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About Corvallis gazette. (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909 | View Entire Issue (May 20, 1904)
9 &&&& Second Cousin 5arah f BY TUB AVTBOH Of "AltlfE JVDSE. SPiflSTER." " LITTLE KATE K1RBT. ere. ere. CHAPTER XXVIII. . It was the old position and yet with a grave difference. It was the old line of argument cropping up afresh In Sarah Kastbell's mind, with no Reuben Culwick at hand to laugh down her logic --with Reuben Culwiek's power to laugh it down, perhaps, wonderfully diminished. John had told of Reuben going to find Maiw Holland at Worcester. Lucq had predicted evil would come of it, and Sarah was wretched. She must give him up she mast not remain that weight upon his life, that clog upon his industry, which she had always thought she was, when her love was not bewildering her too much. Reu ben loved her, she hoped still she did not put faith in those strange suspicions of Lucy Jennings but Lucy was right In "one thing; that she, Sarah Eastbell, could not add to the happiness of Reu ben Culwick'a life. She could only add to the expenses! Hshe could only keep him poor. If she stood apart now, per haps he would marry Mary Holland, and be master of his father's house again, just est he father had wished from4:he first. She had no right to bind him to his long engagement, to shackle his energies, to keep him from "bettering" himself now that she felt herself as poor mor ally, if not legally as poor1 as when he came in search of her to Potter's Court. It was a very quiet morning at one of those strange Sunday services; those who came to pray were not disturbed by those who came to scoff; but the evening was boisterous and stormy, and made up for Lucy Jennings read the signs of It In the noisy crowd about the door, and com pressed her lips and held her breath at the strong language which echoed- from the street as she and Sarah approached, under the escort of two policemen, who were waiting for them. "You are trembling you are afraid," said Lucy Jennings to her companion; "will you turn back now?" "Why?" "There will be but little religion there to-night," said Lucy, "and you are not a strong woman." "I was not thinking of the crowd or the service," answered Sarah. "Of what then?" was the sharp in quiry. "Of all I shall say to Reuben present ly. It's very wrong, I know, Lucy, but you must not blame me for thinking of him so mnch. I can't help It," she said plaintively. They passed under the arch, where the service commenced, and was inter rupted where the old uproar went on, and the police were tolerably busy for an hour and a half. The service came to an end; the stormy elements subsid ed; men, women and children went their various ways, and Lucy Jennings and Sarah Eastbell came out together, and confronted Reuben Culwick, who was waiting for them. "You have come back then I" cried Sarah in her first delight at seeing him, In her new forgetfulness of all that she had resolved upon. "Yes It was no use stopping longer in Worcester, Sarah. Well, Lucy?" "Well," answered Lucy In her old short tones. "I congratulate you on your sermon, but I wish the surroundings had been more orthodox, and the congregation less quarrelsome; for some of these days Lucy was gone. She had suddenly "doubled," and disappeared down one of the dark turnings, and Sarah and Reu ben were left looking at each other. Sarah Eastbell took his arm and sigh ed. This might be for the last time that they would ever walk together thus, who could tell? She had made up her mind now, and the sooner the truth was told him the better. He gave her the oppor tunity to speak at once, and her impul siveness leaped toward It, indiscreetly, desperately. "I saw Miss Holland this morning: I gave her the will and you are as poor as old Job, girl!" he said. "Yes, Reuben; I have been waiting for this poverty to tell you that you must not share it with me." "Indeed!" was his quiet answer. j "That you and I are not fit for each I Other. Oh. Reuben." she cried. "I am I quite certain of it now!" "Because Lucy Jennings charming Lucy! has been at her old work, reck oning after her old style, fashioning out human lives after her own purposeless way, choosing for others a path ahtad that no human being out of Bedlam could follow, doing everything for the best and for one's good, but scattering dust and ashes right and left like a violent Vesu vius. Come, is not Lucy Jennings at the bottom of the resolution?" "I have been thinking of this for weeks. I have been seeing the neces sity for it " "Ay, through Lucy's spectacles." "You would lose money by coming to me," said Sarah mournfully. "Nonsense! I have begun to save money again." "Ah, Reuben, let us understand each other at last; don't ask me to say any thing, do anything, but end