The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-03-03


ment, and Miranda was made to fee
that she had the support Of public
opinion.
Mrs. Oberbaugh, whose views were
known to be strongly on the side Of
matrimony as a general principle
made no remark, but, as she wake
home with Mrs. Lasher, confided to
that lady her idea, that though Mi.
randa was full OF grit, she'd got a
harder row to hoe than most people
suspiconed.
After that Miranda scarcely ever
went out, but as she had always been
OF a retiring nature, her absence from
apple cuts, husking and sewing bees
did not provoke much comment AS
the winter went on, however, ii began
to be whispered that she was growing
misery, like the relative from whom
she had inherited her fortune. When
she ceased making purchases at the
village store the air grew sensibly
colder, but when it became known tina t
old man Renseller had twice brought
her heavy boxes from Pine Hill, then
the indications of an icy period were
unmistacab Bile.
The first snow had melted when, one
afternoon, Mrs. Oberbaugh resolved
to brave public sentiment by calling
on the ostracized offender.
Though this visit was made in de-
fiance of public opinion, she was not
prepared TO deny the justice Of the
general attitude assumed toward
Miranda. who unquestionably had
been guilty OF serious offense, and if
opportunity offered she proposed max
ing her see the error of her ways; but
above this she had always had soft
corner in her heart for the disappoint-
ed, gentle old maid After all, she ar
gued, Miranda might possibly have
some excuse for her conduct, rs there
had been occasions when her own mind
had sadly lacked conviction in regard
to the purity of the store coffee
Whether Miranda was aware how her
shortcomings were regarded was by
no means certain. in which case Mrs.
Oberbaugh decided to break the mat
ter to her gently but firmly.
Receiving no answer to her knock
into an icy-cold room. where form
was lying that looked like the ghost
of the woman she had known. She APP
preached the bed. to find a white
drawn face with CLASSY eyes, a hand too
feeble TO return her clasp and voice
that spoke in broken whispers.
"Sakes alive, Mirandy! didn't
know ez how you was down like this"
DEMONSTRATING" was the whis-
pered reply.
Without another word Mrs. Ober-
baugh started home, returning with
restoratives and food, which partially,
revived the sufferer
''Warn't there no one ez you could
call to, to let us know you were down
sick? Where's your coal? I'll build
fire right away; this place nd freeze
a bear"
Mrs. Oberbaugh made hasty survey
of the back regions, and opened sew
eral doors, but was rewarded only by
the sight of empty shelves, and then
for the first time she noticed how scan
ty was the bed covering.
SASJ On us, NIrdnQy! Wnere S
your things? Hev you been robbed?"
MOI sold - everything - for
bread"
Miranda's visitor regarded her with
eyes full of pity; it was clear that the
poor creature had become miser.
why, Mirandy, you're rich wom-
an. You've got $1,000 in Marketviile
bank"
The dying woman put her thin hands
over her face to hide from her sight
the honest, kindly eyes that asked for
a confidence she was so 10th TO be-
stow
"Sit down, Martha, and I'll tell you:
you was always good to me. am
know-you'll keep tia secret. He
he--took it ALL"
"Whati-thet city chap2"
Eyes; he asked me--to lend it TO him
for a few weeks-sn' so / drew il
out-an' then---as he never wrote
went to New York-an' oh, Martha-
Martha"
But here the feeble voice was choked
with tears, and some time elapsed be-
fore she could finish the cruel story.
II found that he-an' oh, Martha,
I was 80 fond of him-he was-a swim
dler an a convict"
Mercy on us! you poor, sufferin'
soull an you've been starvin' all this
winter!"
"Well, I thought--the end-would
come-an' nobody need-know the
truth"
"oh, Mirandy, you might have known
you could have trusted mel An to
think tibet you've been wantin', and
the Corners all lookin' to one side,
cause II was said you was dom your
marketin' down to Pine Hill"
A faint smile passed over Miranda's
wan face as she thought of the sue
cess of her stratagem.
Them boxes--I got at Pine Hill
an filled them with stones-'c cause
didn't want any one to s'picion-how
that-my money was gone thought
they'd guess-that Arthur-got it,
an you see, Martha-Td never had-a
lover before-an' couldn't bear"