The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-03-07

W/SAU Ql0Qc6 ana love. LII tIOSe
XLtM days, seventy years ago.
0SGS woman must marry; she
must keep her house and
= bear her children; no other
career was open to her. The lot Of
An old maid was indeed dreary one.
The unmarried woman lived about
among her relations. She was an un-
paid drudge and ate the bitter bread
of dependence, being forever told no
matter If she toiled late and early)
that she was single because no man
wanted to marry her. These remarks
constituted the staple of the old maids
diet, and with the fear Of it before
them, few women said no to the first
suitor. Besides, Garafelia liked and
admired Balak in a certain sort Of
way. He was habitually silent, but
Garafelia liked a listener. He was
doubtless Of surly habit, but Cara
felia's sunny temper ignored this. If
he exacted much farm-labor from his
young wife, her abounding health and
youthful vigor Stunned it not, and,
en- the whole, the first ten years of
their married life did not resemble the
course Of true love, in that the former
ran smoothly.
After this came the period Of stress
and storm.
Balaks silence changed to fits of
eloquent vituperation at the least Of
fence. His surliness became black,
vicious temper. His household had al
ways obeyed promptly at his slightest
word; now, with ludicrous celebrity,
sven a look, one Of Balak's black
looks, governed If Garafelia suffered
under his iron hand, she suffered in
silence, for, though q woman who
talked great deal, she told nothing.
However, it was noticeable that her
sunny hair turned, first pale brown
and then gray, and her head was
snowy white before she was fifty years
cid. If any daring neighbor spoke to
Garafelia about Balak's ill-doings in
these times,-for he quarreled with all,
relations neighbors, strangerS,-She
never failed to reply brightly, "Oh,
he'll come out all right by and by!'
And it was unto her even according
10 her faith. Balak came out from the
shadow of the black cloud which had
aarkened his life and the lives of those
who came in contact with him, and
became member in good and regular
standing of the Orthodox church.
From henceforth his scolding ceased,
and although man Of his tempera-
ment could not, in the nature of
things, become beloved by all at once,
he kept the peace except when any
matter arose which became with him
question of conscience. In such q
case he never yielded.
Garafelia attended Baptist meet
ing one day and heard doctrines which
sntered her inmost soul. She went
again and again. and finally, with
much inner trembling, announced to
her Orthodox husband that she felt
the need of immersion.
"Sartin! sartinv' was the unexpect-
sdly complaisant reply. 81 won't
stand in the way of no means o grace,
Garafely, for ye need it, ye need itr'
EmbOldened by this, Garafelia fur
Aher related that she had set the fol-
lowing Sunday to receive the ord1-
nance in small pond near the house.
"No. ye can't be baptized till I say
20. I'll set the e-day and have the par
son ready
If Garafelia suspected Satanic plan
nings, she had no recourse but to sub
NIT, for in those days truly was the
husband the head of the house, who
laid heavy hand on rebellion of all
sorts.
Sabbath after Sabbath passed, fall
deepened into winter, still the saving
rite had not been received by Cara
felia; when on the bitterest day Of a
bitter season, Balak had hole cut in
the thick ice of the pond. summoned
the elders and holy men, and an
nounced to Garafelia that now he was
ready to have his wife baptized.
To fofI off dar Oft oil
church services and rose, when past
middle age, to the rank of deacon.
Henceforth he was Deacon Carter, a
title which he recognized with silent
but intense satisfaction, and the duties
pertaining to his Office he discharged
with conscientious exactitude.
At the Sunday morning service it
was customary to stand during the
long prayer, which was certainly some
times very long; and after a while
how it came about, / know not; per-
haps weaker members Of the congre-
cation rebelled-a meeting Of the
church and society was called, and
the question put as to whether the
listeners might not sit during this eX-
ercise. 1t was put to vote and carried
and in future all sat during the long
prayer,-an but one, that is. Deacon
Carter indignantly expressed his deter
mination to stand as he had always
stood, whether others conformed to
the new fashion or not; and his soli-
tary figure is still remembered, rising
with the first words of the prayer
while all the others sat, gaunt, gray
old man with deep-set, fiery eyes, re-
naming on his feet erect, though
trembling, till the final amen; and this
practice he followed till the day he
died.
Garafelia always thought 1t great
pity that she had borne Balak no off
spring Sta1wart sons and ybonny
daaas.htor.s xzould rtainlz hara soft.