Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-01-04

ihough his eyes were now blazing
with madness his demeanor was
formally. even afiectedly polite.
:, MY wife never came back; natur.
ally, sir-for she is dead"
de shifted little on the boylder.
slipped the snufi-box back into his
waistcoat pocket, then, crossing his
leg and clasping his hand over one
knee, bent forward and regarded me
flxedly.
y murdered her" he said slowly,
and nodded.
A 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;
u DISTRACTED, too, whatlittle breath
ing my emotion left me; and | dared
not take my eyes off his. The strain
on my nerves grew 80 tense that /
felt myself fainting when his voice
recalled me.
II wonder now"-he asked as fit
We're riddle-'T wonder if you can
guess why the body was never
found?"
Again there was an intolerable ST.
lence before he went on.
Lydia was a dear creature; in
many respects she made me an adj
mirable wife. Her affection for me
was anine-positively. But she was
fat, sir; her face n jelly, hershonlders
mountainous. Moreover, her voice.
--it was my cruciation-monotonous-
". regularly, desperately yoluble.
II she talked of arcllangels they be-
came insignificant, and her themes
IN 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; il irayed 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
TINT certain woman conceived n
violent desire to bite the naked shout
ders Of n baker who used to pass un-
derneath her window with his wares.
SO imperative did this longing be-
come that nc length the woman APP
pealed 10 her husband, who, being a
good.natured man and unwilling to
disohlige her, hired the baker for a
certain price TO come and be bitten.
The man allowed her two bites. but
denied n third, being unable TO con-
tain himself for pain. The author
goes on TO 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 unrelieved
bnhble reacted upon her bulk, and
awoke in me an absorbing. fascinat-
Ing desire to strike her. Ilonged to
see her qniyer. fought against the
feeling, stifled il, trod it down; it
awoke again. 1t filled my thoughts,
my dreams; it gnawed me like n vul-
ture. A hundred times while she sat
complucently turning her insane
periods had TO hug my ast to my
breast lest it 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
vicnragc drawing-room. She was
talking-talking; and / sat whisper.
ing TO myself: "lou nre too fat,
Lydia: you are too fat Her talk
ran on the two sermons | had preach
ed that day. the dresses OF the con.
gregation, the expense OF living, the
parish ailments-inexhaustible, tri.
vial, relentless. Suddenly shelooRed
up and our eyes met. Her voice
trailed off and dropped like
n bird wounded in full flight
She stood up and took n step
toward me. Is anything thematter,
William" she asked, solicitously.
You nre 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
M q 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, "that
Won did not bleed when struck you;
Il was great mercy. The sight OF
blood affects me--ahl' he broke off
with a subtle quiverand drew a long
breath. "Do you know the sands
by woeful Ness, the Twin Brothers."
he asked.
knew that dreary headland well.
For half mile beyond the gray
church and yicarage of Bleakirk it
extends, forming the northern arm
Of the small fishing-bay and protect
ing IL from the full set Of the tides.
Toward its end it breaks away
sharply and terminates in n 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
tbe bny is motionless and bears the