The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-12-15

that now saw that its recognition
was pleasure rather than a grief to
him.
The next day l renewed my ac-
quaintance with the garden, and with
Andrew, the old gardner: Apparent
ly not d plant had been added and
not one removed since my former
visit. The box borders were as trim
and glossy as ever: Darkspurs; jas
mine; marigolds. all grew Just where
I remembered them. There was the
row of hollyhocks, trim and straight
against the garden wall; and there
was the sumner-h5use: I laughed
out as | saw it.
"Andrew," l said, "the summer
house is standing yet, l see."
"Lord love you, yes, miss. That'H
stand there until Master Hugh and
me both turn our toes up. 1t was
queer thing to put it there; but Mas
Ter hugh Wanted it, and that enough
for L."
cit is curious that this spot should
never have been cultivated" said |.
'.It seems as if it should have been
the prettiest spot in, the GARDEN"
Andrew scratched his head Thoughts
fully: $50 it d3 seem, miss, and so
it was once" he said, "The beauti-
fullest bed of lilies, ali white and gold.
| That war many a long year ago,
though, before ever you was born; be-
fore Miss Elinor, Master Hugh's wife,
died. Beg pardon miss! but | knowed
her first as Miss Elmer and Miss Eli,
nor, she always was to me, bless her
sweet heart! 1t was her lilly-bed.
Mornin' and evnin' she used to come
out and watch the lilies a-blowin'
and a-swingin' on their green stalks.
Said it minded her of Heaven, it did,
with the white robes a-gleamin' and
the golden harp ringih,' and the
praises goin' up like fragrance forever
and forever. Oh, she was q lovely
young lady! After she died Master
High seemed to GO just wild like
clean distraught. Said he'd no coll
to live now, and might as well get
ready for death. So out he goes and
buys his coffin, Andrew says, hei I
want to lie right here, among the ILL.,
lies she loved, says he, and to make
sure, ! III going to make my bed
now So then he began, and he dug
and he dug and he dug, right smack
in the middle of the lily bed. Oh,
but they are beautiful lilies! He dug
and he dug, and at last; after d While,
he seemed to forget what he was
diggin' for, and just kept Pn: Hs
got SO deep that They do say,
miss, some does, that the-the fire,
you know, is down there, and was
mortal afraid he'd come I'd II! Day
in and day Out he dug and he dug.
So at last he made bold to send
word to his brother, Master Philip;
young Master Philips father be wasi
So he came, and brought a friend
with him. l never had no opinion
of that young fellow from the time l
saw him moonin' round the edge of
the hole, a-pokin' and pryin'.'
And when he goes down into it, and
comes up with a broad grin on his
face; Why | makes Zip my mind
| about him then Snd there: Sd then
he goes into the house post haste,
and presently out comes Master
Hugh in towerin' rage, and Master
Philip with him, tryin' to quiet him
like, but Master Hugh wouldn't be
quoted, not he. Fill up that hole,
| Andrew says he. OR herel I'll do
it myself And with that he whops
down into the hole and digs away at
the sides till he buries himself nigh
up to the waist. So then he hauls
him out, and l fills up the rest my
self, and glad enough to do it, SO
long as he wasn't at the bottom OF
it. Mind, Andrew he says, when
it's done; "a spade is never to be put
into that place while I'm above
ground So then they goes into the
house, and after while Master
Philip and his friend they drives
away. So that's all know, miss;
and if you can make anything OF it,
why, Pm free to confess I can't. But,
ah! they was beautiful lilies"
Andrews story, instead of clearing
up, had only deepened the mystery
of the spot, and a weird and uncanny
feeling crept over me as turned
away.
In my childhood had never fully
realized the peculiarities which had
given Uncle Hugh his reputation of
being a little cracked. Looking at
him now with eyes purged from their
childish films, l could readily under
stand how he might be SO regarded.
His horror of anything like innova-
ton was certainly wonderful. All
the water used in the house was
brought from well an eighth of a
mile away, not even pump in the
kitchen being tolerated. The rooms
were lighted solely by wax candles in
an old-fashioned candelabra or heavy
silver candlesticks, as was reckoned
genteel in his youth. Of course it
was useless to suggest such horrors
as gas or kerosene; but at one time a
bold effort was made to effect COM
promise. A visitor with some regard
for his eyesight brought with him as
a present to Uncle Hugh an old-fash-
toned astral lamp, in which sperm
oil burned with villanous odor. In
spite of it's antiquity, however, Uncle
Hugh was made very uneasy about
it. Politeness caused him to tolerate
it during his guests stay, but not an
instant longer. Hardly had the car
riage borne him from the door than
Uncle Hugh turned with beaming
face, crying: '"Thank the Lord the
villain has gonel Now for return
to the good old ways!'' And straight
way the lamp was banished to the
lumber-room, the windows flung
wide to purify the room, and the wax
candles, with their glow-worm light,
again reigned supreme.
The winter came soon and cold
that year. 1t is hardly necessary to
say that not a lump of coal was ever
burned in Uncle Hugh's domains. 1t
was sight to see the great kitchen
with it's huge open fireplaces, where
the monster logs were consumed, the
cranes, spits, and bake-pans, and the