this unnat ural position between us. I am unhap py." "Because of this cngagemeut?" "Yes." "You are afraid of poverty with me?" "I am afraid of making you poorer than you are of keeping you ir all tour life," said Sarah. "If this is to be our last meeting, or oar last parting; Sarah," ha said quick ly. "Jet it b marred by no harsh remi niscence. Wo are going to say good-by. We have discovered that housekeeping expenses will shipwreck us; that I shall grow in time a big brute, to whom no second-cousin's devotion will bring oun fort. But we need not quarrel ovsr the discovery. We can part friends?" "Yes," answeerd Sarah, "the best of friends." There was something In his manner that she hardly fathomed. She had been more prepared for an angry outburst than for this easy-going style of acqui escence. "It is hardly justice," he continued, "for yon, who would have married a poor man. will not let me marry a poor wom an in my turn. Yon want all the self sacrifice on on side, Sarah; and even my good luck with my pen is turned into a weapon against me. But," he added, "we will not quarrel. Never an angry word between these two blundering rela tives, who do not know their own minds We will spare each other between this and the York road. We will wait till Miss Holland gives us her opinion on the matter." ;- v - "Miss Holland!'1 vried Sarah EastbelL "What do you mean?" "Miss Holland is in the York Road apartments. She came from Worcester with me this afternoon." "With you! You went to escort her then?" - - "No. . I went to see her, to tell .her the news of her prosperity, and to offer her my congratulations, after which I said good morning. "Well?" said Sarah, almost sharply now. "Well, an hour or two afterward she turned up at the railway station, and in common politeness I could but offer her my escort back to town. She was very anxious to see you, she said." Ah! she said so, answered his tec- ond-cousin. There was no further argu merit after the introduction of Mary Hoi land's name into the conversation. The harmony of their last evening together was effectually, settled after that. Bet ter to nave ended all in a storm of words and tears than in the grace and unnat ural silence which followed. Sarah had no idea that she was a jealous woman until then, for Lucy had not made her jealous last night only roused in her a feeling of intense indignation at the sus picions which she had sown broadcast. But for Reuben Culwick to speak of Mary Holland in this off-hand way was a very different matter; and her heart sank like a stone and refused to stir any more with hope or pleasure, or even sur prise. When they were in the York road Reu ben said: "She is not in good spirits, but I hope Tots has been a companion for her while we have been away." "Is the child with her?" "To be sure," said Reuben; "is not Tots bat there, Mary will explain for herself." "Mary!" echoed Sarah Eastbell. They went upstairs into the front room on the first floor, where sat by the fire side the young woman whom we have known by the name of Mary Holland Tots was in her lap, with her child's arms round her-neck, and her little head soothed upon a mother's bosom for the first time in her childish recollections. "It is her child then!" said Sarah in a low whisper. "Yes, to be sure," answered Reuben carelessly. "I am in a dream," murmured Sarah. "But you are very close to the wak ing," added her cousin Reuben. CHAPTER XXIX. There was another Inmate of the room which Reuben and his cousin had enter ed. Lucy Jennings was standing on the hearth rug with her hands clasped to gether, and her grave white face turned toward mother and child. She had reach ed home before them, having a better knowledge of the shortest cut to York Road than Reuben had. Mary looked round as the cousins came in together, and a sad smile flickered on a face grown careworn with anxiety. She did not raise her head from that of her child as Reuben and Sarah advanced, and Reuben said: "Mrs. Peterson, I have brought an old friend to shake hands with you to ex press her regrets for al that past distrust which she has had, as well as I." Sarah had only heard the first two words. "Mrs. Peterson!" . she exclaimed. "Then yon you " , . - "I was Edward Peterson's wife," she added wearily and sadly "yes." "But not in the plot against yon, Sarah," said Reuben; "fighting for you in the first instance writing to me to come to the rescue kept forever in doubt concerning you held down at last to silence by the awful threat of her child's death believing in your safety through it all, and striving once more for yon and against her husband when she feared his treachery had deceived her." "And he was true to his word," Mary added with a sigh, "for the first time in his lffe. It is a long story; spare me for a few days the history of a school