Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1906-12-08

got no hankering to walk four mile
and back for the pleasure OF rehenrs-
ing However. / had to, for Mlrnndy
couldn't 90 alone Now there was a
Miss Quincy took an agency for me.o-
jeons-a melojeon Is said In the die
rionary to be a musical Instrument
and she had been at Mirandy to take
one to rent, and my wife leased and
leased until gave in. Minister Green
had got his wife one, said no home
should be without a melojeon, and Mi
randy declared 'twould be rale nice for
US because she wouldn't have to go to
rehearsals. the choir could come to our
house.
They did That melojeon was going
from seven to 'leven six nights a week.
Right here | wish to remark | amt
a violent man nor yet | amt Moses
nor Job. asked my wife couldn't
they have less practicing. No; they
was going to bring out a cantater. I
was pretty grouty, but l let 1t pass
They had the cantater, but things was
just as bad. Somebody was always a
coming asking leave to play But what
riled me most was young George Sim
mons getting to practice duets with his
violin and Mirandy with her melo-
jeon. We have all heard yiolns alone.
and melojeons alone. but together-Id
rather hear ten dozen soprano cats
any warm night and have mosquitoes
thrown in, too determined the me-
lojeon must 60 Shed give up musical
parties. 'Twould not do. The neigh
bors would be dropping In wanting to
practice-they, was all muslcal-and
they'd get hopping mad If they wasn't
allowed The melojeon must go.
Keep 1t for my sake, Ezekiel" says
Mirandy, putting her cheek against
mine That would have fetched me
any other time, but l had suffered, and
made a mighty resolution to be firm.
"The meloJeon must 60" | said.
IF I'd a-marrled Minister Green,
he'd never have treated me So" said
she.
"Why didn't your" said l, and then
there was a mortal GOODNESS. The me-
lojeon went, and for three days Miriam
dy never opened her lips, and l was
the most miserable firm man you ever
see.
The morning of the third day she
gave she was going to mothers to
spend the day, and l took the two chill
dren out into the meadows along with
me. Everybody remembers the terrible
4
very afternoon. | hurried Into the
house with the children, feeling no I'M
easlness concerning Mlrandy, as
knew she'd be all right at Pa Downs.
When the storm held up next day,
hitched up and started round the road,
reckoning II would kinder soften MI
randy to have me come for her.
You could have knocked me over
with a feather when Ma Downs said
Mirandy had left just an hour before
the storm, meaning to take the bridge
way home. She had reached it about
dark, and o Lord of heavenl 1t must
have been even then swept away
My God cannot tell how | lived
through that dreadful time. All that
night while l slept my Mirandy haG
been tossed In the mad waters, her
tender flesh had been bruised and cut
by the Jagged rocks And she was
gone from me forever, gone in bitter
ness and anger.
| must say Miss Quincy was a pow
erful help In that time. She came over
and took care of the house and the
children as though she felt for them
like ma, but the very sight OF her
drove me wild. Only for her and her
melojeons, I'd have had my Mlrandy.
She talked just like a minister about
death, and said Mirandy was an angel
/ in white robes with golden crown.
But | didn't care for anything but my
Mlrandy, In her brown Bingham and
white collar. aholding baby to be
kissed, and asmiling. o my Mirandy
how could have been such a brute
1t went right through me to see
Miss Quincy one day pull over Miriam
dy's work basket, but when she fitted
on Mirandy's thimble just had to run
out. How dared she
walked and walked with my heart
a bursting and my whole soul yearn
ing for Mirandy. | went to the bridge.
had n horrible llkin' for it. 1t was
dark now, and stood and pictured her
a coming, and instead Of stepping on
the bridge stepping into the arms of
death. o Lord o God | could not
help it, | cursed the cruel, deceitful
water that had swept my Mlrandy
from me. threw myself face down
upon the earth.
"MirandyI" l cried. 20 that you
could speak to me That l could hear
you say Ezekiel, my dear, l forgive
you"
Ezekiel, my dear, | forgive you'll"
My Mirandy In the fesh Warm
living lips touched mine and murmured
words of forgiveness and Lowell
You see the way 1t was, when MI
randy told her mother how things was
going. the two made up for Mirandy
to go to her brothers for a spel. just
to plague me. When she got there
Seth's wife was taken powerful bad
and Mlrandy staid on. But she han
kered for the children, and when sh,,
heard tell on Miss Quincy she put
right for home, and reached the bridge
just as l came along.
That's her. over to the side piazza,
I I.ot La