Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-02-26

still at work for the Saxe-Gotha. Sarah
found that she could manage ''the
lengths" better than john Jennings, and
the long pipe-like strips which were filed
with thin vein of gunpowder, and were
afterward twisted into q variety of
shapes, grew under her hands rapidly.
John Jennings was struck with this ra-
pidity, and pondered over it.
You are handy, Sarah," John said,
dreamily regarding her; sit is astonishing
how quickly you have taken to the busi-
ness.'
eff I am of assistance, 1 am glad"
What comfort you would be to a
man week or two before November,
when he doesn't know which way to
turn
''Oh!' said Sarah, 81 shall be long
way from here before November"
''You are not obliged to go away with
out you like" he said.
"Oh, yes, I am"
"You are very handy" he said again,
"and I'm not so old as you would fancy
by a good many years, and you are quite
a young woman. When you are well and
strong, we might make a match Of it,
Sarah. Why notT'
Good graciousv' said Sarah Eastbell.
1t was her first offer, and she took it
with fair amount of philosophy, despite
despite her weakness. She was more as
tonished than confused, although there
was a Pickering of color for an instant
OH her cheeks.
Il don't want you to hurry over it,
he continued, confdentially, cor to tell
Lucy anything about it yet, or even to
drop a hint to your cousin Reuben"
Inf I hay ifo oIn ind
never to marry, thank you"
Il haven't jumped at this in a hurry.
Ever since you have been here. I have
the old lady dies at Worcester-how lone
ly shall be when Lucy marries and goes
away"
lis she likely to marry soon!'
81 sometimes fancy that your cousin
Reuben and she understand each other"
''That must be wrong" said Sarah, de-
cisively; 81 don't think she likes Reuben
much"
'You are a bad judge, Sarah. You
didn't think liked you much"
'Oh, you are not coming around again
to that foolish subject!' cried Sarah.
"Shopy'
"a customer" cried John Jennings,
very much astonished. "Bless my soul,
SO there isv'
John Jennings peered over the little
wire blind that screened the back parlor
from vulgar gaze, and when he had re-
garded the customer sufficiently he went
into the shop, and faced him behind the
grimy counter.
what can I have the pleasure of
showing you, sirT he said, politely.
'DO you know any one in the street of
the name of Culwickr'
'He lives here SIR"
''Then why didn't you tell me 30, in
stead of blinking your eyelids at me?"
shouted the man, 80 fiercely that John
Jennings backed against a gross of rock
et-sticks, and brought them rafting to
the floor.
"Do you know who 1 amp the new
conner said pompously; ''have you any
idea whom you are addressing? l am
Reuben Culwick's father"
'Oh, SIR" said John; will you please
do us the honor of stepping irB:de?'
He opened the door, and Simon Gull
wick of Sedge Hill followed him into the
parlor, where his grandniece whom he
had never seen was still working busily
at the lengths"
'1'll send my sister down to you, sir,
at once. You'll find that she can talk
to you better than 1 can," said John.
Sarah Eastbell, ignorant Of the VISITORS
name and position, glanced furtively at
her great-uncle when she was sure that
he was not looking at her, and thought
what an overgrown and ugly man he
was. Suddenly his deep voice bayed
forth at her and startled her.
'What do you want for it?' he said,
and she looked at him now, and discov-
cred that he was staring at the picture
above the looking glass.
For that, sir?" she answered; 81 don't
think that it's for sale"
What's the good of it up there?"
81 don't know, sir"
Nor any one else," he said scornfully;
''the gas, and smoke, and flies have made
a mass of dirt of it."
Its not dirt-Miss Jennings scrubbed
it last Saturday." replied Sarah, in de-
fense of the family cleanliness.
Scrubbed it," cried Mr.. Simon Gull
wick, betraying extraordinary animation
now.
"Yes-with soap and water"
mercy on us!' calculated Mr.. Gull
wick 81 might make a bid for it before
I went away if your brother would not
mind taking it down presently" he con-
tinued: "it's impossible to make out what
it is like up there"
'It's a girls head, think"
cit might as well be a sheep's," growl-
ed Mr.. Culwick. Cant you get it down
now before your brother comes?
''He is not my brother-only one of
those who have been kind to me in this
house."
"Oh!-they are kind people here,
then?" he inquired, still looking at the
picture.
''And poor. That makes their kindness
and their goodness all the more grateful
to me-" she said thoughtfully, "and all
the more precious to God"
''Eh-what" said the big man, taken
aback by the sudden earnestness with
which his companion spoke.
''And if you have come to do them
bad turn, I-I-hope you'll think about
it twice, sir" cried Sarah, leaning for
ward, with the tears swimming in her
eyes, 'for they are honest, hard-working
people, and deserving of your charity.
~ La