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

the heather, and those in foreign lands,
to prepare His true servants for their
entrance into glory, ending with the
awful cry, Come Laird, Jesus. come
quickly, an TAX Thine ain hame, an
let Thine enemies who will ma repent
perish in the i'll place forever. An
Thine sail be the glory. Amen"-
or, at morning, when the rosy flush
of the dawn came through Joan's win
dow and tinged the gray faded forms
with lovely hue, as they knelt by
their separate little stands and said
"Our Father!"-or to watch them
walking on the Sabbath day to kirk,
and sitting decorously side by side in
the narrow pew, while they joined in
the psalm singing or said Amen, with
solemn JUNCTION to the prayers, or lis
tened to the Gospel of peace and for
giveness. A strange and horrible
sight, and one never seen before or
since. Yet holdi Are there no hus-
bands and wives, no brothers and sis
ters and friends, who have knelt down
with hot hatred in their hearts and
said the "Our Father together? Let
him that is without sin among us cast
the first stone.
The neighborhood everywhere came
in, of course, to demonstrate with the
wretched pair aud to 60 home and gos-
sip about them, but the sisters turned
a deaf ear to all remonstrance, and
even when occasion demanded sent
stone into the enemy's camp that
nightly discomfited them. For to more
than one Joan made answer: 'Look at
hame an min yer children that quar-
rel like cats on a simmer night. AS for
me pray daily that Grizzle may be
converted gin it be the Laird S will, for
l wad ma dictate to him what he sail
dO.n
And Grizzle, in answer to all en-
treaties to leave, said: Ma, ma. There's
room eneuch, an l maun be here. Gin
Joan repents, 1 mal,n be at hand to
forgie her, though I sair misdoubt her
heart has grown as hard as the neither
milestone, being, as the Apostle says,
without natural affection"
The summers went and came and
went and came again with late sweet
flowers and tender breaths of wind
across the hills, and the sisters watched
them, Joan from the east window,
Grizzle from the west. The winter
storms howled around the cottage, and
the snow drifted high against the win
dows, and the sisters listened as they
sat, each on her own side of the fire,
in dreary. uncompanionable compan-
lonship.
And twenty years went by.
1t was wild, wet morning in
March. Mr.. Maclesie, the minister,
was coming down the road that leads
from the manse into the village, when
a woman came running up to him.
"Oh, sir, come quick to the Gray
Cottage. The sisters has had a stroke,
an they're bath lyin' helpless in their
bees. Hech, sir! it's an awsome sight!'
''Oh. when did this happenP when
did this happenP''
'.l dinna ken, sir. l gaed in this
morn, for there was nae reek fro the
chimney, an thought it strange, an
l found them there, bath stricken in
single night. Hech, sir. Poor Grizzle
has lost her mind, an lies talkin' o.
the cornfields fifty years syne. an
singing auld sangs as gin she were
lass again. But Joan does ma speyk."
They hurried to the cottage, and
found it even as Elsie had said. The
they entered Joan called the
minister. He came to her.
"Send Elsie away" she said, speak
ing with difficulty but distinctly. 81
wad speyk wi ye."
Mr.. Maclesie dismissed the old wo-
man, aud then returned to Joan's side.
He sat down by the narrow bed and
listened to what she had to say.
al aye thought" she said, still
speaking with difficulty, but yet clear
", that the ministers were right
when they said that the Laird's decree
for the prayers O. the right
,ous, He foreknowin' the same fro a
eternity, an Eve heard ye preach that
iame doctrine, ye ken weel, Mr.. Mac
esie."
II ken na ither way to reconcile the
lecrees o. the Laird WI cur ain free
yill," he answered thoughtfully.
"Now,sgin the Laird has made pro-
'isions for ye to pray for puir Grizzle
hat she''-the hard voice shook for
moment, but she went on-''may come
o hersel an let me forgie her ere she
.aes awa'-an' We suld not do it-ye
EN- that the Laird's hard task-mas-
er. an He'll be sair displeased wi, ye.
ir. Maclesie."
The old man looked at her with
cen, sad eyes. IN pray for Grizzle,
oan, but"
She broke in eagerly. Eye might
)rget, Mr.. Maclesie. Ye're gettin' an
uld mon, We ken. Mibbies ye cud
ray her, an now, an then L suld
now that a. had been. done that cud.
IS fearsome thing, sir, to think O.
le bein' inside the gate a-singin' an
.harpin' an a-dancin' for joy an my
uir Grizzle, that was sic Il bonnie
SIS whan she was young, skreelin
ltside in the dark an the cold. She
as afear'd o. the dark, Grzzlo, an
le was sic a bonny young thing an
ldc to me. Hech, sir! it seems as il
were only last week when McPher-
N was dround, an she cam to me
i sent AVA a. the auld women an I,
TX me in her young arms an cried :
er me, an said she'd serve me a heI
G. An she was guide to me. Aye, :
lde for mouy y weary year an lang. !