Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1907-11-29
TIE PLAS TER
HAND
BY GRACE sRUToH

tF1ce Drew was lot pEefF g
5lr she was iovbie and charming
rler hazls made sr-oag point To-
Aer-tLeF were 80 white and soft and
appealing Wheaevel Billy Dunn. her
love-. vas permitted 10 press one 81
-hese lovely hands he entered rhe
seventh heaven. lie loved just 10
-cok AZ the dainty palm ana da.ntle-
fingers.
Wherefore. when an artist friend
begged the privilege Of casting the
pretty right hand in plaster Billy rest
cd not until he had secured possession
Of the plaster cast.
! take II wherever I 60, he told
Grace. and truly-Billy was a travel
ing man and covered many long miles
every month. At night I take il oGt
Of the silk lined leather case ! have
had specially made for IL. and lay Il
before ne. It never falls 10 comfort
my loneliness and keeps me in ny
room many a time when otherwise
! might be out with the boys.
Whenever you feel ike going out
with the boys the plaster hand must
come back 10 ne" Grace answered
grayeiy- ! don't propose 10 give my
hand not even Z plaster cast Of IL.
10 a Young man who isn't living up
10 his best"
T couldn't fail 70 Try 70. AZ least
Billy made response. with that dear
little hand before ne I use il Tor
payer weight when I write ny letters
and # brings ne more happiness and
good thoughts than you know
There came 2 time. moreover. when
# kept Eily's life and love intact for
his sweetheart. Coed al heart, but
none too determined. Billy Temporal
u had fallen under the wiIas of q
charmer exceedingly different from
Grace. had spent swayed by her a.
re-na,e coaxiugs and launrinEs. not
only his ozn money but also money
belonging 70 The hrm al q certain a.
lur.u- gambling table He left The
place dazed and hopeless NO-hing
bur disaster lay before him Well AZ
least-so his confused thoughts van
dere5-he need not face the trouble
IN person There was always Tie pis-
10. way ont
II I'D not seem such bad gay 50
long - the unsccustomed stlmulalt
cloudet his brain. but il seemed .
horrible Wy when his eyes fell On the
little white hand ne had taken CHI Of
IFS protecting case before leaving the
hotel al The 5ehest Of the heartless
Chs-mer bitter pang Jra1sdxed
MIN al tie thought If leaving Grace
erhaps for some DetteE fel-
low. He sank into q chair beside me
table and buried his face in his hands
When he looked up presently he
could have sworn that the plaster
hand lay nearer. The s-ol farther
away. than when he had dropped his .
head 70 the table. And the gently
-urying fingers actually seemed 70
-adia-e stern command. al interdic-
ton IS they pointed towards The
pistol. his head dropped again and
sheu he raised il there were tears IN
his eyes. tears Of repentance and
shame and sorrOw-
And now it seemed that the gently
.urying fingers limited al comfort and
enter ulty. No IL seemed they almost
poke.
Suddenly he rose and grasping The
is-ol locked IL cur Of sigh,-as one
who disuus,s his own powers OF re-
ussi Then he sal for . long tine
gi-h the plaster hand pressed 10 his
earc re laid IL down only 10 write
SIC letters. a long one 10 Grace and q
herr enc 20 the firm explaining the
ruth fully and asking for another
hance Then he went 70 oed and
LEM IS sleeps the prisoner Nho
n0ws ror what the morrow may
rims forth
The morrow brought him reprieve-
he head OF the firm iscrured was
rieved. disappointed and 50 on. He
ad nor thought 50 sensible man as
-r. Dunn could have acted il so
rong. so foolish . manner SIill-he
1mmended the full confession and
-anted The second chance
As for Grace
Take out the plaster hand and LOOK
it,. came her reply as quick as the {
ails could bring IL -ii YOU thiuk il
hand thar could turn against . ,
lend in trouble send II back 20 me s
,d-receive your ring in return II /
lt-let ne see you as soon - you
IN e
Il vas soon that he saw her. and 81
As fully forgiven. And ir was not &
uch later THAI the plaster hand was
lesatsd to second place in MS afec- 5
7ns. since upon tie dear desh and i
cod member frcR wh.ch il had been
1teled he had placed 9 plain gold
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