The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-12-22


der Just such covers,
David, when he was not sleeping, spent
most Of his time watching the door.
6abina, when she was not cooking or
making bouquets, spent most of her
time gliding stsalthily by the door, for
Of coursa the was too modest and prop
er to enter 1t except occasionally with
neiRhbors who called upon the unfor-
tunate minister.
Mrs. Tabitha Topp, a neighbor and a
great believer in the law Of compensa-
tion, made Sabina blush herself nearly
to death by saying: well, Sabina, the
Lord took the minister's foot, but he'll
besure togive him something in place Of
It. You've been good enough to let him
have the little parlor you don't even
open for most folks, and maybe you'll
get your pay in some manner you're mot
expecting" Sahina pretended not TO iha
thinking about pay, but she was already
thinking about possibilities.
Well, there's no situation in life but
changes sooner or later. David Ware,
minister, could not lie forever in that
little parlor being waited on, and Sahina
Wilkins could not 20 onforever broiling
chickens and arranging sweet flowers
for q strange man.
David was at last able to limp ont tc
the porch, where he caught Miss SabinA
sitting under the vines. The nurse was
down in the village; Rex was asleep OH
the doormat Sabins blushed like q CIR;
Of IS and was afraid to sit with the minis
ter for fear neighbor might come and
catch her. She was afraid to get up and
leave for fear she would be losing an
opportunity, and a woman at 40 can't
afford to be reckless.
David rocked; Sabina rocked. Then
he said, Pleasant evening, Miss VIII
kins.n
''Yes, very" she answered.
David rocked; Sabina rocked. Then
he said; "Sweet little home for You here,
Miss Wilkins. Suppose You never get
lonely, do your
Yes, very" she answered him. L,
announced to him that here was ten
der, loving woman robbed by some bro
ken law Of the love and sympathy to
which she was entitled. Modest and re-
fined as David was, he was suddenly
moved to an outburst of admiration that
filed the very air about Sabina with
music and light and fragrance. Miss
Sabina," he said, Il think you're the
sweetest woman ever saw. Why don't
you get married.
Poor little Sabina felt for her salts bot
tie. She had never been attacked that
way about marrying! And she never
dreamed that love and courtship could
be condensed or reduced to one sentence.
Recovering herself, after prolonged
quivsr of joyous surprise, she came back
at David facetiously; MIR. Ware, !
think you are the incest man I ever saw.
Why don't you get married.
Because / can't find woman with
my name in her hand, Miss Sabina."
''0h, my What do you mean, Nh.
Ware?
''Don't you know, Miss Sabina. some
palmistry philosophers claim that every
woman's hand has mans initial in it,
'.Do tellr' gasped Sabina, with eyes
afare and palms instantly upturned,
while blushes chased with burning hope
over her cheeks and throat. Would
You mind my looking at your hand,
Miss Sabina| David asked, constituting
favorably her excitement. Sabina ex-
tended her hand. David examined it
closely, looked up into her eyes, then
spelled slowly, Ware! There it isr'
Sabina gasped, held her salts bottle to
her nose, having jerked her hand from
him with a coquettish way that said,
Take it again" ''Y0u mustn't fly in
the face Of Providence, sabina. Be.
wsrer A pun and proposal in one
word. Seeing that Sabina was unspeak-
ably happy, David continued: ''0nly as
my wife, Sabina, can / repay your kind
ness. You and l are a pair Of scissors,
divided and lonely. Come, let us unite
and after this cut the fabric Of life to-
gether.'"
Sabina's head drooped, Rex barked,
and the minister and maiden kissed
Cincinnati Post.