The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1896-12-12

They We're all sadly deficient in the
bump Of reverence, and / found that
not one Of them entertained that re-
spect and affection for me of which l
had imagined they were all possessed.
Now / fully realized the truth of my
friend the demons words. 1t was a
dreadful penalty to pay, a sad morti-
fication to hear what they said of me,
and to see myself as others saw me.
well, of course" my cousin Yer
non said, responding to some remark
in a virtuously deprecatory tone. "Of
course, de mOrtuis nil nisi bonum, and
all that sort of thing, you know; but
can't help saying that Crawley was
always mean-horribly mean
COnfound the fellowi And this was
a man to whom had left $500. for
giving him all the money he owed me
which was as good as doubling the leg
acy!
mo, no; not mean" Tom answered,
and ] blessed him for those words,
but he spoiled it all by adding, "a bit
careful, you know"
"Ah, ] should think so' says Pris.
ella. you would hardly believe it,
but It's fact he never allowed me
money enough to keep house decent
~"
OF course, this was not true, as you
may Imagine. She was always want
Ing more money, and yet 1t never sue
ceeded in purchasing anything re-
markable. And this was my sister
Pris, whom | had always thought so
Afectionate, so entirely devoted to
me. Oh, it was too horrible.
These three were my principal lega-
tees. If | had only known sooner!
But how was that possible?
knew what would do. l had
made up my mind--and having no
body | was all mind now-I would
go at once to my solicitors, aud have
codicil drawn up while there was
yet time. But say, there was no time;
1t was too late. had quite forgotten
that was only poor ghost. delna-
terialized spirit, and that old idiot,
Sharpitlaw, was so welded to routine
and old-fashioned custom that he
would certainly regard a posthumous
testament as informal, and as | was
invisible he would treat my signature
as null and decidedly void.
When next l turned stoward my
amiable and disintereSted family cir
Gle l perceived that. the breakfast
things had been removed, and Tom
Slowquicker sat in the armchair with
my will spread out before him.
"There's some one missing" he said
looking around him magisterally;
"who is ft7'''
"Only my sister Minnie" Vernon re-
marked casually II went to her this
morning, but she's so upset about his
death that she feels quite Ill, and
could not come down to breakfast"
Don't be absurd" said Priscilla;
"why, she never gave him so much as
a civil word" Then, sotto voce to her |
brother, "And that's what has upset
her, expect. She is afraid she has
spoiled her chances Of a legacy"
Oh, that spiteful Priscilla! If I !
could only alter my Will But 1t was |
too late, for here was my executor
standing, or rather sitting, in my place. !
At least, there was one thing | could |
do; would find my friend the demon !
and see If arrangements could not be
made for haunting them!
But these precious words about Min
ME had sent balm into my tortured
spirit, so that my incorporate heart
throbbed, shaking the venetians. and
Tom asked where the draft came from.
/ would go to her at once, so | ira
versed the closed door again. passing
them all as the sigh Of summer
breeze, which is we know not what,
or whence It comes, or whittier 1t goes
"a breath from-well, no matter
where; don't exactly know myself.
ThUs l went upstairs, and into Min
MES room, where found the poor
girl still IN bed, her cheeks pale. her
eyes red with weeping, al! the signs
upon her of sleepless night of sor-
row, and pressed close to her soft
bosom she held a likeness Of my un-
worthy self, which had given her
once long ago And this was the girl
who never spoke save to ridicule and
poke fun at me, whose dislike for me
was almost proverbial In the family.
and yet the girl whose love-with usual
human perversity-I would have given
all the world to win
All this knowledge of her hearts
secret was sweet to me! 1t gave me
courage. would comfort her.
would pour foGth my love. would
tell her-stay! What could | tell her?
Was not forgetting again that was
only poor ghost-merely the shadow
Of shade? Was l not unseen by her?
And even were 1t possible for me to
make myself visible for a few mo-
nents / should only succeed in terri
lying my poor love out of her senses.
Alas! was this the realization Of n
The punishment of early
Families and sins? To see things lust
Is they are and yet to be so miser
IDLY impotent to alter them; to see
90 what might have been and to beat
tut my weary spirit on into eternity
II vain longing for frultion that can |
,nvnp