Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-01-26

lit was you, SAID Reuben, stefnly,
as he continued to stare at her, and as the
girls cool denial of the fact began to ag-
gravate him; why do you tell me that it
was not ??
The young woman did not answer read
lily. She rose to her feet-a tall, angular
girl, smitten sorely by poverty-and lean
ed against the door post, peering at her
questioner, with her brow still contract
ed.
'Why should help your she said at
last; "can't you help yourself?"
you tainted away; you were weak,
and gave up. Why deny this!
Il don't know what you are talking
about" was the sullen answer.
The girl was turning away, as If with
the intention of passing into the house,
when Reuben remembered the object of
his quest.
"Will you tell me, please, in which OF
these small esta blishments resides Sarah
EastbelI?' he asked
The girl paused. and then swung her
self rapidly round and faced him.
what next?" she cried angrily, "and
what's next after that" she added; "I'm
Sarah Eastbell, and if you have any
thing to say against me say it. I'm not
ashamed of my name; 1 never was-l
never did anything wrong in my life
now, then, what is it that you wantT
"You are Sarah Eastbell" said Reu-
ben, with a new interest asserting itself;
"then you are-no, you can't be-" added
our hero, exhibiting again that incoher-
ence which had already bewildered the
waiter at Muddleton's.
"Will you tell me what you want
here?' asked Miss Eastbell, peremptor-
lily.
"I want to see an older lady than your
self, of the same name, and residing,
believe, in one of these almshouses.'
"Oh, indeed-what for?" was the eau
tious inquiry.
"a friendly call-that's ALL" answered
Reuben.
my grandmother is not well enough to
see company"
"She will see me-" replied Reuben Gull
wick.
The statement concerning Mrs. East
BELLS idiosyncrasies was destined never
to be completed, for a short, sharp
"Sarah!' in an excrutiatingly high key,
that was like the twang of a wire, and
left humming sound in Reuben's ears,
came from an inner room on the left
hand side of the doorway.
"Comingr' said the tall girl, and she
disappeared at once, and left Mr.. Gull
wick ON the threshold, half resolved to
follow her. and before Reuben was pre-
pared fer her temperance she was
standing in the doorway again.
you can come in," said the girl sui
lenly.
She led the way to a small room, scru-
pulously clean, with bed in the center
of the room, and an old woman in the
center of the bed. There was nothing
to be seen of Mrs. Eastbell but her face,
and a grim, yellow, parchment face it
was, cut up by a hundred wrinkles.
"Well, SIR" said the head above the
sheets, will you please to state what
business you have with old Sarah East
bell, who has been past business for the
last ten yearsY'
1t was a crisp and not wholly shrill
voice, now that it had dropped an octave
or two. The visitor walked to the bed
side, sat down in rush-bottomed chair
that was there, and looked hard at her.
"When l saw you last you were a
bustling little woman, carrying your years
WE'LL" said Reuben Culwick tenderly; Il
am sorry to find on old friend brought
down as low as this"
"It can't be Reuben, can it?'' she
asked eagerly.
"Yes it can"
"Now to think of that after these
years, and here" said Mrs. Eastbell.
That's kind of you, Reu: I'm very
glad" and the old lady fought hard with
the sheets, and got a thin. yellow hand
above the bedclothes, and extended it in
the direction of her nephew, laughing in
an odd chuckling way that portended fu-
ture Mysteries, if she were not careful.
Reuben shook the hand in his, and the
girl stood by the mantelpiece, watching
the greeting furtively.
What made you think of me?" said
the old woman, after moments pause.
Il came to Worcester last night; l
heard this morning for the first time that
you were here
"Who told you?"
my father"
"You are friends, then? He has for
given you?" she said. =
Mo-
"Ah! he will presently" said Mrs
Eastbell, with an easy confidence; there
are many good points about my brother
Simon. and it is only a question of time.
All things come round in time. Reu-even
good luck. That's what l often tell our
Sally"
ton of her name into the discourse. and
Reuben looked across his PROSTATE rela-
tive toward the young attendant, who
drew pattern on the floor with the point
of her boot, and did not return his
glances.
''Some day Simon will walk in here
just as you have done-and say how scr
ry he is for all the past" said the old
woman; sometimes l lie awake fancy
ing can hear his footsteps coming across
the paved yard toward me-"
Il would not build upon his offering
you any help" said Reuben Culwick.
Il don't want any help. Eight shil-
lings a week keeps more life in me than
1 know what to do with. I'm very hap
py. though it's an awful place for Hies
Sally does a little work when she can
get it, and is a dear, kind nurse, who
| never tires of me. She'll read the Bible
half the day to me, when I'm too i'll to
| run about much-a good girl, Sally!''
Il am very glad to hear it." answered
Reuben.
He would not havo disnoJIod <bo ofd