Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-02-05

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striped dress even to identify its wearer.
He fingered till the last, and went :nood-
ily back to his lodgings, certain in his
own mind that Sarah Eastbell had seen
him and avoided him.
There was another Sarah Eastbei on
his mind, too-the old woman at st.
Oswald's, down in Worcestershire. What
was she doing, PROSTATE and blind, with
out her nurse, and without friend? He
I took up the current number of the Penny
Trumpet to refresh himself with An ar
ticle of his own composition, and then sn
advertisement stared at him in the face.
Cheap Excursion to Worcester. Malvern
and Gloucester" Reuben counted his
shillings carefully, looked up at the cell
ing, and went into an elaborate mental
calculation on the spot. Yes, he would
60 away again.
The next day he was in Worcester
walking up the Tithing as if the place be-
longed to him. He passed through the
gateway and entered the square court
yard, where he stood looking round him
as if for his Second-cousin Sarah, whose
appearance seemed wanting to complete
the picture. The door of his aunt's room
was open, and he walked toward it, and
entered the apartment, where all was rs
u0 cApcCtcu 10 II. 1uC Olu "OulIu
lay in her bed as he had seen her last,
was no one with her. Surely it was only
yesterday since he had called at st. Os-
wald's.
"Who's there?" said Sarah Eastbell,
sharply, as he entered.
"Your nephew he answered, walking
to the bedside. ''You received my letter
about Sarah?"
Eyes. 1t was kind of you to think Of
her."
where is sheT' said Reuben.
"Well," replied Mrs. Eastbell; "she has
gone away for, little change. She will
be back soon."
els she in LondonY
Eyes"
"What made Sarah leave your
"Why, Tom came back from sea. Her
brother-a fine strapping young fello ",
who has got on in the world. He came
here to see me at once" the old lady con-
tinued, "and insisted upon giving Sally
a bit of a change before he went away
on board ship again, and the child wanted
change, and they said looked ill, and SO
persuaded her to CO."
HAS she written to you since?'
ITO be sure. There's letter Of hers
on tne mantelplece now.
Reuben Culwick walked across and
| took down letter therefrom. To his
surprise it was addressed to two persons,
the second one being communicated with
lead pencil at the top of the paper.
Don't read this to grandmother" was
written in lead pencil, and in quite
lady's hand. keep her as cheerful as
you can without me. Let her think that
7 ho
with Tom, and that he is very kind I
can't think of breaking the truth to her
yet, that I can never, never come back
any more"
"Who reads the letters to you, aunt 2"
he asked curiously.
Mrs. Muggeridge or her niece, gener-
ally, because the old lady stammers
dreadful
"Now, why are all these people hum
bugging this poor woman?" muttered
Reuben, as he took great handful of his
beard into consideration with him.
While he meditated, very sallow face,
chiseled deeply with ridges, peered round
the room door, and two greenish eyes
blinked at him through spectacles with
wide horn rims.
Zone moment, Mrs. Muggeridge," Reu-
ben fastened to say. 81 want you or
your niece to tell me about Mrs. East
BELLS granddaughter she has
gone. and why she has gone.'
"My niecev' said Mrs. Muggeridge,
shaking her head again. s'Ah! that's a
little trick to keep that poor old soul 60
ing bit till we take her off to the ceme-
terry, which can't be very long now. The
young lady thought it would be the better
plan not to tell her anything"
What young lady?'
''She who comes once or twice day
now, just to see her. Why, here she is,
to be sure.'
(To be continued.)