Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-02-14

to move on into the other rooms or
scatter about the porches and gar
den. The young folks chose the lat
ter place, as the night was
mild as summer itself, and the
big full moon, that seemed too heavy
ever to rise above our heads, was
floating slowly up over the eastern
hills. The lovers looked so blissful
and happy, that it made me almost
sorry l had driven Dora and Jamie
apart by my fearful tongue, flashing,
but my bark is worse than my bite
and it was Jamie's own fault ii he
hadn't found that out long ago.
For the next hour or so | forgot
Jamie; but when supper time came,
/ erept up stairs to his little room
anG peeped in. He lay stretched on
the bed by the window in the white
moonlight, which was as bright as
day, showing me plainly his poor,
dwarfed feet, his useless limbs and
his grand, wide forehead He was
still dressed but his overdrawn
breath assured me he was
sleeping. l felt that | had no right
to call him back from the mysterious
realm OF sweet unrealities-I, who
had spoiled the possible beauty OF
the real-so | quietly descended the
stairs and invited my merry guests
to partake OF the supper | had pre-
pared for them. My face | wreathed
in smiles and none knew that the
miller's wife did not Joy in the gay
ETY. of the hour.
After supper the lovers went out
again, in pairs, into the moonlight,
the elder folks returned to the par
Tor, and |, being lett to myself, went
upstairs laden with good things-a
offering to my Jamie.
/ opened the door. | could never
make you comprehend the terrible
loneliness and emptiness of that lit
tie room-Jamie was gone.
/ alone knew of the dangerous SOM
nambulic habits of my soma habit
that began in infancy, and that, in
boyhood, made him q cripple tor life
and now in heartrending tones
called to my friends to aid me in my
frantic search from garnet to cellar
but to no avail.
Suddenly the belle of the village-a
miss full of nerves and fancies-came
rushing into the house, screaming;
"A ghostl A ghostp
"Whare?" | cried, feeling sure il
was Jamie she had seen.
Moving in short, slow steps along
the scaffolding of the mill oh, am
sick with fright"
Save him, oh, my God, save him.
cried, rushing out to the mill, fol
lowed by n crowd of awe-strickeI
men and women.
I Yes, there he was, high up on thu
outside scaffolding OF the mill, walk.
ing with wide, unseeing eyes along
the moonlit plank. Ny very life blooC
seemed elogged about my heart:
could not stir nor heseech the mer
to go after him-my tongue cleayeC
to the roof of my mouth. On h
came towards a plank that was laiC
far out over the deep, sluggish wa
tiers of the race-the noise OF hi
crutches ringing out in the awful 81
lence as each step brought him near
er to death.
Tramp-tramp-he was almost tt
the end now; yet we dared not NOV
lest we should wake him and max
death certainty. Nearer, nearer
every wrong | had done him, ever,
sharp word | had unwittingly givel
him, came crOwding now upon m.
heart and soul like so many accusin,
devils, torturing me to agony as
stood there watching him draw slow
ly towards the end of the scaffold
ing.
One more step will bring him to hi
death-oh, my darling! my darling
! clutched Toms sleeve-Tom VIII,
stood there, numb and almos
paralyzed. Suddenly over the roo
with cat like steps, crept tn
lithesome figure of a woman
who came to the edge swung her
self down to the scaffoIding, ant
was close upon him as he stood W
on the verge of eternity. With WOE
derlul presence of mind she wrappe
her strong right arm firmly aroun
IL projecting DsdHi, Iueu lulckiE seq
ed him with the other. | knew fror
his sudden tremor that he had awaE
ened-I saw him turn confusedly ar
look about him, then down, far dow
into the black line OF the deep, slug
gish race.
With q cry he reeled like a drunke
man, his crutches fell from his uplifte
hands, his poor crippled limbstottere
beneath the unaccustomed weight {
his body, and though she straine
desperately to support him, the on
single left arm was too weak for 8
great a burden, and down they fell
he and the woman-down, down iI
to the deep, black water. Then
tainted.
II When / opened my eyes again tn
men were carrying Jamie and Dora
dripping and water-soaked, but liy
ing still, thank God, into the house
] fell on my knees before them a
they lay glistening with water drop
: on the little horsehair sofa, an