Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1916-07-06
lEsBIA's PIANO
BY ROBERT WADE BURTON.

DtAQQ III lilo hoSs
81 fancy I don't count, Mr.. Ban
bridge" replied Ransom Deane
his serious practical way, and starte
on hoe In hand, for the potat" AHA1
His employer and friend stood looR
ing speculatively after him. Iner'
was a tender glow In the grim, har'
eyes.
"What are you thinking OF, Silas!'
inquired his wife, and she LOOKED
keenly into his own.
"That lad" was the reply. He's
a good one, too. You know how we
Joke about Lesbia's four loversY You
know, too, how everybody says that
on her birthday. day after tomorrow
she is going to take her pick. l sort
of ioked Ransom for being In the
group. He won't have it-says ne
don't count"
"Silas." exclaimed Mrs. cambridge,
her face earnest and working, Il wish
he did"
Mary" replied Silas, quite as In
tensely, II wish so, too. Those three
eity fellows are clean, decent fellows.
but I'd rather have him round, kind,
helpful, accommodating day in and day
out, than see Lesbia+marry man who
will take her away from this sweet
dear life to the folly and shallow ex-
element of the city,
The trio referred to were summer
boarders at the lake hotel mile
away. They were all in love with
Lesbia, and 1t was no wonder.
Life had gone like some fair dream
with Ransom until the three rivals in
vaded the field. He did not resent
their appearance. He had little to Of
fer her. His father had left him
small farm, so poor, indeed, that he
rented it out for what 1t cost him for
taxes and interest on its value.
Wednesday was Lesbias nineteenth
birthday. The week before she had
declared she would marshal her brave |
knights Grant at her birthday party,
to give definite answer to their re-
spective pleas.
It was the next morning that Lesbia
came hurrying to the field where her
father and Ransom were working. In
. great state of anxiety and excite !
ment.
"Oh, father!" she said iutteringly, /
ethe piano has not come. I have just
telephoned over to Lloydville, and the !
station agent reports no trace OF 1t.
l have so set my heart on having 1t
for my birthday! Why, half our pro-
gram depends on the piano!"
Ransom was at once interested.
"If you can spare me for the day"
spoke Ransom, after a thoughtful
glance at Lesbia's troubled face, Il
might drive down to Lloydville and
see II l can't learn something more
definite"
ooh, II you would, Ransom" cried
Lesbia eagerly, and Ransom thrilled
as her pretty hand clasped his arm
gratefully.
It was afternoon when Ransom
reached the little station. He knew
the man in charge and soon had the
wires busy.
''Well, l declared" suddenly ex.
claimed the station man, as he took
final message II might have thought
Of that before"
What's that?" inquired Ransom.
why, by some error the piano was
shipped to the Lloydville across CON-
try, in another county, and on another
line. Been there in storage for two
days."
How long would it take to get 1t
here?" asked Ransom
Several days, for the two roads i
have no connection this side OF the
transfer belt line, hundred miles
away"
Ransom reached "the other Lloyd.
Vile" shortly before midnight. A
rain had set In and Ransom was
soaked through. A chill wind had
come up. He felt repaid for all his
arduous efforts. however, in fact, fair
" exultant, as he started back home.
wards, with the piano we'll braced and
covered with all the old blankets and
he could bride the sleepy s.
station agent to secure &
They told great story of the en-. Ii
suing five hours, the cambridge neigh. Fl
,ors, for many day after that: How
Ransom's horse had fallen into rut,
vas famed, turned loose, and, for the
asst FIVE miles of his weary journey
Ransom, between the shafts tugged. I'll
strained and strove to pull that heavy d;
Dad directly into the cambridge S
then tainted dead s.
lwayi .,
1t was two weeks later that FIRST
yleam of normal consciousness re.
urned to him. Mrs. cambridge, his
Inxious nurse, told him of the vast
ng fever that had made life a dead
flank to him through fourteen long
lays and nights. Twenty-four hours
alter they allowed him to ask a few
Iuestions.
The piano?-yes, he had delivered
/ in time, but Lesbia, In tears at the
distressing results of his selfsacrifc.
ng nardihood, had refused to have the
'arty.
And the favored sutton? Oh, Les. CT