Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-03-21

| was, 1OI uOUWlCuSU1uulu Ills pIOknIScSs
he never meant a word on EN-.
"About a month alter this I went to
sea, and as we was wrecked on the voy-
age home, I was gone about two years
all told. I heerd pretty regeler from
Mirandy at fust, but all ter once the let
tiers stopped, though / continued to
write jest the same, fer didn't so much
wonder at the letters not gettin' to me,
seem we'd been wrecked, as we had.
At last We got into port, and when
brother Josiah and I got in the house
they was all glad enuf to see US, though
[ noticed mother looked at me, every
once in awhile, very mournful, Dinner
bein' over, I got slicked up ready to go
to Mirandy's, fer I was mighty anxious
ter see her, as ye may think. I come
down stairs q hummin' and feelin' very
cheerful. Where yer goin', Ben?' says
mother. TO see Mirandy, of course
says I, surprised at mothers askin' me
SIGH a question, MY poor boy says she,
'Mirand's-' Dead? says T.. No.
married-last month, to Jim Fowler,
says mother.
eff mother had a shot me, 1 couldn't
a felt wuss. I sot right down in the
highest cheer, the hull room seemed q
spinnin' round like a top. Mother
says I, it's all wei with me- Don't
say that, Ben, or you will kill me.
mother says. Although they all tried
to persuade me different, / wouldn't
heer to 'em, but that very day engaged
to go in a week on a three-years' cruise
to 1njia and Chiny. Instid Of bein' gone
three l was away five years. Mother
never said much in her letters about
Mirandy, except that she'd had = little
'un, and latterly seemed to be pinin'
and that Jim often asked fur me, when
l was a comm home agin', This made
me so Uneasy that l give up the place in
Chiny, in a tea house, a good n it was
too, and come here. I didn't Let the
folks know exactly when to expect me,
SO they was all surprised when arrived.
Walkin' up, very still, to the house, I
see mother settin' readin' in the big hall
door; her hair was turned as white
as snow, and she had on a black
gownd, SEEM father had jest died.
When she looked up and see me standin'
then WE Rugged each other purity tight,
she cryin' fur 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
talked a spell, Maria says: This note
come fur you last night, Jim Fowler's
work-boy brought it; he seemed dretful
anxious, the boy said, to know if you
was expected soon.'"
Here Uncle Ben paused, and taking
from the pocket before mentioned an
envelope, he drew from it a note yellow
with age, written in a delicate feminine
hand, and reading as follows
"Dear Ben-Wil you come at once to your
dying Miranda.
p. S.-Jamesc consents to this"
'.When I'd read this letter." contin-
ued Uncle Ben. if you'll believe me, I
felt all the old feelin's I used to have for
Mirandy, although she'd married Jim,
instead of me, SO I went right over to
the house. Jim seemed real glad to see
me, but awfully down in the mouth,
which 1 didn't wonder at when I come
to see Mirandy a lynn on the bed, SC
pale and thin-her eyes shet, her white
hands folded together on the quilt. her
yellow hair like gold a floatin' around
her on the piller.
"'Speak to her, Ben,' says Jim.
.Mirandy,' says I, it's Ben NV
speakin' seemed to rouse her right up.
AS soon as she see me, her eyes lit up,
jest as they used to did, and she put
both her white, thin arms around my
neck, and drew me down and kissed me,
notwithstandin' Jim was a standin' by,
and she says: 1T was real gosd of you
to come, Ben
"Then she told Jim to fix up the pill
lers, so she could set up a little, and
made jim set on one side of the bed,
and me on the tother; and after she'd
got rested (she was so weak that movin'
seemed to take all her strength), she
saws: You and l have been wronged,
Ben, but 'twasn't my fault, or Jim's.
However, I wanted to see you, and right
it as far as it eve can be in this world,
Ben; SO l told Jim to try and find yer,
for my sake. When father lay a dyin'
he called me to him, and says he:
"Mirandy, l amt done the fair thing by
you and Ben; he did write, and 1 kept
back the letters; yell find 'em in my tin
chest along with the will. / didn't mean
no harm; | thought Jim had more
money than Ben and 'ud make yer a
better husband. But twas all wrong,
though l didn't mean so. Can yer fur.
give me, Mirandy?" l tried to furgive
him, SEEM he was dyin', and I was
married to Jim. Alter he was dead ]
found the letters where he said, and thai
you was the same lovin' Ben as ever.
Here they be- she says, takin 'em from
under the piller.
There they was, sure enuf, and ]
took 'em, and Mirandy says You car
keep 'em, or not But l want goin'
to keep what had been so troublesome,
50 I throwed 'em all into the fire thai