girl's secret marriage, a bitter repentance, a husband's desertion, a long np-hill fight to forget a past that had become terri ble and full of humiliation. I did not know then that Bessie lived, and was one link of love that held me to my old life, I have come to London for a few words of explanation, Sarah; they are made at a sad time," Mary said, "but I could not rest, after Reuben's visit to me not even for an hour after my husband's death." "Edward Peterson is dead!" exclaim ed Sarah Eastbell. She was surprised she hardly knew why, but she was sorry for his death, lie had plotted against her he would have killed her rather than let her escape without a ransom but she did not be grudge him his life. And it left Mary a young and pretty widow, too bat what had that to do with it?" ''He died within an hour of your cous in's visit this morning," said Mary. "And you are here," replied Sarah wonderingly. . "Ah! you cannot -understand that," said Mary, "you who will love your hus band all your life. But my lor .was crushed -out quickly, and only my duty took m to his bedside my regret for the last mistake which brought about his death, and his last act of vengeance." "His last act of vengeance!" repeat ed Sarah. "Half a hoar after Mr. Culwick had left me, my husband changed suddenly; he wholly realised, and for the first time, that there was no hope -for him in hi world, and what did he do?" aha. added with a shudder. "He should hare asked pardon of you' for blighting your life," said Sarah. "He should have sought pardon of his God." added Lucy Jennings. "He tore the last will of Snmon Cul wick into a hundred pieces, lest I should claim my right to riches by It," ana war ed Mary; he cursed me, and left m poor." . "But "Bat I hare all the fragments," add- i ed Mary, opening a purse heaped to the clasp with small pieces of paper; "see there they are." .: Sarah glanced at them, but did " not speak. ' "It would be a specimen of patchwork ' that the law would hardly acknowledge," said the widow, but you would not dis pute the will, Sarah, if L by patient study and great care, ' render this testa ment complete again?" "No," answered Sarah EastbelL "In my husband's lifetime I dared not make him rich; and now, in memory of much kindness,, of old trust of new "con fidence, may I say? I have the courage to remain poor." . She held the open purse over the fire, and the fragments fell from it into the red coals. Reuben and Sarah started for ward to arrest her hand, but it was too late. " - "You should not have done this, Mary," cried Reuben. "It was not a just will," answered the widow; "I told your father so when he placed it in my hands, although I did not tell him that never in all my life should I avail myself of his munificence." "He had wronged your father in some manner which we cannot even guess at but which he owned himself. You told me that," said Reuben. - "He was strange that day. It might have been the raving of a madman." "As that," said Lucy, pointing to the fire, "was the act of a madwoman." ' "I think not," answered Mary confi dently; "it is an act of justice to the man entitled to his father's money, and who will marry this brave young lady in pos- session." "She has given me up," said Reubon dryly; but Mary turned from one to an other and read no doubt or distress on either face. Here were two lives in the sunshine at last. "I believe it was always Simon Cul wick's wish that Reuben should have this money," continued Mary; "he did not know of my marriage, and I dared not tell him for my home's sake, and so we went on from one complication to an other. There were only two wills; the first left all to his sister, the second to me and the second I could not, and did not care to prove. The answer to the riddle came round in the way I thought it might do, if I were watchful and re served for I knew in what high esti mation Sarah Eastbell held her cousin, and how she had made up her mind to give an obstinate man his rights. , She and I together planned more, ways than one she very artless, I very artful per haps but the best and simplest and hap piest way has come without our plotting." "But you?" said Sarah and Reuben almost together. "You two are not likely to forget me, or my little daughter , here to shut me from your friendship to help me in the world, should I want help." ' "Help reechoed Reuben; "why, it is all yours." "You can't prove that," said Mary em phatically, "and I would prefer to be de pendent on your bounty. I will not be too proud to ask for a pension, when my lit tle git grows up and tires of her moth er." "The future, for you and Tots, you will leave to Sarah and me," said Reu ben; "you will trust in those whom you have trusted so much already." "As they will trust in me now," aid the unselfish woman, holding out her hands