Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1854-12-07
Ara0ina for tbr Iabirs.
Mated at Last,
/.

comfortable sitting-room with HI
: feet upon the fender. Everythin
: about her looked neat and Cheerful
In one corner Of the room stood a p
' ano, but it was shut, and had bee
all day-PeneIope had no dispositio
to play. Why should she? Their
was no one for her to play to.
now, she had husband -
1t was upon this very point tina
Penelope was meditating.
The fact was Miss ?. wanted bu
six months Of being thirty, and thu
far no one had made her proposal
1t was rather singular that itshoulG
be SO. She was good looking-had
received a very good education--was
skillful in music, had good temper,
and | verify believe, would have made
husband happy. But such things
can't be accounted for. She had seen
the most unpromising of her COM
panions-even to ugly little Miss
Henderson, with not an accomplish
ment in the world, and moreover, a
face pitted with the small pox, mar
ried off ia quick succession-and yet
there she sat, on that cloudy morn.
ing in December, devotee 10 single
blessedness, and likely to remain so.
Was there ever a woman who did
not consider married life preferable
to a single one, provided she could
get the right companion? l believe
not.
To revert to Miss Penelope. In
addition to her other special attrac-
tions, she owned the neat cottage
which she occupied, and sufficient
sum in the funds to live upon with
comfort and even elegance. Surely,
all the beaux must have been blind!
Something must be done and that
quicklyr said Miss Penelope, as the
thought Of her approaching thirtieth
birthday came with startling empha-
sis to her mind. Something must
be done! But what? That is the
question. Such is the state of so.
ciety that woman is hemmed in on
all sides. She has not even the priv
ilege of choosing companion for
life, but mu st wait meekly till some |
one comes along, and take him or
It's wrong, decidedly
wrong
Miss Penelope was in a suitable |
state of mind at that moment, to be-
come an out and out advocate of wo-
man S rights.
Meanwhile it was growing dark,
and Penelope rang the bell.
Sally said she to her hand-mai-
den, you may bring ir lights and the
evening paper
The handmaiden vanished and
presently the articles desired made
their appearance.
That will do, Sally, you may 60
Penelope Penrose looked first at
the marriages. 1t was no more than
natural, then at the deaths. Find
ing that none of her aequaintances
had committed either the one or the
other, she turned to the advertise
ments. ~
One in particular arrested her at
tention. We WILCOX over ber shoul-
lers as she reads:
To HoUsEKEEPERs.-The under
signed is desirous of securing the SER
vices of competent housekeeper, to
lake charge of his establishment
As he keeps twn servants, her chief
luty will be to superintend and pre-
'ide at the table. Early application
S desirable.
GREGORY McKlM.'
Gregory McKimr exclaimed Miss
Penelope. i remember to have read
If him as bachelor, inheriting
arge fortune from his father. | sup
,ose he must be thirtySfive by this
ime. So it seems he wants house
Ieeper. / wonder whether, sup
posing l we're to apply, he would give
ae situation!'
It was a new idea, and the nov
lty of it struck Penelope so favor
biy, especially as she had become
cartily tired of her present mode oi
fe, that, after a little consideration,
he determined to carry out The plan;
nd if successful in her application, {,
etain the situation for month or so.