THE FOLLY OF REVENGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 4310, 15 March 1884, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE FOLLY OF REVENGE.

I was murdered ! I was perfectly conscious of that fact. I stood between my brother-in-law and some property, and to obtain it he killed me.

Yes, killed me deliberately, in cold blood. I was standing with my back towards him, when lie struck me a heavy blow •with a lifepreserver. I reeled like a drunken mun ; but, catching hold of some article of furniture fiiat stood near mo, I prevented myself flora falling. In this position I managed to turn towards my assassin, who stood glaring at me tiiumpantly. Not one look of pity or remorse was in his face. Stiipified as I was by the terrible effects of the blow, I recognised him, and called out his name. Again he raised the life-preserver. I saw it coming, yet could not move to protect myself. Down it came, smashing my skull to pieces. The next moment I was dead !

It would be in vain for me to attempt to describe the peculiar sensation thatl felt on finding myself a disembodied spirit. I passed and rcpassed my shadowy hands through each other, then extended my form till it was twice the usual size, and contracted it till I was smaller than the smallest dwarf. The material of my form was a fine gas, that seemed to take any shape my will directed : thus I could at pleasure will myself to appear in the same clothes as I wore when in the body, and instantly I had assumed that form. My usual dress, or rather that dress which I wore when my will was not exerting its influence, was a light flowing robe, resembling those mists that are often seen crawling along the fields on moonlight nights. Directly after the crime had been accomplished I was wafted off to a great distance from the scene of my murder; how, I knew not, I only knew that such was the case from the difference in the country that surrounded me. I felt comfortable and contented, my strongest sensations being those of curiosity and astonishment. I examined my gauze-like substance with delight, and exerted my new power of will in every possible manner that I could think of, each new evidenco of its mutability affording me fresh delight and amusement. How long I remained in this blissful and contented state I know not. Whether for a very long or a very short period I was perfectly unable to say. Time seemed to nave perished with my body, and I no longer thought of either.

I wandered on, meeting people and passing through them ; no substance stopped me. I flowed along with a calm sense of enjoyment that is beyond all description. At last a new feeling arose within me, my will became powerless, or rather subservient to a greater one, that led me on towards the town where I had been murdered. I knew not whence came the invisible power that propelled me onwards, nor who exerted it, but quietly submitted to its guidance. I knew the town well, having lived many a year there when in the body. Onward I went, meeting at least fifty peoplo whom I knew, but every one passed me by, evidently not aware of my presence. At length I reached the market place, and, recalling many pleasant days 1 had spent in its neighbourhood., I hovered about to see if any change had come over it since I was there last.

No, all was the same. In the centre stood the old town cross, as dirty and dismal as ever, for it is a manufacturing town, and, consequently, always covered with smoke. The old church, too, looked mournful. No ivy grew there, its only covering being a pall-like mantle of soot.

In the midst of my reverie I again felt the strange, magnetic power at work upon me. It willed me to turn; I did so, and beheld my murderer ! In an instant I was at his throat. I tore, I scratched, I bit. But all in vain, he was as unconscious of my presence as the rest of the people I had met. Baffled in my attempt to inflict any bodily injury upon him, I gave way to unbounded rage. Raising my hand to Heaven, I cursed him.

Scarcely had the words escaped my lips when I heard a sweet, soft, though commanding voice, say to me, '' Thou hast chosen thine own fate! Henceforth thou artcompelled to haunt that man." " Why," I replied, " am I to be punished for Ins crime ? Surely I have suffered enough at his hands already, without being compelled to follow his footsteps, to watch his miserable fears and meanness of heart." " Child," replied the voice, " before thou wert brought to this miserable man, thou hadst a certain time given to thee wherein thou mightest have seen how email was the injury he had done thee, and, with a consciousness of thine own innumerable sins have forgiven him. Thou wert happy; happier than thou hadst ever been when in the flesh. Hadst thou forgiven him, thou wouldet have been much happier still. But this thou didst not do, therefore thou art not fit to enter into Heaven because of thy unforgivingness. Henceforth thy punishment must be to haunt him, and his to be haunted by thee. J

The voice ceased, and bowing low, I prepared to begin my task. The peacofnl enjoy, ment I had before felt had gone from me for ever. A heavy gloom seemed to depress mo, my buoyant will was gone. I had but one idea, that of being near my murderer, now MY victim.- I approached him. How changed ho hud become ! He saw me now, and trembled in every limb. His face turned pale", his hair stood oh end, his teeth chattered, and his trembling knees nearly gave way under him. For a few 6econds he remained with wide open eyes staring at me; thon. uttering a loud cry, he fled in terror. He could not escape me, for, to me, fatigue was impossible. I kept before him as if chained there. Whichever way he turned his eyes he beheld mine fixed upon him.

At length he foil on the ground insensible, and, for a time, was I released from my task. Yet I hovered near, for I had begun to feel a demoniacal pleasure in his pain. I knew that, go where ho would, he could not get rid of me. I had but to will myself to be near .him, and, though he were thousands of miles away, I should be there in an instant. Ho carried a body, I was a spirit,the essence of thought. For days and days I followed him. As he sat at table I stood opposite to him, till he started up, leaving the meal untasted. By night I wandered about his rooni. He grew paler and thinner. He ate little, and but .seldom slept, and at last from a hearty, hale man, he became a perfect ruin. His terrible torments at ler-.zth threw him on a bed of sickness, and the doctor gave but little jhopes|of his^recovery.S^His wife

sat by his side weeping, whilo his little golden-haired daughter stood kissing his emaciated hand.

" No hope, no hope," he muttered, "is there no hope?"

" I am afraid not," said the doctor. " Oh, I have deserved this, there is no forgivenesß." " Ask God, papa," saidhis little daughter, " mamma says that He will give hope and forgiveness."

The child's words fell like a reproach upon my soul, and I exclaimed— "Oh, Lord, forgive him, for I do."

Scarcely had the words left my lips, when I found myself rising up, up into the sky. Bright clouds rolled around me, and the earth gleamed beneath me like a star. Onward 1 went, higher, a new-born hope, a new life, seemed entering into me. Involuntarily words of praise to the Almighty broke my lips, and a warmth of bliss entered my breast. As I gazed upwards I saw a beautifullight; shining far, farm thedistance, whence strains of glorious music seemed dropping like summer rain, refreshing and cheering me. In the midst of this I thought of my wife, my children, my mother. Immediately I discovered that I was sinking rapidly towards the earth, in fact, that my worldly thoughts must not be carried up to heaven. I prayed for forgiveness, trusting that He who made those I loved on earth would save and protect them. Then fixing my eyes steadily on the light, I found myself rising again with inconceivable rapidity, till I joined the song of praise and was happy. So happy !so indescribably blessed! But one faint shadow of doubt passed through nxy thoughts will this.jUnlike the joys of earth, last for ever 1

The answer fell strangely on my ears, in familiar—alas ! too familiar accents.

" Please, sir, it's past nine o'clock, and your coffee's a-getting cold."