The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-03-16

have to wear spectacleS, ana you
amt as wrinkled as some are atyour
age. Older and uglier wimme1 than
you have got married and you
might"
'sMiss 'Rindy sank back in her chair
with both hands, held over her GRIM
son face. Sternly she rebuked her
self:
"Shame on you, Rindy Pick'rell,"
she said IL pitiless selfcondemna.
ton. "Shame on you to think and
say such things when nobody never
asked you to have 'em yet: Fol-
shame, for shamel"
She was crying softly now with her
Bingham apron to her streaming
eyes.
Are you getting immode est, indie
cent in your old age, 'Rindy Pick
rell 2" she asked harshly. "Doyou for
git that the Pick rells were all ladies?
And shall you be the first to disgrace
'em by fingin' yourself at the men
like this? You that amt never even
had d beau-at least not for years
and years; not since that silly OF 9
Hiram Murray beaued you home"
Miss 'Rindy was cryingin dead ear
nest now. The poor little romance
OF her life had seen SO wildly recalled
by the name she had spoken.
In the days of her early girlhood a
certain Hiram Murray had "beaued
her home from meetin'" on three dis
tinct occasions. Hehad sent her val
tine of paper lace with a red and a
green heart on it, q golden spear run
ming through both, and pair OF tur;;
tle-doves perched in one corner, and
inside he had committed himself by
writing:
eff you love me as love you,
No knife can cut our love in two"
And inside the cover he had made
this passionate and unequivocal dec
laration:
81 know girl and she is sweet,
And Pick'rell is her name,
love her from her head to feet; !,
Fdshare with her my wealth and fame"
Miss Rindy had this treasure laid
carefully away along with a huge
candy heart, the love offering of the
same Hiram, with the words "Be
Mine" on it in gilt letters.
And now they were but tokens OF
the duplicity and utter deceit OF
mankind, for Hiram had for twenty
years been the husband of another,
and nine children called him pap"
"And he's poor as mud" said Miss
'Rindy, suddenly drying her eyes and
sitting erect, "and I'd ruther have
that bay window than Hiram Muir
ray with the nine children throwed
in"
1t lacked but a month of Christmas
Day and the people of the village
were merry over their little secrets
and surprises to come. Their happi-
ness made Miss 'Rindy heavy at
heart as she went from place toplace
plying her needle.
."What do you want Santa Claus
to bring your" asked one OF Miss
hlnuy lflenuS.
"a bay window" was the prompt
and decisive reply. "I'd ruther have
bay window in the sittin'-room
than di'mond necklace with ev'ry
di'mond as big as a hick'ry nut. But
| don't expect either. IF wis hes were
horses then beggars might ride, she
added with tinge of bitterness for
which she keenly reproached herself
moment later.
Three weeks before Christmas a
strange thing happened at the little
house belonging to Miss Pickerell.
She was thinking about that bay
window. More than that, she had a
pencil and q bit of paper in her hand
and had drawn diagram of that
very window, when the door
opened suddenly and in came Mr. John
Hall, the village carpenter, most
worthy man, held in the highest es-
TEEN because of his honesty, indus
try, sobriety and the fact that he
owned one of the neatest and best
houses in the town, and was a thrifty
and good citizen generally.
elbow do you do, Miss Pickerell, !"
he said cheerily.
"I'm very well, thank you," re-
piled Miss 'Rindy, concealing her
paper and pencil in some confusion.
"Glad to hear it," said Mr.. Hall
heartily. No, thank you; Iwon'tlay
off my overcoat. / just run in on a
little matter of business. It's about
that bay window hear you want to
put in"
Miss 'Rindy, in a greater confusion
than ever, made haste to say:
"Oh. Mr.. Hall; somebody must
have made o mistake. I'm not going
to put in a bay window. ! would if
could; but I haven't the means to
do it with and l don't think | ever
shall have"
"That's all right" said Mr.. Hall
heartily, producing a tape line and
rule. "But if you'll kindly allow me
to I'll just take the measure for that
window all the same," and before
Miss 'Rindy could recover from her
bewildering surprise, he added in a
more sober tone:
"Miss 'Rindy, when my poor wife
lay sick SO long two years ago you
was one of the best and kindest
friends she had. She often said so
herself. She said you did more to
make her last days happy and peace
full than any one else but me in the
world. She remembered and blest
you in her last hours, and shall al
ways remember what you did for us
then and for my little boy and girl
whose true friend you have been to
this day.
give often wanted to do something
to show you ! was grateful, and I've
intended to all along. Butyou know
I've been away a great deal of late
and it was only the other day | heard
about that little bay window
plan of yours that's worried you SO
long. Wish I'd known of it before.
Seems to me I've heard you speak OF
it, but it kind of escaped my mind.
"And now I've come to put that
window in. It's wonderful fine
weather for it, and it can all be put
in in a day by having most of the
Il a Il