false! I’ll be revenged!”[1332]My soul
Now stirred and roused beyond control,
Was filled with one desire alone,
And that was that he should atone[1333]
For this—to woman—foulest[1334]wrong.
So through the night I sped along
Until I reached her house.
And then I heard[1335]
A voice within—his voice! Each word
In sweet and loving tenderness,
And accents thatmy[1336]heart should bless
Were lavished onher[1337]listening ears.
I listened, listened,[1338]all unseen,
Until I thought I should go wild.[1339]
Then, with a desperate hand, flung wide[1340]
The casement. With a bound, beside
The two[1341]I stood. She started—screamed;
He turned[1342]and saw me, and then seemed
A moment as if turned to stone;
And as his baseness I made known,
She—poor thing—with a long, low cry,
Sank[1343]to the floor despairingly.
Then, like a fiend let loose from hell,
He toward[1344]me leaped with one fierce yell,
And grasping[1345]quick a heavy chair
Cried, “Curse you!” whirled it high[1346]in air.
I sprang aside[1347]in sudden dread;
The blow fell full upon the head
Of my sweet child, that lifeless dropped
Back in my arms. My heart throbs[1348]stopped;
A red mist swam[1349]before my sight;
I could not scream, try as I might.
I grasped the pistol[1350]from my breast,
And then I killed[1351]him!All the rest
For days to me was blank;[1352]and when—
O Heaven! why did I not die then?
At last my sense came back. I would
Have taken my own life if I could.
But it perhaps was better[1353]so;
God will not judge me hard, I know.
And when, in answer to His call,
I stand within the heavenly hall,[1354]
And the Blessed One
Says, “Why hast thou transgressed my laws?”
My babe shall plead its mother’s[1355]cause.
—Thomas F. Wilford.
Gestures.