Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-09-28

a6&oe <Rediah, b jumped to his feet,
4tSke0k4, DE- & were, from deep sleep.
II 1r panesd; the congregation
AJke6A - him then, through bis lethar-
elc nind, there shot CLEAN OF insplra,
d. H seized his Peruvian hat, and
.&wkwrdfy but resoiuteiy passed It Tor
sOon tribptions, Every one laughed and
staye freely Of his substance. The minis
tn waited TIL he had placed the hat on
- nlat6arm, when he resumed his SER
mon. Under what might be called trying
ksoironmstancess And It Is as yet unknown
whether the generous contribution was
/. kiven for the Lord, or as fair compen-
sSation for amusement afforded by His SER
'sySnt OBADIAH
- Katie had disturbed manner when
qObadiah returned to his seat. She fan
cied she would share in the ridicule, and
she already felt the staring eyes of the
people; and although his immortal soul
was precious in her sight, the i'll behavior
'fof Its temple--the body--had abated her
enthusiasm for its salvation, and created
= within her longing desire to shift the re-
: sponsihility upon the shoulder of some
other woman, more capable, more wor-
thy, who was weaned from the vanities
+ Of the world and Indifferent to its sights
and sounds. Again was Obadiah adrift.
Never did he. feel so hopelessly discour-
aged. He had prospected every mar
riageable womani in town, and the indi-
cations were nnfavorable. A .tinge of
bitterness began to show itself in his con-
versation. He even spoke slightngly of
the sex, ndsaid they had better stay at
home where they belonged.
Se e1Enlnsr passed away, and just after
the hrst rain, when all the miners were ju-
4 bilant over the prospect Of wet season,
thsEe came to the town lady. dashy In
appearance, at home in conversation, and
20 cosxing and caressing in manner that
Z her twenty-eight summers, or Whereabouts,
!. we're entirely overlooked She came os-
tsnsibly a. . dressmaker; she hung her
windows full Of bewildering pictures of
lAdies with ruffies, court-trains, and Access
tories Of fashion, after which she could
model with ease and dispatch. Obadiah
/. met her, and yielded up his heart without
. . struggle. She was a woman of tact,
j and these live longest in the hearts of men,
She flatters their weakness and steers clear
Of thstronbled waters of past indiscretion.
She never allows blunder to be made in
q hsr presence, and has the happy faculty
Of making a mishap appear rather as an
advantage. Not that Miss Hopkins was
all this; but she might have been had she
lived in happier times, for she had the
Z genuine 'intuitive power that insighted the
special characteristics of all the people
within the circle of her acquaintance.
She pade dresses badly enough, but more
{ than atoned for it by well-turned compli
menfs. zach customer came in for her
share, figure, hair. eyes, or any feature
Ic,
tongue Of Miss Hopkins. They could not
give her up, she was as balm in Gilead
9eaides. ,Gressmakers were not common
in those days. and she was much better
than none. Obadiah offered himself, ant
0wAs accepted. The marriage was to tax,
place at the end of the month. His hear
was OVERLOOKING with joy He com
menced immediately to renovate his house
and wing must be added. He sent t.
= San Francisco for carpet and furniture
heenpplied wood and provision in proper
ton to his happiness. There was no ent
to the hams, the beans, the lard Their,
more devoted lover, an,
his delight was not broken in upon by tn
envi0us competition of rivals: others Wis
ind. but slie went out with none but Oba
diah. They rode on horseback, and ha
quiet little dinners together. He felt a
these times that he had never loved be
fore no one had ever SO seduously watch
ed the different stages of his appetite
HAfter the first rude crash of meat and veg
etables, came the tiltillating insinuation
Of, padding and cakes from the hand HI
edored. Never since in his own mother
house had q pie been made on purpose fol
him. His last bachelor days had come
the sun rose In the heavens, and seemed
resolved to ~''hang- forever there" Al
noon, he wandered into a ravine just Al
the edge OF the town, to pass the leaden'
footed hours, and to muse upon his pros
pective happiness, unmolested. With
feyerish impatience not unusual upon like
0coasiOns, he walked up and down and
around, and finally halted at the sound
of voices. He could see. but not be seen
"Well, Cynth, how are the times?" ask.
q ed the dashy-looking stranger who hat
been loafing around town for severa
.'bs every much as they have always beer
in my life and line. My time has beer
. divided pretty evenly between starvation
on tbs bedrock and riotous living on tn,
3 bread of FOOLS"
sH' II hear that you are about to entel
upon one of those blessed periods OF
prodigality. How did you manage it3'
Manage it?" said she. Bleeding fin.
gers, thfobbing eyes, and an aching back
rather enlarge woman's capacities fol
deviltry; at least, they drive me semi
. annually to marriage. A choice of evils
however, is something to freeborn
American citizen. When l married you
! was crazy under the incessant growl
of dissatisfied boarders,"
Cynthia, you are about as active and
energetic woman as one sees in life
t(n.e,n said he. 1itt
@''Yes; this Blind old fool urges me to
marry him, and / desire more comtorta.
Bile quarters than the legitimate profits OF
dress-making can give me two good and
sufficient reasons for any marriage. Be
sides, he has money; and, if / don't rake
his pile, ] will at least, get some good
harness to remember him by
a'"When does the event came OPP asked
J1''If by .thc event you mean my mar
riage with Obadiah Fuller, allow me to
state that it comes off this evening, at
eight o'elock."
Nights sable mantle had scarcely drap-