The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-08
THE TWO SISTERS.

"Joan," said Grizzle, "have ye seen
aught O. my black cat the morn?"
"Ou, ay. l saw the beast an gave
him kick for his thievin'. He had a
bit o. my tripe in his mouth, an was
cbokin' an glowerin' as though he
wad gang clean out O. his head. Gin !
catch him at his tricks again there'L.
no be eneuch O. him left to max a
dinner for Aud Sandy's dog"
"Hoot, hoot, Joan! Ken ye no the
words O. Holy Writ: The merciful
mon is merciful unto his beast an
With what measure ye mete it sail be
measured to you againP"
"Weel, Grizzle, the beast is name O.
mine, an gin any mon catches me
stealth his dinner frae him he may
serve me as he chooses"
"There now, Joan, ye're clean wrang.
The puir beast hae no the sense to ken
like human. An his nature bein' to
steal, it is clear that he maun hae been
predestined to live in that way for the
glory O. God. Hoo, then, can ye rec
oncile it wi yer ain conscience to
abuse the puir beastieP"
''An' hoo cud l hae kicked him for
it, gin l had ma been predestined to
do it Answer me that moo, Grlz-
zle".
.'Hech. sadly fear ye were so pre-
destined. an that it shows ye to be yet
in the gall o. bitterness an the bond O.
iniqulty, bein' even as Pharaoh,
whose heart was hardened by the
Laird"
"Gin Pharaoh were like We, Grizzle,
an cared mair for a beast than for a
human, twas no a hard matter to
harden his heart"
1.-The Laird kens weel that a puir
beastie is better nor human, whiles.
Deed, | misdoubt me sair that He'll
hae some O. them In glory, for though
the Guide Book says Without are dogs
it says nae word o. cats"
''Hoot, toot, what blasphemy are ye
sayin', Grizzle? 1 fear ye are ane O.
these unwary souls wrestling the Scrip
lures to their ain description, as Paul
says. Min ye not the words o. John
"If any mon shall add anything to
this book, God shall add unto him the
plaques in this bookP' Haud yer
tongue, Grizzlle, an be more careful
hoo pc speyke o. the Laird's decrees."
"It's no blasphemy. Let no mon
think o. himself more highly than he
ought to think, said the GUIDE Book;
and l hae thought lang syne, Joan, ye
were takin' too much upo' yersep.
The Laird did ma ask you aboot His de-
crees, an whan gat We private inform
otion o. themp"
"Gin ye speyk that gait to me, Griz-
zle, I'll never speyk to ye again.
"Sma' loss will it be then Joan, gin
We spend yer time tellin me the Laird
has predestined me to the i'll place.
hae nae wish to hear ye talk ye can
say something pleasanter to hear nor
that"
The fury of the sisters was now at
white heat. They sat, each with killed
skirt, on her own side of the fireplace
without speaking for an hour. Then
Joan suddenly rose and. going to her
huge work basket that stood on the
east window ledge, took out piece of
chalk and string. Coming back she
accurately from the middle
Of the one door the little cot
tage possessed to the mid
die of the fire place. and drew chalk
line connecting the two. Some arti-
cles of Grizzlies that were on her side |
she put across this line, and then sat |
down and, taking up the big old Bible,
began to read. Grizzle watched her |
minute, and then muttering to herself
.Gin she gacs to heaven she'll fin me
here tool" took up an old Bible that
ay on her side of the room and began
% pore over it.
The cottage had but single room.
t faced the south, and opposite the
I'D fashioned divided door was the
narrow fireplace. On each side of
he chalk line that now lay across the
ed brick floor was bed, chair and
little stand. The upper half of the
loor was open, and the summer sun
hine and the sweet summer air came
q like a benediction, while the two
ray old women for they were past
fly years old-sat like incarnations
f hate and wrath and read their
'ibles.
When the sun began to set Joan
ose, and bringing out the simple
torres that were in the cottage, di-
ided them and the dishes without a
,ord. Then she gave Grizzle half
le ready money, and then, closing
le door, began to prepare her evening
zeal. Grizzle did the same.
This was the beginning of terrible
fe. And the rest of it was according
, this beginning. For twenty years
ley lived, those two sisters, one on
.ch side of that hideous chalk line. 0
very tender thought and loving ac-
on in the past that should have
lawn them together once more was q
'called to add bitterness to that es- I