Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-10-25
NJ ATED AT LAS !;
ABOLD STROKE FOR 4 HUSBAND.
BY CARL CANTAB.
CHAPTER I.

| CHAPTER L.
Miss Penelope Penrose sat in her com
Portable sitting room with her feet upon tho
fender. Every thing about her looked nea
and cheerful. In one corner of the room
stood piano, but it was shut, and haC
been all day-Penelope had no disposition
to play. Why should she ? There wa:
no one for her to play TO. If, now, she
had husband.
1t was now upon this very point thai
Penelope Penrose was mediating.
The fact was, Miss Penelope wanted
but six months of being thirty, and thus
far, no one had made her proposal.
1t was rather singular that it should be
SO. Penelope was good looking-had re.
ceived an excellent education-was skill.
full in music, had a good temper. and
verify believe, would have made hus.
band happy. But such things can't be
accounted for. She had seen che mos
unprOmising of her ompanions-even tc
ugly Miss Henderson, with not an accom-
pltshment in the world, and moreover, a
face pitted with small pox, married off in
qnick succeSsion-and yet there sat, on
that cloudy morning in December, a de-
votee to single blessedness, and likely tC
remain SO.
Was there ever a woman who did not
consider married life preferable to sin
gle one. provided she could get tie rigAI
companion? believe not.
To revert to Miss Penelope. In addi-
ton to her other specified attractions, she
owned the neat cottage which she occupi-
ed and a sufficient sum in the funds to
give her an income amply sufficient to
live upon with comfort and even elegance.
Surely, all the beaux must have been
blind !
Something must be done, and that
quickly !" said Miss Penelope, as the
thoughts of her approaching thirtieth
birth day came with startling emphasis to
her mind, " Scmething must be done =
But what? That is the question. Such
is the state of society that woman is hem
med in on all sides. She has not even
the privilege of choosing a companion for
life, but must wait meekly till some one
comes along. and take him or nobody,
It's wrong. decidedly wrong"
Miss Penelope was in a suitable state
of mind at that moment, to become an out
and out advocate Of Woman's Rights.
Meanwhile it was growing dark, and
Penelope rang the bell.
" Sally" said she to her hand-maiden,
"you may bring in lights and the even
ing paper"
The hand maiden vanished, and pre-
sentIy the articles desired made their
appearance.
" That will do. Sally. you may 60"
Penelope Penrose looked first at the
! Il Lor
raj then at the deaths. Finding that
none of her acquaiutances had committed
either one or the other, she turned to the
advertisements.
One in particular arrested her atten-
ton. We will look over her shoulders as
she reads :
ITO HousekeeperS The undersigned
is desirous of securing the services of :
competent hOusekeeper, to take charge o
his establishment. AS he keeps two ser
wants, her chief duty will be TO superin
tend and preside at the table. Early ap
plication is desirable.
GREGORY MCKIM."
Gregory McKim !" exclaimed Mis-
Penelope. remember to have hearC
of him as a bachelor, inheriting large
fortune from his father. l suppose III
, must be thirty five by this time. So i
t seems he wants housekeeper. l won
der whether supposing 1 were to apply
/ just for the joke of the thing, he woult
give me the situation ?"
1t was a new idea, and the novelty o
it struck Penelope So favorably, especial
| ly as she had become heartily tired o
g her present mode Of life, that after littl
e consideration, she determined to carr,
D out the plan, and if successful in her ap
s plication, retain the situation for montl
or so.
r Possibly another thought recommends
= the adoption of this course, but we mus
r not inquire TOO particularly into lady
S motives.
The next morning at an early houl
Miss Penelope summoned her hand-ma
den.
n "sally," said she, " am thinking {
l. going out of town for month or SO, an
during that time shall close up the hous'
Il If YOU have friends that you would lii
,e to visit you are at liberty to do SO. 1ot
a wages, however, will be continued as b.
fore, and you will let me know Whe
IS you go, in order that 1 may call upon 70
if should return unexPectedly