The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-06-25
WINNING A WIDOW.
EVERYBODY WAS At THE WEDDING
EXCEPT MISS BECKETT.


A Story Of = village courtship from In
diana-The wedding Excited Deal Of .
Interest Because the Groom Was an
Undortakor, who Had Buried Many.
Undertaken Samuel Pavey and Mrs.
Sarah Milliken, who has been known in
Aristotle, Ind, for twenty-five years as
Achilles OF Kill Milliken's widow, were
married recently in the presence Of
everybody in this village except old Miss
Beckett, Miss Beckett would have been
present II she had not left her sick
bed last week to call on Mrs. Milliken
and inquire into the particulars Of the
engagement. After this simprudence she
had q relapse and has been unable to
leave her bed, She was propped up at
the window all the afternoon, however,
and saw everybody that went in or out
Of church.
Undertaken Pavey has buried all Of
the dead here for the past sixty years.
he ID now a tall, thin man, with close
cropped white hair and smooth shaven
face, and always dresses -iIi black, as be-
comes an undertaker. /Only the oldest
citizens can remember when he looked
any different from the way he looks
now His wife died forty years ago,
and he has kept shy Of all maidens and
widows ever since. Years ago he was
abandoned by the most persistent match
makers as a hopeless case.
The widow Of Kill Millikenis an esti-
nasble lady, great maker of cakes for
the church festivals and clever at GRO
cheting worsted tides, with a large
number Of which the chairs and the sofa
in her front parlor are adorned. As
there has been good deal Of curiosity
about her engagement and marriage,
she has consented to public statement,
She is a short, fat woman, with hair of
q peculiar shade of yellow which she
got by using the hair dye which was adj
vertised extensively in connection with
her picture and letter Of recommends
ton. She says that Mr.. Pavey had never
shown any signs of preference for her
whatever, nor had she thought of him
IS the successor of Kill until ten days
before the marriage.
About that time he knocked at her
front door at half past II in the morn
ing. 1t was a Wednesday and the
Widow Milliken was deep in the dough,
as that is baking day through this whole
Town. She looked out through the
blinds of the window next the front
door and saw who it was. As she had
known Mr.. Pavey so many years she
Just wiped the -four off her hands upon
her apron and opened the door.
Mr.. Pavey went into the parlor and
sat down in the caneseat rocker with
the green worsted tidy with blue rib
bons through it. He set his tall hat
carefully on the floor beside him and
then said:
''Good morning, Sarah Milliken."
"Good morning, Mr.. Pavey said Mrs
MiIhken. She said that she accented
the Mr.. SO that Mr.. Pavey might under
atand that she had noticed his not call
ing her Mrs. Milliken, as he was accus-
toned to do Mrs. MilliBen also says
that she had a sort of premonition that
something was coming,
'It can't be that the Gompers girl is
deadT' she said anxiously.
mo" said Mr. Pavey. But life is
uncertain, Sarah Milliken."
"Ho one should know that better than
you, Samuel Pavey," said the widow
with one of her sly laughs.
But Mr.. Pavey did not laugh as he
went on:
"Sarah, you are getting along in
years. You will soon be in need of my
services"
81 haven't even sent for the doctor
yet, and l won't need you till he's done
with me-" said the widow, bridling and
pouting.
''Do you remember the first Mrs.
PaveyP said the undertaken, paying no
attention to her and pursuing his own
gloomy reflections.
''TWas little girl when she died" "
said Mrs. Milliken.
Yes" said Mr.. Pavey, 'you had just
married the late Mr.. Milliken five years
before. You remember that she had the
best funeral this town ever saw, not ex.
ceping old Captain Landers funeral
which cost FIVE dollars, as should know
If anybody. AS l said, Sarah, you are
getting old. If you marry me will dc
IS well by the second Mrs. Pavey as
did by the first.
You always would have your joke
Sam" said the widow What will
everybody sayY'
"We are both getting old, said Mr.
Pavey, still paying no attention to what
the widow was saying. Life is uncer
tain. There is no time to lose"
So Mrs. Milliken said, CAN right
samuel; whenever you say"
"Ten days is long enough. III SET
the pastor this afternoon"
Then they shook hands, and Mr.. Pa
vey put on his hat and went away, look
ing quite gay and chipper as soon as the
door closed on him, for he did not know
that Mrs Milliken was watching hin
through the blinds. Two minutes after
ward she had called Mrs. Meek, hel
naxt door neighbor, to the back ferc,
and had told her all about it. Ten min
utes afterward by the clock ON the cour
house Mrs. Meek, having left her bakery
IN charge of her daughter Lizzie, ha(
on her bonnet and shawl and was bear
ing down the street, telling everybody
Rhe meteor New York Sun.