The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-02-10
WEEKLY SHORT STORY
REMOVING SARAH JANE.
BY Lawrence Alfred CLAW.


tall. Sarah Jane don't like her, and
she'd just raise old Cain about it. I'm
old enough to know what l want. and
to run my own business, but Sarah
Jane has got ways with her. She
might even put poison in my tea If
she thought l was going to do it,"
1t was Deacon Meeks, owner of the
sawmin in the village of Plainfield.
and a widOwer of three years stand
ing, who was thus sOliloquizing one
afternoon as he sat on a sawlog out
side the mill. The deacon was fifty
five years old, and his sister Sarah
Jane had kept house for him since he
was left alone.
Sarah Jane Meeks was almost forty.
She was tall and gaunt. She had
yellow hair. She was crosseyed and
had prominent teeth, and she had
never loved. The town feared her ton
que, and men turned the corner when
they saw her coming. Sarah bossed
her brother to an extent. He had to
obey. She didn't care whether he
-.
and she had nothing to say about his
politics or the way he ran his saw
mill, but there was one thing she
wouldn't stand for-his getting mar
ried again She had a good job, and
she didn't propose TO be ousted by a
second wife.
1t was the widow Johnson whom the
deacon had in mind when he solilo-
quized- He was in love with her, and
felt that his affections were returned
She was nearly his age and a much
respected woman. Sarah Jane heard
OF the liking they had for each other,
and she took both principals TO task
about 1t. She could Outtalk the widow
and OutshOut her brother, and SO she
nipped things in the bud. In the Ian
guage of the deacon when he went
over TO see the widow!
'Widder Johnson, I'm a-saying that
I've taken great shine to you, and
l don't care who knows it; but you
see how I'm situated with Sarah Jane.
! If she was removed I'd have some
thing to say TO you mighty quick, but
as II is we've got to hang on and
wait"
The widow didn't say much that was
consoling III reply, and the deacon
went away hating himself for his lack
of moral courage. One day he would
make up his mind to marry and give
Sarah Jane the bounce, and the next
| re Owuld SILVER AT the way the dishes
! would be broken and the furniture de-
sToyed. He was a good man. but he
found himself wondering VIII! lis sis
! ter didn't get pneumonia or slip on
| the doorstep and break her he ok Once
| Of oh 4,
and carrying her body away in a bag
entered his mind, but he sternly dis
| missed it. He did, however, scatter
rusty nails and broken glass in the
| back yard. Sarah Jane was a great
hand to go barefoot and a piece OF
glass or nail in her foot might be
harmful. She continued TO stroll about
as usual, and nothing happened.
As the weeks went by a stranger
came to Plainfeld selling a magic lini-
ment. 1t cured everything while YOU
waited. lie was a bald headed. hump
| backed man, and he seemed lonely
and with little TO live fer. He had had
sorrows, as he conEded TO Deacon
| Meeks after vainly trying to sell him
| q bottle of the magic. lie had loved
and been thrown down hard, and he
never expected to love again.
Besides selling magic liniment this
man could sing. This was the dea-
cons che. Sarah Jane loved a singer.
! She just dotted on a man who could
carry through the song of THE Old
| Oaken Bucket without more than
three or four breaks. He was invited
to the house to supper and he sang
! for Sarah Jane. She was captivated
and laid herself out to be agreeable
| That evening the deacon walked a dis
! lance with the singer and finally ask
ed:
Would you marry again if you
found the right kind Of woman?"
81 don't feel financially able 10 sup
port n wife" was the reply
but if it so happened that YOU were
! 10 fail in love with my dear sister.
cu the one hand / should hate TO lose
her, and on the other | should feel IL
nay duty TO present you with--w Ii.
say couple of hundred dollars That
IS, If you were going to take her on
20 California at once"
Thanks. but | couldn't do H. /
Im selling magic liniment. but am not
N the side-shOw business.
Il might say three hundred"
1T would be unless. | don't want
| to hurt your feelings, but the place
for Sarah Jane is in dime museum. f"
The deacon had been turned down.
but q new idea had lodged in his
| craniuh. The way to get rid Of his
sister was TO marry her off, He felt
recentful toward the liniment man for
not accepting his offer. Such a man
as that had no right to pick and
! choose. No matter about Sarah James
| looks, $500 was a big Offset
The stranger was to have left the
next day-bht he didn't. He planned
to sleep IN a barn the second night and