The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-09-27

that's no the warst OF, mem! Mary
give the lady Mrs. Birket's letter.
r Mrs. Birket, it appeared, was Peters
landlady in Aberdeen, and had written
that morning to Mary Duthie's mother,
whom she had known when they were
girls together, to ask some particulars
of Peters family and antecedents, as
her neice and adopted daughter, Mary
Hine, was soon to be married to him.
"Heard we ever the like O. that!'' ex-
claimed Jeanne; ''the man must be clean
daftr'
1 quite agreed with her, for 1 had
never known a man before who was
engaged to three women at once
Doubtless, Peter considered his first
two affairs as mere flirtations; still his
former sweethearts had in their pos
session a letter and pledge which
would be evidence against him in a
court of law. But any proceeding of
this kind was so foreign to the natures
and prejudices of the injured girls that
| did no more than hint it. l
The following morning, Mary asked
my permission to 90 for day or two
to Aberdeen with Jeanie Saunderson,
as they had thought of plan for
bringing their reluctant lover to his
senses.
'''Gin we dinna' max Peter think
shame to himself, my no. Jeanne Saun-
derson, were the parting words of that
damsel.
Meanwhile Peter was happy in the
society of his QatesD bethrothed, who
was very charming girl; and it may
be little to my hero's excuse to remark
that few men could have seen her bonny
face and listened to her sweet voice
evening after evening without falling
love with her. The susceptible Peter
certainly could not, but throwing all
old memories to the wind, proposed and
was accepted.
Such being the state of affairs, Peters
feelings may be imagined when, on en-
tering Mrs. Birket's parlor one evening,
after his days work was over, he saw
seated by Mary Hine-Mary Duthie
and Jeanne Saunderson.
Peters first impulse was to withdraw
hastily, but Mrs. Birket made flight i'm
possible by closing the door, and stand
ing between it and the conscious
stricken youth. ''Just TAX seat, Mr..
sank into an empty chair, placed at
little distance from the other three la
dies. The ladies continued their knit
ting without glancing at him; minutes
passed. and the silence became intoler
able. Peter could hear the beating of
his heart; twice he opened his lips to
speak, but no sound issued from them;
an icy tremor ran through his frame,
and checked his utterance. it
| give what follows, verbatim, as re-
ported to me by Mary Duthie:
'Weel," said Jeanne Saunderson at
last, ''sanna we be sattlin DOR bizness
eenooP' so
~"Aye, lassies," said Mary Hine, 'but
that'l be hard matter, or Pm muckle
mista en-"
Eye see," said Jeanne, taking the
initiative, 'this Peter Mackey belongs |
in a manner till's a., isn't ma saeP"
cave, but we Gamma a haze him."
''Just that. Moo, fat think we las
siesP Sauna we appeal till the law
courts?n
'.Mithha we jist set a RIGHT amo'
oorselsp" said Mary Hine, ''Foo gin
we wus till cast lots for himp We've
the warrant of scripter for that, We
kim"
"Vera "gweed," replied the others,
and when Mrs. Birket had volunteered
herself as one witness, the little serv-
ant girl, Baubie, was called then to be
another. Peters humiliation was GER
tainly to be complete. fn
The lot fell on Mary Duthie.
''Peter Mackey," said she, 81 haze
anither string till my bow, so I'll cen
eave We till Mary Hine or Jeanne;
they're may be wuntin' ye mair nor
me. But mony thanks t We for yer
Kind offer, which l haze ma forgotten.
Peter was too much subdued to offer
1 word in his own defense, and the pro-
were renewed.
This time the lot fell to Mary Hine.
Peter she said, 81 Wilma cast up
ill We hoo We haze wronged me an
theirs. But this | maun say, bad
overs no like to max gweed hus-
oand; so I'll leav' We to Jeanne, if she's
,arin' to TAX ye."
"Weel, Patie," said Jeanne, 'gin
lbody refeeses We l maun cen haze We
myself. But it's on twa condeetions,
min We. First, that we'll be marriet
his day month, an second, that there'H
Ne no mair o. these ongaens after mar
iage."
The wedding took place in due
curse, and Peter proved to be most
devoted and obedient husband. Eye
ee, Mary man." said Jeanie one day
o Mrs. Jem Leslie, formerly Mary S
)uthie,) "gin the gweed man sud turn |
yhiles bit camsteary an oonrizzon-
BILE, haze but till say till him, 'Weel,
'atie, my man, it's a sair peety that
larry Duthie an Mary Hine refeest ye,
in the wife We haze gotten disna' suit +
e, an weel await or ever the words t
re weel owre my lips, he's jist as {
uaets lamb"