The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1893-11-15
SABINA WILKINS.

b1DI1Nh w 1lIh1NOs
Miss Sabina had finished her morning
duties. had dressed the butter, swept
the back porch and turned the broom up
in thecorner, asneathousekeepers do, had
gathered flowers and seed and eggs and
now seated herself by the window to
crochet.
But the fingers moved laggardly. She
was clean sickened out of fancy work,
Of nursing the sick, sitting up with other
peoples children, going to funerals and
to church picnics to see young people in
love enjoying themselves. She was tired,
too, of being asked why she didn't get
married. She had been literally jol1ed
to death on the subject.
But to look in the little room where
Miss Sabina sat one would think she
might be tolerably happy. Old Puss
purred kindly at her feet, ready to fol-
low every step. On the mantel stood
vases of gay flowers, and between them
an old clock, ticking and striking the
hours softly, out of respect, it may be
supposed, to the sensitiveness of Miss
Sabina, who fain would linger awhile
longer at the rosy gate to the temple of
time. On table lay the family Bible,
In which, however, was recorded one
date that saddened Miss Sabina--her age.
Near by hung birdcage whose occu-
pant, with head askew, perceived his
owners melancholy and forthwith began
to sing.
Between the windows stood an old
fashioned bureau, whose mirror kept
Miss Sabina informed of all the changes
in her face, which she prayed Father
Time to touch gently, as it might yet be
her fortune.
Feeling lonelier than ever before in her
life, she looked about her. sat for some
mdinehats In deep meditation and then
exclaimed:
"Is this all there is in the world for
me?"
Here was the key to her discomfort.
Miss Sabina was right pretty, hadn't q
sharp tongue nor a long neck. and was
well off. Now, why did she have to live
alone? Gods original plan must GER
tainly haveincluded her happiness. Why
not? What could Providence possibly
have against her? She had never harmed
anybody and never talked spitefully of
men-a remarkable thing in single wo-
| man of 40. When Miss Sabina contem-
plated the shrews, the redheads, the femi-
nine scarecrows, that were furnishing
like green bay trees with husbands, and
with children to spare, she just settled
it that there was hitch somewhere
something out of gear in the worlds
marriage machinery--and it never &C.
CURED to her that it is always darkest
before day.
AS Miss Sabina sat musing on life and
its inequalities she heard the sharp wills
| tie of train which passed right in front
of her house. Something must have hap
pened. The whistle did not usually
sound SO far from the station. Looking
out, Miss Sabina saw the train at 6
standstill, men running back on the
track and passengers looking excitedly
| from the car windows. Selling her sun
bonnet, she dashed down the yard Il
find out what had happened. Four mer
were approaching, bearing gently gen
| tleman who had been hurt. Attempting
| to walk from one car to another, he hai
made a misstep, lost his balance ant
| fallen. The result was a badly mutt
lated foot. Miss Sabina's house being
the nearest one in sight, he was taken Il
| it, surgeon summoned from town an(
the train moved on.
Amputatlon was at once pronounced
necessary, and David Ware would no
preach the next Sunday in the city t.
which he had accepted a call. He la.
moaning ON a cot in Miss Sabinas nea
little parlor. She never had anything I,
touch her feelings quite so much in he
life as his sufferings and his big brown
eyes, which she caught sight of now ant
then through the door. David Ware
foot was taken off, and trained nurs,
employed to attend him. Miss Sabin,
had nothing to do in the case but to fur
nish fresh flowers and dainty edibles Il
David. She was relieved of much EN-
barrassment when she heard that 1t wa
q minister under her roof. People
wouldn't be SO apt to joke about mar
being in house that never had such {
thing before.
AS David, in his pain, saw the LITTLE
woman moving through the hall ant
heard her giving orders for his comfort
he thought of the cloud with silver lin
| ing about which he had so often preach
| ed. A realistic vision was passing be
fore him. The third day that he lay il
the little parlor, the nurse left him while
he was sleeping and engaged Miss Sabine
in conversation ON the porch. II wa
now she learned that David was an un
married man. After that the flower
were arranged with greater care, tn,
chicken was broiled more daintily, ant
the biscuit took on a more delicat'
brown. Woman's wiles often hide un
der just such covers.
David, when he was not sleeping, spen
most Of his time watching the door
Sabina, when she was not cooking o.
making bouquets, spent most OF he
time gliding stealthily by the door, TO
of course she was too modest and prop
er to enter it except occasionally witt
neighbors who called upon the unfor
tunate minister.
Mrs. Tabitha Topp, neighbor and
great believer in tho law Of compensa
| fion 1nade gahina hl1ah herself nearl'