Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-12-14

yer and thumb. to nod back to me.
though his eyes were now blazing
with madness his demeanor was
formally. even aflectedly polite.
my Wlie never came back; natur.
ally, sir-for she is dead"
lie shifted a little on the bowlder.
slipped the snuff-box back into his
walstcoat pocket, then. crossing his
leg and clasping his hand over one
| fixedly. - '''0
= murdered her." he said slowly,
and nodded.
q pause followed that seemed to
last an hour. The stone which he
mad strapped in my mouth with his
bandana was giving me acute pain:
y constructed, too, whatlittle breath
ing my emotion left me; and dared
not take my eyes off his. The strain
on my nerves grew so tense that |
ielt myself fainting when his voice
recalled me.
II wonder now"-he asked as ifit
were a riddle-'I wonder II YOU can
guess why the body was never
tound?n
Again there was an intolerable ST.
lenee before he went on.
Lydia was q dear creature: in
many respects she made me an adj
mlrable wife. Her affection for me
was canine-positively. But she was
lat, sir; her face n Jelly, hershoulders
mountainous. Moreover, her voice!
-ltwas my NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
". regularly, desperately yolubIe.
II she talked of archangels they be-
came insignificant, and her themes
~ ordinary, were of the prettiest.
Her waist, sir, and my arm had once
been commensurate; now not three
OF Homer's heroes could embrace her.
Her voice could once touch my heart
strings into music; it frayed them
now between the millstones OF the
commoa place. Figure to yourself a
man of my sensibility condemned to
live on these terms"
He paused, frightened his grasp on
his knee, and pursued:
You remember, sir, the story of
the baker in Langius? He narrates
that certain woman conceived n
violent desire TO bite the naked shout
ders of baker who used to pass UNI
derncath her window with his wares.
SO imperative did this longing be-
come that nc length the woman APP
pcaled 10 her husband, who. being a
good-nntured man and unwilling to
disoblige her, hired the baker for a
certain price To come and he bitten
The man allowed her two bites, but
denied n third, being unable to con-
tain himself for pain. The author
goes on 10 relate that for want Of
this third bite she bore one dead child
and two living. My own case, CON
tinued the Rev. William, "was some
what similar. Lydia's unrelieyed
babble reacted upon her bulk, and
awoke in me an absorbing, fnscinat-
Ing desire to strike her. Ilonged to
see her culver. fought against the
feeling, stiiled it, trod it down; it
awoke again. Il filled my thoughts,
ms dreams; it gnawed me like vul-
ture. A hundred times while she sat
complacently turning her insane
periods had to hug my fist to my
breast lest il should leap out and
strike her senseless. Bo ! weary you?
Let me proceed.
"That Sunday evening we sat. one
on each side Of the hearth, in the
vicarage drawing-room. She was
talking-talking; and / sat whisper
ing to myself "lou are too fat,
Lydia: you are too fat Her talk
ran on the two sermons | had preach
ed that day, the dresses of the con-
grcgation, the expense OF living, the
parish ts-inexhaustible tri-
vial, relentless. Suddenly she looked
up and our eyes met. Her voice
trailed of and dropped like
bird wounded in full flight.
She stood up and took a step
toward me. is anything the matter,
William" she asked, solicitously.
"You are too fat, my dear" / an
swered, laughing, and struck her full
in the face with my fist.
"She did not CULVER much-not
half enough--but dropped like half
full sack onto the carpet. caught
up candle and examined her. She
was quiet dead"
The mailman skipped up from his
bowlder and looked at me with indie
scriable cunning.
II am so glad, sir" he said, shat
YOU did not bleed when struck you;
Il was "a great mercy. The sight of
blood affects me-ahl' he broke off
with n subtle quiverand drew long
breath. "Do you know the sands
by Woefil Ness, the Twin Brothers"
he asked.
/ knew that dreary headland well.
For half a mile beyond the gray
church and vicarage of Bleakirk it
extends, forming the northern arm
of the small fishing-bay and protect
inp Il from the full set of the tides.
Toward its end it breaks away
sharply and terminates in dorsal
ridge OF slate-colored rock that runs
ont for some 200 feet between the
sands we call the Twin Brothers. OF
these that TO the south and inside
- a h.