The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1898-08-13

last arranged it. 81
"ohi how had cheered myself with
a picture of that waiting tea-tabIe! but
l didn't drop down into my Rccus-
toned place, for even the table had
been moved into the little, over
crowded kitchen, and the robust wo-
man who did her best to serve me
could not understand my simple lam
guage, but she did comprehend my
sorrow and WEAKNESS and bitter dis
appointment, and after had taken q
| glass of milk she allowed me to go
right up to my own airy chamber,
where everything was sacredly famili-
lar. How deliciously soft and clean the
bed seemed, and I cried myself 20
sleep like tired, homesick baby.
The first thing l heard on tie
morning was, not the chipping of the
robins, as in the o1den time, but the
loud bawling of that steer calf under
my window. l covered my head with
the bedclothes and was the poor, weak
Daby over again. When l woke later
In the day, good DR.. Miller was sit
ting by my bedside. He helped me
dress, and took me home to breakfast,
where the talking, as well as the cook
ing, was all United States; but some
now wasn't hungry, and longed to
ask what had become Of Martha.
soon found out Her father was
going to Holyoke the very next day
10 near her valedietory, and he took
me along with him. 1t was a long
drive, but we took it slow and easy,
and had my fill of fresh air, and re-
covered my appetite. We were a little
iste to the exhibition, and we found
the chapel already crowded; but the
good doctor finally succeeded in get
ting seat well up in front, and there,
right before us, was Amherst Jim, Just
as slim and white as ever. He fin
sereu MS watch chain and petted his
Ihustache and made his diamond
gIisten and devoured the platform with
MS eyes, just as he used to in the old
red school house when Martha was
going to speak her piece. Now he was
iull-hedged physician, and DR.. Mil
Ter partner. We had a long time to
wait. The essays were lengthy and
learned, and Martha's was the very
iast' The other graduates wore white, |
put she was all in black with a Grape |
cOllar. looked questloningly into her |
[ather's face. He put his arm around |
me- and whispered: She wears MOURN
ing for your mother-and for you.'
For my mother and for mech!
the pain of it! oh. the joy of it! and
whether 1t was the pain or the Joy, or
me crowded room, or the way Jim
looked at Martha, cannot tell, but
somehow everything slipped away into
When l came back to conscious
less' the folks were all gone, all but
Jr' Miller and his daughter, and
Martha was holding me as handy as
me is holding that blessed baby now,
lnd was just as quiet and submits
i've.
didn't know much of anything
Tut submission for a long time after
nat. l didn't know was HELPLESS
bed in the Miller mansion with Tim
or night watch, mixing the medicine
o suit himself, and always telling
lartha | was slowly improving, and
could not see the noiseless hand that
'as stretching pontoOn bridge over
ne last river, but when my hand was
ret with the cold surf, 1 reached it t
eebly toward Martha's, and she took t
hrmly just as she did when I was
DING away to the war, and she said:
5ennle, oh Bonnie! you are too young {
ole; II only you will live, my mother
lall be your mother and then she c
I'D her warm cheek down on that G
Did hand and it thrilled me back to |
te again, and the good old doctor I
hispered, While there's life, there's I
ope,' and after that he was the night
atch, and Martha was the day watch. ?
I'D Jim dropped out, and Martha's /
other was my mother. Z
''Martha's children are my childreu: i
er grandchildren are all mine, too, =
Id poor Jim never had any. l have y
lti1ved him by a quarter of a CEN =
ry and I'm good for twenty-five =
ans more, but I want you youngsters :
to understand this is my last :,
ar story positively the last =
TWO chubby arms were wound y
ound grandpa's neck, and a reprov- h
g little kiss was dropped upon the y,
teran's forehead. Little Matte well N
membered that he had said those n
ry words, positively the last" on
very last birthday, and so her
ateful caress must needs be a little
proving, for had he not often coun-
led her 'Tell the truth, the whole Il
nth, and nothing but the truth" and ci
not grandma sornatiY,oag eov,, CO.. ly