The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-10-27

it, you better shuttle round and git
up a bite ter eat, fur now that it's
sot in it looks like this rain mout be
goin' ter stay with us some little
time"
l protested that / didn't care for
anything to eat, but in moment
the girl had vanished.
"Mebbe you think she kahn cook"
said the old man, "but I jest wanter
tell you that she ken. Gals amt
raised like they wuz before the war.
Then gal that could cook a good
meal of vidults wuz shifted at, but it
amt thater way now"
After while the girl came in and
announced that the meal was ready.
''Thar's soap an. water eff You
wanter wash" said the old man. I
went to a washstand andin attempt
ing to take up a piece of soap over
turned the dish. Instantly the fol-
lowing inscription caught my glance:
"John Norton, July 4, 1868" It
was the shell of the terrapin that l
had found under the sullen brow of
Vicksburg twenty-three years before.
Itook up the shell, and pointing to the
inscription explained its origin. The
girl, who stood in the doorway,
gazed with frightening eyes upon me,
and when had concluded she said:
II have also a little story to tell.
But come and let us sit down to the
table,"
When the girl had poured the coffee
and while, it seemed to me, shade of
tender recollection was passing over
her face, she turned to me with an at
tention charming because it was I'M
divided, and thus began her story:
"When was a little girl about ten
years of age Twas playing in the
yard one day, when l found terra
pin crawling through the grass. The
lettering on it's back, though | could
hardly spell out the inscription, at
once claimed my interest, and l
brought the terrapin into the house.
Mother read the inscription and ex-
planned it to me. Papa wanted me
to throw the lazy thing over the
fence, but insisted upon making a
pet of it. l kept it in box and fed
it every day. After awhile we let it
stay out in the room, and though
this may seem incredible, it soon
learned to answer, in a sort of play
full way, when we called it by your
name. We kept it nearly five years,
and it would have doubtless been
alive to-day-for you know terrapins
never die of old age-had it not been
for cruel tragedy.
zone day the terrapin was crawl
ing about the room in great enjoy
ment of it's after breakfast stroll. The
cat was lying on the hearth asleep.
The Fourth as we often termed our
pet, had made friends with every
thing on the place and often played
with the cat, but on this day pussy
was morose with q recurrence of all
the meanness she had inherited, and
when the terrapin approached her
she quickly seized it's head with her
claws, and then before we could do
anything she chewed it's head off.
Papa-or dad, as he was then," she
added, with a trembling light in her
eyes-'had become so much attached
to the terrapin that in revenge he
shot the cat. A few days afterwards
l fonud poor 'Fourth's' shell on the
washstand in place of a cracked sau-
Ger that we had used for soap dish.
My story is ended"
We sat for more than an hour and
specialized upon the many and de-
vious miles the terrapin had crawled
since had made it's acquaintance.
When l took my leave, which l did
when the rain had ceased falling |
promised to call again at the house
of Mr.. Craig flor such was his name),
but hardly think that the promise
was necessary, for Zudie's beautiful
face went back to town with me. l
was kept so busy that did not see
my friends again until more than q
month had passed. Then called
and spent an all too brief, but to me
a thrilling, season. My visits be-
came more fre9uent-they could not
become fewer. Winter came and We
walked beneath the leafless trees. We
sat by the roaring log fire and saw
the old man doing in a corner. Well,
we are to be married on the 4th ofnext
July. The terrapin shell, orna-
mented with silver and gold, shall be
a wedding present to my wife.-Opie
P. Read in Evening Lamp.