The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1911-06-02
Grandma S Ride
BY M. QUAD
Copyright. 1910. by Associated Lit
erary Press
BY M. QUAD

WIDOW Tor forty years ana for the last
lfteen had lived with her son Zadoc
and his wife,
She broke her arm.
"Grnndma. you are seventy eight
years old. and I'm afraid this is the
end Of things said the doctor
THAT'S what I'm thinking myself"
she replied Please prop me up in
bed. ] want to 80 over things II little.
doctor. haven't had much fun IN
this world. At the age of ten | fell
Off the barn and broke four ribs"
Yes. I've heard So"
when was twelve l chopped of
one Of my toes. At fifteen n horse ran
away with me and broke my right leg.
At seventeen slipped on the Ice and
broke the other"
YES"
"At twenty l was almost drowned In
mill pond. At twenty-five ! married
Moses Spooner. Doctor. Moses was
poke Of man. He could hardly keep
out Of the way of a haystack. He was
always wanting to rest. l was almost
gao Wnen ne uleQ.
'Since you knew me | have had a
bug in my ear fallen down stairs. been
bitten by Il snake, hooked by COW.
blOwed up with kerosene. twisted my
ankle. fell out Of tree and had vari-
Gus bones broken. This breaking my
arm is about the last of me. amt it?"
I'VE will hope not, but
"Oh. talk 1t right out, doctor. You
can't scare me none"
"As | told you. it's serious"
I'm feeling that way. | reckon my
days are over. but I'm not complain
ing. Dc you know. ! never went to
circus?"
You didnt?"
"Never. always had a broken leg
or something wher there was u circus.
spelling school or party. never went
huckleberrying. never STATED or slid
downhill. l never saw mad dog or
q balloon. l never went to a church
picnic. I've always had broken bones
on hand or been down with sickness.
ought to have some little fun in life.
hadn't ]? ought to have seen dog
fight or something"
surely you had" replied the doctor.
land am sorry for you"
Then | want you to do something
for me. I've been whizzing along all
my life. and want to 20 out Of it ON
the whiz. want Zadoc to 60 to town
and hire one of them autos and take
me for ride. and l want you to fix
me up for it. I've got to so, but
want to go having fun"
you've got fever, and 1t will in.
crease it."
II can't help It,"
Moving you in and out Of the auto
will be very painful"
But I'm used to 1t. l tell you. doc
tor. I'm going to have some fun to end
up on IL ! have to jump down the WELL
It's my due. | jest want to laugh good
and hearty once before 60"
The doctor wrestled with grandma
for the best of an hour. and then Ia
doc was called in to decide. After lis
tening to the arguments he said:
why. 1t looks all right to me.
Seems as If mother ought to have some
fun after all these Years. She haint
got any new bones to break"
The doctor put 1t Off another day.
and then. thinking that the worry was
as bad as the fever. he gave consent.
Zadoc went to town and hired an auto
and chauffeur, and the broken woman
was carried out with all due precau-
tons and seated In It, She was in good
spirits from the brandy the doctor
gave her
81 hope you amt blaming me any.
Zadoc," she said as the machine moved
of.
"NOt mite. mother"
"You know I've got to be seventy
eight years old?"
yes"
"And you can't remember ever hear
Ing me even giggle, can you"
mo, mother"
Always had broken bones or some
thing to keep me from feeling good.
You was going to take me to the cir
Gus two years ago. but fell down the
cellar stairs the day before"
yes"
"You was going to take me to camp
meeting last year. but ! run a rusty
nail into my foot"
$50 you did,"
And we was talking Of going to a
picnic next week, and went and
broke my arm"
"Yes."
But I guess I've got pretty nigh
the end. Zadoc. Is there smile on nv
face?"
why. mother, there surely isw
"And l feel like giggling. Yes, sir.
zadoc. believe I'm going to be tic.
killed. after all these years! You won't
mind 1t, will you7"
Not bit. mother. Go ahead and
grin and giggle and laugh"
"Then tell him to put on the whiz
It's great. Zadoc. It's grand. Don't
you see me grinning. Can't you hear
me giggling7 Seventy-eight years old,
and this Is the first grin and the FIRST
giggle that l can remember"
Keep 'er up. mother. ! shouldn't
wonder II you'd live to be a hundred "
More whiZ. Zadoc-more wbi,w