JOHNNIE'S SOUL 



tea-parties the only entertainments she was permitted to 

 give. 



Well, she had the reward she craved. Johnnie " made his 

 soul/' in Irish parlance, quite sufficiently long before 

 softening of the brain became too marked to preclude 

 intelligent action. And after three years more she was 

 able to send that telegram to her intimates : " Released ! " 

 It was the cry of one who had been enslaved and in prison 

 for all her youth and all her bright womanhood. 

 But, characteristically, " Johnnie's " funeral was a matter 

 of great importance. He had been very fond of driving four- 

 in-hand, and so there were four horses to the hearse that 

 conveyed all that was left of the Tyrant to Kensal Green. 

 It was as splendid as lavish instructions could make it / 

 and the little widow would pop her head out of the window 

 at every turning to watch the noble appearance of the 

 hearse with its nodding plumes and murmur contentedly : 

 ''Poor Johnnie, he vas so fond of driving behind four 

 horses : I vas determined he should have it for de last 

 time!" 



We were not a little startled to receive a postcard a few 

 weeks later, containing the cryptic phrase : 

 " Just re-buried Johnnie ! " 



Johnnie had always been a trial of a unique description. 

 Was it possible that he had put the laws of nature at 

 defiance and returned to torment his long-suffering spouse ? 

 But the explanation was simple. She thought it so simple 

 herself as to admit of its expression, as we have said, on a 

 postcard. 



When she had left him among all those ranks of dead, the 

 thought came to her that he was dissatisfied with his 



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