to them. , . It is a fair picture on which the cur tain is rung down on perfect confidence, and true affection and prosperity on life opening out before these three with no shadows on the scenes beyond. Reu ben and Sarah will live happily forever afterward as young couples always should in .books and Mary and her daughter will be their faithful friends and loving companions to the end of life. In the red glow of the sunset of our story, stands poor Lucy Jennings grave and stony as the Libyan sphinx com menting but little upon the happiness about her, and yet feeling that it reaches to her heart, and makes her more like other women. Reuben's brother-in-law, on Thomas Eastbell, will not visit Worcestershire again, and Reuben's wife will not learn for years of his disappearance in th Australian bush where we can afford to let the last of our villains hid him self. la the bright early morning, gazing from the window of her room at th air landscape beyond, with the silvery laugh ter of little children ringing upward from the lawn, and with her husband's arm linked within her own. Second-cousin Sarah will talk no longer of Sedge Hill being an unlucky house. (Th end.) Cut Off In His Youth. There Is a story of a man of 70 who, when he was asked if his father lived to Jbe an old man, replied that his fa-' ther was upstairs putting his grand father to bed. There is another set ting of this old story, old enough to be new, which is 1 told by the New York Times as coming from a South ern Senator, who was explaining how vioaitiw hi., of r sf.. . A mountaineer, 92 years old, and his wife of 90 were returning -from the funeral of their eldest child, who had died at the age of 71. As they discussed their loss in deep grief, the wife said: - , ' . "I always told you, John, lhat we should never raise that child." Teachers Most B g. In Siberia the salaries allowed teach ers are so small that in order to obtain food and shelter they are compelled to humiliate themselves by begging. This! is only another way, however, of get-1 ting the public to pay the cost of keep- lng school. It is In the power of the I government to remedy this, but in Rus- sla the necessity for the diffusion of i general Intelligence has not as yet 1m- pressed itself upon the Czar. - Expeditious. She When I rang you up at the club to-day it didn't take any time for the one who attends the telephone to get you. He Well, you told him you were my wife, didn't you? She No, I told him I was not your wife. New York Herald, CONFESSION. When I was young I made a. tow To keep youth in my heart as long . Am there were birds upon the bough To gladden me with song; To learn what lessons Life might give, I To do my duty as I saw, To love my friends, to laugh, and live j Not holding Death in awe. So all my lyrics sing of joy. And shall until my lips are mutj In old age happy as the boy To whom God gave the lute. Century.' Ending the Story INTON sat In the cozy back parlor waiting the proverbial 'few minutes Margaret Glrton Invariably allotted to the completion of her orera toilet. - He was quite alone In the room, and by the way of whiling away the time he took a magazine from the table and was deftly slitting the leaves, when he was aware of quite a commotion at the top of the hall stairway. Predominant In Jt was a tearful, childish voice pro claiming stonily, "He wants to see me; I will go down." The disturbance subsided wnen a quiet Toice said. "Very well, little naughty girl, bat only for a few niln utesJ There was a patter of little feet on the stairs, the portieres were drawn apart, and Eleanor Girton entered the room with as much dignity as the han dicap of her 5 years and a recent stren uous encounter admitted. "Evening," she said, with an odd, Jerky little bow. "Hello, Eleanor," Vinton called, and as he saw her pout, "O, I beg pardon. Really, I'm very stupid. Let's try again. Good evening, Miss Toodles." Instantly her face, lighted and her dignity vanished. She scampered across the room and settled herself comforta bly in his lap. "Not the one about the . birds," she said, tentatively. ' ... "Oh, so that's your game," Vinton laughed. "Well, then, perhaps you'd like the on about the squirrel thief." She shook her head. "Tommy Tull and the grasshopper," he suggested. - Again she demurred. "A new one," she said, with an authoritative nod of her head. "Dear, dear," said he in mock per plexity. "Suppose I haven't any?" "A new one," she persisted. "Very well, but If you go to sleep 111 never tell you another. Miss Toodles." With . this stereotyped preface she knew her point was carried, and she sighed contentedly. "Once," began Vinton, "there was a princess " "Ah -hah f said Toodles, by way of approval. I "She lived in a big house ' "Big as this?:' said she. "Yes," said he, "just about as big. Very