Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-08-25
moral woman and pious one. and shea

moral woman and pious one, and she'd
been driven TO rim by the meanness Of
her pardner You see, she was one Of
them women that lives fur their child
rem. IF she'd been a PELICAN she'd hey
took all the feathers out OF her buzzim
TO make EN- beds. and she'd sackerficed
herself fur Melindy She looked kinder
better when she got to church. but orr
minister he WINS young and hadn't mar
ried nobody before. and. bein narvous,
be commenced fur to read the burial
sarvice instead Of the marriage saryice.
and we bein all stiff with horrer hadn't
presence Of mind enough fur to stop him
until he'd actilly buried Melindy, g fur
~ words could go. and MIRA Virgins
WINS In high strikes.
However. she got over EN-. and the
minister he said he didn't know after all
but 1t was providence to keep as from
bein too sot on the things Of this world,
and reminded how short life was, and
went back and married EN- proper.
And 20 we did get back TO Virgins.
only Mr.. Virgins hevin been too mean
to get the wagin mended, the wheel
come of and they wus all split ont and
eenamost drownded goin over Slabside
bridge that amt got no railin. Mrs.
Wiggins. poor dear, was soaked. and
when we TUX her into our wagin she
kept sayin, Observation-Disclosures
Judgments IL cominr' We knowed what
she was thinkin Of. and we tried to cheer
her mp.
Well, when the folks wus dried and
dressed over we all went to supper. and
we praised it up as much ~ we could,
but Mrs. Virgins sot down in her place
like ghost, and folks began to talk and
laugh and help everything But she
didn't smile.
She passed the chicken salad plates to
the help. and the help gave EN- to the
folks. and we all tasted it. but it didn't
relish Still we tried to eat 1t fur her
sake. Most Of as done it. too, and the
coffee WIS good, and we cheered mp
some. Mrs. Virgins didn't eat no salad
herself. 30 she didn't know how it tasted
After supper we all went into the parlor
and sot around. and 81 Barker wus tryin
to git up dancin. and did hope things
would end happy. when all of . suddin
folks began to look pale and say they
WINS p'isoned. So they seemed to be-
One arter the other wus took sick, and
they all said the same thing-it wus the
salad felt very poorly myself, and
80 did my Obidiah- The minister had
gone home sick. and there WINS regular
panic. There wns one doctor there and
he sent fur another; and old Miss Pee
hloa eafz7 - nr1 oh
1t wus awful, anyway: but jest as we
WIS at the wust, we ladies lyin about IN
the up stairs rooms expectin to die and
feelin sure it wus arsenic. Mrs. Virgins
appeared amongst us.
Friends and Teller sinners" she said,
we air all on the pint Of death. and
here. before you all, | make confession
am thief and robber, and | shall
never be pardoned. 1t WIS me that
robbed my husband, and, more than
that, | stole the chickens to make the
sallad-one Of EN- from each of my good
friends and neighbors Judgments has
fallen!-
You wus driv to it, Mrs. Virgins"
SEE |, 'by your partners meanness- We
all knowed it, and none of Us blame you.r
You don't know all" said Mrs. Wig
gins "More'n that: went to the store
and TUX my chances and stole bottle of
ile-the recipe said to make the salad
dressin with lie. I'd never made none
stole the bottle Oh! sha'nt never be
forgiven-l sha'n't never be forgiven.
I've tux bottle of p'ison of some sort.
fur it WIS in the drug department where
lies is kept, and I'm murderer
'Oh-ho!" says the doctor. Bring me
the bottle, Mrs. Virgins, and guess I'll
find out how to cure en-
Mrs Virgins fetched it; doctor be
tasted 1t.
This amt p'ison. ladies' seq be.
There ain no greet harm done: only.
don't suppose the recipe mentioned cas-
tor oil for salad dressing. Tisn't usual,
anyhow. Nobody is goin to die this
time, Mrs Virgins, unless it is you
yourself You lie down and quiet your.
self"
Poor Mrs. Virgins. she dropped on
her knees and prayed right there fur
thankfulness, and we all jined in; and
as soon as folks knowed they hadn't
TUX arsenic they all got better. Mrs
Virgins solemn and distracted looks,
and her not eatin any, had made them
that worn't in the secret think that she'd
gone crazy and done it purpose. which
scared 'em more.
And they do say Mr.. Virgins amt
quite SO near as he used to be since he
saw what might come Of drivin q
woman into a corner for want OF
penny.
Still, we shan't forget Melindy Wig
gins wedding in a hurry-those of Us
that went to it.-Mary Kyle Dallas in
Fireside Companion