The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-05-04

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of the room, at intervals of about
four feet, were spread six camp beds,
twelve in all, for old Williams g ranch
had been the supper stopping-place
of the up stage some years before,
until his inordinate charges caused
the stage company to remove it's
patronage to the Pleito Ranch, and
sleeping accommodations had
been provided for such passen-
gers as might not feel in
clined to travel through the night,
as well as for such chance wayfarers
as might find themselves stopped,
like ourselves, during the rainy sea-
son by rise in theriver. AS we had
our pick of the beds, l chose mine at
the end of the loft furthest from the
door, and as had been up very
early that morning about nightfall |
turned in and was presently fast
asleep.
81 am anything but a hehvy Sleep
er, however, and could not have
slept long before l was awakened by
a sound that might best be described
as n cross between a hogs 9runt and
n nutmeg-g CRATER in violent action.
AS there was nobody else in the
room but Jim, the stage-driver, at
once comprehended that the obnox-
iOus noise emanated from him. |
am peculiarly sensitive in the mat
ter of sleep, and once aroused, find
it very difficult TO resume slumber
unless the cause of the interruption
is removed. jim, however. kept
stertorousl.' and labOriously on,
and knew that there was no alter
native but to grin and hearit, unless
/ got up and shook him, and know
ing that he was very tired man
and of somewhat quick temper to
boot, preferred to wait untilnature
came to the rescue. After about a
quarter of IN hour Jim gave astified
gasp, turned over on his side, and
relapsed into silence Then with
q feeling of relief again composed
myself to slumber.
but it was not to be. Thought
kept chasing thought through the
corridors of my brain My fancy
became more vivid, my senses more
acute. through the surcharged ves-
sells of the head due to O recumbent
posture. Then | became aware that
some persons were talking quite
close 10y, and as | was sleeping on
the bed next what ! originally
thought was the wall ofthe house on
my right, | was at first puzzled to
make it out. l guickly came to the
conclusion however, that the wall
near Inc must be q partition wall
the house was plain board one,
and as the voices were male and fe-
male reasoned that they must pro-
coed from the family bedroom of Mr..
and Mrs. Williams.
"Now, l am not an eavesdropper. |
have an utter contempt of the sort.
Still the voices were so clear and
plain that l could not help hearing
them; my senses, too, were so prefer
naturally acute that what was said
made deep impression on my MEM
DRY. Nor do | look upon it as a
breach of confidence on my part to
speak of matters of which l was the
involuntary recipient. considering
the distance OF time and the disap-
pearance of the parties involved from
the scene of action.
" 'Marthy,' said a voice which at
once recognized as that of old man
Williams, 4 tell you KANT afford it
You'll ruin me with your eXtrava-
gances. What with your house bills,
an your dress bills, an your GALL
vantin about, an your trips to town.
I'm s'prised you should dream of
such thing. Five hundred dollars
for tripto Frisco! Why, you must
be crazyp
"Tt's you that's crazy, you old
hunks, replied the female voice, in
scornful tones; it's six years since
I've been to anywheres but San Luis.
Do you think I'm agoin' to toll an
slave to make money for you all my
life, an get no good out of it. ] put
my foot right down here, an say l
won't. I'm agoin' to Frisco to
spend a month with my sister, an
I'm not agoin' to be laughed at
when get there, you can just bet
your sweet life. Five hundred dol
lars an not a cent less. Why, /
hain't got a rag fit to be seen in
hain't had these six years, an l
don't propose to stand it no longer
"!But who's agoin to take charge
of the; ranch. Marthy. when we're
both away?' queried the old man,
querulously; it'll go to rack an
ruin, sure
"'Why, wouldn't Mr. and Mrs. JEFF
fry's be glad to come? Hain't l
asked them. an hain't they said SO?
An hain't they got Tom an Bill to
help 'em, an old man Morgan to do
the chores? What're We talkin'
about?' disdainfully rejoined the fe-
male voice.
Il see it all, Marthy,' rejoined old
man Williams; it's all beca' Sc
I've got to go to the bay that you
want to go, too. But mines bizness
an YOU know it. Their amt no
arthly use OF you SOln cept TO
spend money. Now look a-here,
Marthy. there's fourhundred dollars,
as you know, nes'ry to meet that lit
tie bill O Bakers for that last bit
o land. My stagin' back an forrud,
twenty-five dollars each way-that's
fifty. Two days in town, two dol
lars-kain't do it a cent less 'cept
Baxter treats-them cities is orful
Expensive. Now there's four hundred
more for nothin' at all!' Here the
old man groaned us if his heart
would break.
'Nothin' or no nothin, replied
Mrs. Williams, decisively, I'm goin'
to hev it. Don't you forget that
"'Well, well, Marthy,' said the old
man, after pause, in what was evil
IDENTIFY meant for a soothing and
modifying key, you. was allus n
good gal. I'll see what kin be done.
Them banks in San Luis is orful
close, though. You mustn't 'spect
too much
"Don't give me none o. your