much like tills, indeed. She was a very pretty prlneess hair like the night and eyes like the stars. The prettiest princess in all the world." "Course," said Toodles, who knew hew such stories should go. "And all the princes for miles around came to see her and brought her pres ent." "What kind of presents?" demanded Toodles, who insisted on detail. "O, candy In big boxes and flowers and Httle bull terriers with funny tails and little stick-up ears." - "Like Flipper?" "Yes, like Flipper. And some of the princes were very rich and some were not. In fact, between you and me, Toodles, one of them was poorer than a church mouse. But, you see, he fell In love with the princess like all the rest of them." "And married her?" said she breath lessly. "Don't rush the story, Toodles," there's lots in between.''' "O," she said, apologetically, He did not know Margaret had come downstair and was standing behind the portieres" He looked thoughtfully Into the fire for several moments and then, .as Toodles twisted Impatiently, he continued: "Now, tnis prince, wno was poor, wanted to give the princess a present not flowers, nor candy, nor a bull ter rier with stick-up ears. So he hunted high and low until he found a diamond that sparkled like the princess' eyes wnen e laughed, and he had it set in a ring and then he couldn't find conr- :a ring- age to give it to the princess. So day after day he carried it round In his pocket." "Why?" asked Toodles. "Because, if she wore the ring it meant that she would marry him." "Didn't he want her tor' "Yes, for his sake, but not for hers. You see, Toodles, he was very poor." "Wasn't she rich?" - "Yes, but " ' "Bimeby he gave her the ring," said Toodles, fishing for a happy ending. "Eh?" said Vinton. "O, ab, Toodles." "He married her, anyway," she said flatly. "No, dear, he didn't marry her. One of the rich princes " "I want the poor prince with theJ ring to marry her," she persisted. "That was impossible, Toodles. You see " ;. "I I want her to marry him," and Miss Toodles suddenly burst Into tears. "Great Scott, Toodles," said JVlnton, "you mustn't do that, you know. See Some one came from behind the por tieres and lifted the child from his knees. He sprang to Ms feet erubar- JAP TROOPS LANDING. . : &s3g ; : r vVS&KT "I want her to marry the poor prince," walled Toodles. "There, dearie, don't cry any more," said Margaret, "I heard the story, and she did marry him." "To satisfy Toodles," said Vinton. "To" satisfy herself," she said, bury ing her flushed face In Toodles' dress. Indianapolis Sun. , PERFUME AFFECTS MARRIAGE. Theory of a Famous German Doctor Bccnt to Avoid. .. At a time when so many women, young and attractive, are left lonely, and deploring the fact that the men of the day are not matrimonially in clined, it may not be amiss to mention one of the causes for this celibacy as assumed by a learned professor from that country whence comes so much light and learning. Professor Jaeger, that famous Ger man hygienic prophet, informs us that as long ago as the eighteenth century it was discovered that the seeot of musk had been known to have dire effects, being particularly disliked by men, and that, coming from one be loved, it had even been proved to change affection into aversion. He quotes a case In which two pas sionate lovers had actually been eter nally separated as a consequence of a little musk on the lady's handkerchief. It is a matter of regret that this sub ject should not have come before the public before, for the heart saddens when it considers the thousands of maidens doomed all for the want of a little guidance in the choice of what was once known as "toilet water." Dr. Jaeger cites another case also which may throw a new" and aston ishing tight on the persistent demands of the day for judicial separation be tween husbands and wives, and the increasing growth of divorce cases. A young German couple loved one another In that rapturous style which makes "the honeymoon and how not to conduct It" an object lesson for all Europe. Suddenly the absorbing devotion of Carl for his Dorothea cooled (and this before even pessimists would allow the possibility), changed to Indiffer ence, and ended in evident repulsion. Neither could understand the cause. Carl would gase at Dorothea, and wonder why her flaxen hair no longer looked to him gold, why her pale blue eyes no longer seemed to resemble vio lets, and why her plump, short figure appeared no more to be the model for a pocket Venus. Dorothea wept her pretty eyes out. and tried with various feminine arts to win back the errant fancy of her lord and master. The traces' of cry ing she hid with a new face powder, and put on her smartest frock. Not withstanding, the bridegroom's repul sion was growing to violent hatred, when accident revealed the cause. Going to a