The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-09-30
HOW SARhH WON HIM

A year and seven days after the
death of Deacon Jabez Carriers wife,
Miss Sarah Spooner walked over to his
house at the other end of the village.
She found him seated on the back door
step trying to darn his socks. =.
Miss Sarah was the old maid of the
village-just how old no one exactly
knew, but everybody agreed that she
was at least thirty-six. She owned her
own house and lot and was accounted
well-to-do. Various reasons were put
forth by the gossips as to why she
hadn't married, but the true one was
probably because no man had ever
asked for her hand.
She and Deacon Carter had been ac-
quainted for years, and 1t was she who
superintendent the funeral arrange
ments when the wife was laid away.
Thereafter the deacon saw her only in.
church on Sundays. He arranged it
thus, having an intuition that IL she
were given half show, she would be-
come Mrs. Carter No. 2.
Deacon Carter" began Miss Sarah
in her prompt decisive way as she
took a seat beside him, 'tyeu never had
to darn your own socks when Emily
was alive" s7
mo-" replied the deacon, with a long
drawn sigh.
And you won't have to darn 'em
after we are married" f
''Wh-hat do you mean?" stammered
he. as he pricked his thumb. with the
darning needle.
Il mean that this is leap year. and
that have come over here today to
ask you to marry me. I've been think
ing of 1t for some time, but was wait
ing for the year of sorrow to go by
You know me, deacon, and know you,
and I hereby ask for your hand and
heart. What do you say2"
''Why-why-how can marry you?"
he gasped in reply.
by going to any preacher" she
calmly replied. Il don't want to rush
things. but we might be married the
first Of next month"
But l couldn't do it, Sary-couldn't
do 1t. 1 haven't even thought of mar
riage yet, and If ever do-do-"
1T will be with some other woman"
she finished, as he hung to the sem
tence. Then am to understand that
you reject me?"
81 amt rejecting nobody, but don't
want to get married"
/. Il amounts to the same thing. Now,
you listen to me. I'm going to marry
you within the next three years, and
you can make up your mind to it. You
may sulk and dodge all you win, but
when set out to do q thing, do 1t.
Good day, deacon"
The deacon put away his darning as
soon as she left, and took a walk in the
orchard, to calm his nerves. He had
never thought of Sarah Spooner other
wise than as an old maid. who would
never marry, and, to give him full
credit, the idea of a second wife had
not found Judgment in his mind. If he
had sat down to think over the list
of widows, old maids and girls, Sarah
eff 10 OF IF oil 70 didn't
like or dislike her, but the idea of her
becoming Mrs. Carter struck him with
a cold chill.
by gum-but I'll never give in to
her-never in this world. She ought
to be ashamed of herself to come down
and pop the question, no matter if it is
leap year,"
Nevertheless, the deacon stayed away
from the next two prayer meetings for
fear of meeting Sarah, and at church
on Sundays, he slipped out as the dox-
ology was being sung, so that she
would have no chance to speak to him.
But for a business enterprise, he
might have avoided her several weeks
longer. He wanted to throw a dam
across Ricky river and make water
power for a sawmill In order to get
a charter from the legislature he must
secure the consent of a majority of
the property owners whose land would
be damaged by damn1ing back the wa
tiers.
Unfortunately for him, Miss Sarah
owned all of one bank for 200 rods and
he had to pay her call about three
weeks after his refusal of her proposal
and ask her to sign away her rights.
She was expecting him and ready with
her answer.
Deacon Carter" she replied, there
will be no mill dam here until / am
Mrs. Carter
"But the whole town wants it," he
protested. IFS seven miles to the
nearest sawmill, and
And it's only forty rods to the near
est preacher," she interrupted. What
the whole town wants is nothing to
me. What 1 want is to be Mrs. Car
ter"
But III don't love YOU"
Then you can go away until you
do
The deacon departed. He sent over
deacons in his church. and their wives