Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-02-14

roo n, and on it che door | mean
was writ the word Office, as | could
see by the moonlight. When we sot
down, he says, Wal young man,
what kin / du for your Give me
your daughter says / for / love
her with my hull heart. Which,
says he, with that ar curious smile
of his'n more like q monkeys grin
than a natural smile) does credit to
yer taste, but Mirandy's to young to
4 be married yit, and besides yer agoin
away to be gone so long there's no
tellin' when yerll be back again. !
forgot to say that I'd taken berth
on board of brother Josiah's brig,
/ few DAYS afore my talk with Mirandy.
/ Wal, says |, if | come back all
snug and dry, what then| Then,
says he, of 'Mirandy agreeable, / am.
How / got out of that ar room, don't
know 70 this day, but went straight
to Mirandy, and we sot up, till most
midnight, a tslliin' and planin' fer
the future. We did this Almost every
night till | went away, and there all
| the time old Smithers was achucklin'
and a thinkin' what fools we was, for
NOTWITHSTANDING his promises, he never
meant word on 'em.
About a month alter this went to
sea, and as we were wrecked on the
voyage home ! was gone about two
years all told. / heerd purity regeler
| from Mmandy ut first, but alter once
the letters stopped, though continued
to write just the same, fer ! didn't so
much wohdrr stters not gettin
to me, seem neen wrecked, as
we had. At ] -, 10 got into port,
and when brother Josiah and ! got III
the house they was all glad enuf to
see us, though noticed mother looked
at me, every once i'm a while, very
mournful. Dinner bein' over, | got
sliclled up ready 20 90 to Mirandy's
fer / was mighty anxious ter see her,
as We may think. [ come down stairs
a humin and feelm very cheerful
Where yer goin, Ben z says mother.
to see Mirandy Of course, says /, sur
prsed at mothers askin me SIGH a
question Ny poor boy says, she,
| 'Mirandy s3 Dead Z says /. No.
married last month To jim Fow-
Ter, says mother.
"If mother lad a shot me, ! couldn't
a felt wuss. | sOt down in the nigh
est cheer the hull room seemed a
spinnin round like a top. Mother
says / it's all over with me-
Don't say that Ben, or you'll kill
nae, mother says. Although they
all tried to persuade me different, /
wouldn't hear To EN-, but that very
day engaged TO go int week on a three
years cruise to Iniia, and Chiny. In
stead of bein' gone threeI was away
| five years. Mother never said much
in her letters about Mirandy excep
that she had o little 'un and latterly
seemed to be pinin and that Jim
often asked fur me and when / was
cumin' home agin' This made me
so Uneasy that ! gave up the place in
Chiny, IN a tea house, good one it
was too, and come here | didn't let
4 the folks know exactly when to eX,
/ peet me, so they was all surprised
when I arrived. Walkin' up, very
still to the housed see mother settin
readin' in the big hall door her hair
was turned as white Us snow, and she
had on a black gownd, seein father'd
lest died. When she looked up and
see me standin' afore her she fetched
a scream, and then we Rugged each
other purity tight. She cryin' far JOY
at havin me back safe and sound
Then brother John and his wife Maria
and the children came in, all so glad
to see me once more. After we'd talk
ed a spell, Maria says This note
come for you last night, jim Fowler's
work boy brought it he seemed dread
ful anxious, the boy said, to know, if
you was expected back soon.
Here Uncle Ben paused, and taking
from the pocket before mentioned, an
envelope, he drew from 1T note vel
low with age, written in a delicate
feminine hand, and reading as fol
lows:.-
Dear Ben Will you not come at
once to your dying Miranda.
u. S.-James consents 10 thus
when I'd read this letter, con-
tinued Uncle Ben, IF you'll believe
me, felt an the old feelm's | used to
have for Mrandy, although sne'd
married JIM, instead of me, so | went
right over TO the house. Jim seemed
READ glad to see me but awfully down
in the mouth, which / didn't wonder
at when come to sec Mraudy lyin'
ON the bed, SO pale and thin her eyes
shet, her white hands folded together
on the quilt, her yellow hair like
gold iloatin around her on the pill
Ter