wardrobe in which his wife kept musk, the sensitive bride groom fainted away. A doctor was called, and it was found that Doro theo had been nsing perfume in which musk predominated and that this was also largely used in the face powder. Toilet accessories were given up, and Carl and Dorothea were once more the loving couple of - old.. On such small things does the happiness of a lifetime hang. The reason given by Dr. Jaeger for the peculiar dislike most -men have to musk Is that only vegetable scents. such as rose, violet, lily, etc., are agree able to the masculine mind; while oth ers, such as ambergris, civet, castor, known as animal perfumes, are partic ularly repugnant No odor is so potent as musk, and Its power of penetration is such that polished metal inclosed with it In a box, yet not even- touching it, will be come strongly Impregnated, while a few drops of musk placed on a sensi tive scale will in a year or so fill a large ball.' While considering tne question or perfume, it may be as well to remind Inventors that there Is a fortune wait ing for him who can reproduce the refreshing briny odor of the sea, the grateful and healing fragrance of the pine woods, or that peculiarly delight-J ful sweet breath which Mother Earth! yields after, warm rain. London Ex-t Ipress. MONEY REWARDS OF SINGERS. Not Overlargje When Expense and Preparation Are Considered. After years of hard, uphill struggle and study a singer may be recognized as successful. What is her reward? The season is short, a few weeks of fall festivities, a week or two of Christmas concerts, and a few weeks of spring festivals, with a sprinkling of individual concerts between times, make up the list of her opportunities. When sheobtalns an engagement there is much morepreparation necessary than rubbing up her knowledge of the work to be given, and singing the rehearsal often public with the local chorus the day or the afternon before the performance. She must waten tot draughts; a cold would disable hex completely. She must be constantly careful of the atmosphere she breathes. She receives in compensation two, three or four thousand dollars, from which must be deducted many ex penses. There are probably not a doz en American concert and oratorio sing era who clear ten thousand dollars a year from singing, including one thou sand or fifteen hundred dollars they re ceive from churches or synagogues. And the study and work they did at the start was only a beginning of study and work they must do all their life Of the rest, a few make a considerable amount of money by being Invited to wealthy private houses, singing for people there and receiving checks the next day for their kindness. The vast majority of the remainder exist on twenty-five and fifty dollar concert work, or take to teaching, or drift into comic opera, or In the end weary of it all and do something else. Leslie's Monthly SIQSBEE'S LITTLE JOKE. Ho TMd Not Enjoy Having; HI Wife Turn the Tables. Just before Admiral Sigsbee left League Island to assume command of the South Atlantic squadron he told the following little joke on Mrs. Sigs bee. Shortly after the Spanish-American war was over he and his wife were in Washington. Several of the em ployes of the government departments expressed a wish to see the hero of the Maine in the flesh, and so a day was. appointed for the Sigsbees to visit some of the buildings. On entering the Treasury Building Admiral Sigs bee, who admits that his powers of observation are very keen so far as young women are concerned, noticed! that there were sprinkled around in various parts of the building several very attractive looking women. . Admiral Sigsbee kept quiet for a few moments, and then turned, with a whimsical smile In his keen brown eyes, to Mrs. Sigsbee and the officials who accompanied them, and said: "Don't you think that if our friend Mr. Hobson considers it his especial privilege to kiss all the pretty girls in sight, that I, as an old grandfather, ought to have the same privilege?" Mrs. Sigsbee, who prides herself on, being able to keep up with tne nimble wit of the Admiral, answered the ques tion. "Certainly," she said, and she glanc ed significantly at a number of good looking young men who were interesti ed spectators, "provided you allow mo the same privilege." : ' "Oh," laughed the Admiral, pretend ing not to notice her real meaning, "as far as that is concerned, I should not think there would be any objection to you kissing the girls, either." Princely Reward. "Boy." said the wealthy man, beam,, lng with gratitude, "you have done ma a great service, and I am going to re ward you." . ; 1: "O, thank you, sir F gasped the small "Here In this case Is the first dollar I evermade. Gaze on it, and let If inspire you to be Industrious and sav lng. Good-by." Philadelphia Ledger!
