The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-03-16
Miss Pickerell's Window

aIfI can ever afford to do it I'm
going to have nice big bay window
Just in there where them two nasty
little windows are"
Miss Clarinda Pickerell's friends
had heard her make this remark over
and over again. Often she added:
II do think bay window is one q
the incest things in the world
They so nice to setin. You can see so
much from'em. And how nice they
are for plants. I've planned it all
out time and ag'in Jest how I'd fit
my bay window up fever the Lord
let me have one.
"Pd have my geraniums and callas
andheliotrope and oxalis and beg onia
and fuschias and my wand'rin' Jew
and ivy all in that window. Then
I'd have my bird-cage hanging from
the center, and mebby some day l
could get me d gold fish in one Of
them glass pots to set on a little
stand in the middle. And if ever l
could afford it I'd have lace curtains
hangin' from pole cross the front
of the window. I think it would be
perfectly lovely
No one but poor Miss Pickerell knew
how dear the vision of unattained
happiness was to her heart. She
loved to talk about it, she dreamed
about it; and sometimes, in the soli-
tude of her chamber, aw ay from the
eyes of the world, she cried softly be-
cause she felt that this sweet ideal
would never become a splendid reali-
ty.
She had a habit of talking to her.
self, and giving herself some severe
''goings over" as she called them.
On such occasions as she assumed a
very severe aspect and said sternly:
"Now You dry right up, Rindy
Pick'rell. Don't you carry your on
gratefulness a mite further Here
you are already enjoying blessins'
without number and fretin' cause
you can'thave more. You've good
lungs and a sound liver and don't
know what it is to lang'ish
on sick bed. You've enough
to eat and wear, and you've church
and prayer-meeting privileges and
here you might o been one of those
dreadful heathens and not known
what it was to be half descent.
You're too ongrateful and rebelP-
yous to live, Rindy Pick'rell.',
And then her thin, cracked voice
would penitently sing:
."And air we wretches yit alive,
And do westill rebel.
IT'S wondrous, tits amizin' grace
That we are out of hell"
Miss 'Rindy was a very conscien-
tious woman, and could not help
thinking that it was very sinful to set
her heart on anything that was ofthe
earth earthly. She made no allow
ance for the limitations of her poor
human nature, but thought she
ought to lead life of impossible
goodness. and made virtue ofdeny-
ing herself many things quite inno-
cent in themselves.
She was a spinster of 40 years.
Her home was a snug little home OF
four incredibly tidy rooms on little
farm in Western state. This home
had been left her by her parents, and
for ten years she had lived alone in
it. The house stood within the linn
it's of a small village and Miss 'Rindy
added to her small income by plain
sewing for the villagers.
There were but ten acres in her little
farm, and five of these were pasture
land for her COW. On the other five
she had small field of corn for her
cows feed in winter.
She lived very comfortably, as she
said, but there was little left for un.
necessary expenditure when all her
bills were paid and something laid
aside for her "rainy days" that Miss
'Rindy felt must come to her when
she was too old and feeble to sew any
longer,
"That bay window would cost me
$69.7S," Miss 'Rindy often said
"Tve had it figgered out more than
once, and | reckon I'll have to take
it out in fggers,"
Everybody knew and liked Miss
'Rindy, and sympathizing friends
often said:
at a pity the poor soul can't have
that bay window she bankers after so.
It's the only thing on earth she
seems to want that she hasn't got.
She'd take more comfort settin' in
that bay window than Queen Veto
ria takes settin' on her throne"
conclusion quite correct, I have no
doubt.
And others said:
cts an awful pity 'Rindy Pick're
never got married. Some man got
cheated out of most an amazin'
good wife by her stayin' an old maid. -
Not for all the world would poor
Clarinda Pickerell have had a soul
known it, but away down in the Sc
cret recessess other tender heart there
was hidden away an unspoken regret
that she was Miss Pickerell still; an
unspoken longing for sympathy and
companionship and love in her lone
illness.
And in this her fortieth year this
heart secret began to find it's way to
her trembling life in some of those
solemn conversations she had with
herself.
Miss 'Rindy always felt particularly
lonely during the holiday season.
Her friends were often too entirely
engrossed in their ownjoys and plans
to think Of her, and it nearly always
happened that she spent Christmas
alone.
"And of what earthly account is
turkey and cranberry sass and mince
pies where one has to set down to
n