Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-06-30
WINNING A WIDOW.
EVERYBODY WAS AT THE WEDDING
EXCEPT MISS BECKETT.


Sarah Milliken, who has been known in
Aristotle, Ind, for twenty-five years as
Achilles or Kill Milliken's widow, were
married recently in the presence Of
every body in this village except old Miss
Beckett. Miss Beckett would have been
present if she had not left her sick
bed last week to call on Mrs. Milliken
and inquire into the particulars of the
engagement. After this imprudence she
had a 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 is now a tall, thin man, with close
cropped white hair and smooth shaven
face, and always dresses in black, as be-
comes an undertaken. 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 Milhken is an esti-
mable 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 short, fat woman, with hair of
a peculiar shade of yellow, which she
got by using the hair dye which was ad-
vertised extensively in connection with
her picture and letter of recommenda-
ton. She says that Mr.. Pavey had never
shown any signs Of preference for her
whatever, nor had she thought of him
as the successor of Kill until ten days
before the marriage.
About that time he knocked at her
front door at half past IL 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.
Milliken. 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 Milliken also saws
that she had a sort of premomtion that
something was coming.
ut can't be that the Gompers girl is
deadY" she said anxiously.
mo" said Mr.. Pavey. But life is
uncertain, Sarah Milliken."
mo 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 won't need you till he's done
with me-" said the widow, bridling and
pouting.
tnn l,av l..
PaveyT said the undertaken, paying no
attention to her and pursuing his own
gloomy reflections.
81 was 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-
cepting old Captain Lander's funeral,
which cost five dollars. as should know,
If anybody. As | said, Sarah, you are
getting old. If you marry me will do
as 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'
1--WE are both getting DID," 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, "All right,
Samuel; whenever you say"
'sTen days is long enough. I'll see
the pastor this afternoon"
Then they shook hands, and Mr.. Pa
vey put on his hat and went away, look
ing quite gay and clipper as soon as the
door closed on him, for he did not know
that Mrs. Milliken was watching him
through the blinds. Two minutes after
ward she had called Mrs. Meek, her
next door neighbor, to the back fence
and had told her all about it. Ten min
utes afterward by the clock on the court
house Mrs. Meek, having left her bakery
in charge of her daughter Lizzie, had