Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-11-27
~PENELOPE'S WEB.

PENELOPE'S WEB.
My father and mother-inlaw were sit
ting, one on each side of the open fire.
My father was r~eading-my mother was
knitting a mitten. She usually was knit
ting either q mittcn, or a little red stock.
ing, or a babV's shoe, or a w~ristlet, or a
shawl. Her eyes were not good by gas
light; and as she was a manager of the
Old Ladies' Home, a%visitor at the Orphan
Asylum, and q friend and protector to for
lOrn children in general, she was never at
a loss where to bestow her knitted goods.
No a baby on our square but came into
an Inheritance of mothers pretty work as
surely as into a world of sin and misery.
Missing the click of the needles, as one
does miss a quiet sound to which the ear
had grown used, | looked up. Ny mother
had laid Town her work, and was engaged
in tying knots at different intervals in q
length of doubled worsted. My father
had dropped his paper, and was regard
ing her with an amused smile, in which
there was a world of tenderness and gen
tleness.
What are you trying to do, mother,
DEAR" said [. at last.
Il am trying to see whether [ can re-
member how | used to make harnesses"
dIs"tltu tie dedI oIu lduy, Win d Smlle
and a little sigh. "Not the kind they put
upon horses" she explained, seeing my
puzzled look. but that which belongs to
aloom."
Il never saw a LOOM" said |.
"Ah, then [ can hardly make you I'M
derstand. The harness IS { cry essential
part of an old-fashioned loom"
Did you know how to weaves" |
asked.
That she did, as we'll as Penelope her
namesake" said my father, answering for
her. II think. however, that she would
have disposed of her suitors more easily
than that lady did" And my father
quoted some Greek which sounded very
nicely, though I don't understand it. The
old gentleman read the classics a great
deal in the original, and was rather fond
Of quoting them. II believe" he con.
tinued, after q pause, that | owe my wife
o her skill in weaving"
"Tell me about it," said l, glad of any
thing to divert me. You see my husband
was away about his business as an insur
ance adjuster, and there had been sc
many bad accidents that | could not helI
being anxious about him.
Eyes, do, father" said my mother.
"Well, you must know, then" the ole
gentleman began, "that | was an only
child, and naturally my parents thought
deal Of me. They moved from Vernon
into Genesee County at a very early day
indeed, M father was one of the first set
tiers at Broomtield. Some day we will
go back there. and see the old place. /
was mild enough when we went there
but i'll time the wilderness was subdued
and blossomed like the rose. NV father
farmed two hundred acres, and owned {
ci1rar hJEb and q nptachnru pNtocb pcof
to be called Gencsee money in those DAYS
because the merchants made their remit
tances to New York and Montreal in tina
coin. Well, | always had a turn for book
and study, and | was not more than twelv,
years old when my father promised me
hat if | would stay and help him until
was eighteen, he would send me to col
lege. l was very happy in the prospect
FOR from the moment he said so, | knew
the thing was as sure as human arrange
ment could be. So l went to school win
ters, doing my Latin and Greek with tn,
minister, and helping On the farm in sum
mer, till | was eighteen. My birthda,
came in June, and my mother began di
>Tectly to make my new shirts.
"'MOther,' | said, one day; why di(
my father select Dartmouth for me?'
"'Your father and his brother bot
went there. and his folks lived in tina
neighborhood.' answered my mother.
81 never knew my father had a broth
err said |, surprised.
"My mother started, and looked trOu
pled. Then she said, impressively: All
ner, you must never mention the matte
TO your father. He has never spoken hi
brothers name since we moved out here
and he will not allow me to do so. Yo'
were named for your uncle, but then
was your grandfather's name as we'll
"'But how did it happen? | asked
'What was the cause of the quarrel, for
suppose there was a quarrel?'
GA girl of COursen said nv mother
with a tone of bitterness very unusus
with her. Your father thought there wa
only one woman in the world, and thu
was Penelope Morrill,; and she though
there was only one nan in the world, an
that was Abner Hoyt. don't know ho'
much she was to blame. My sister Able
always took her part, and said PeneloI
was over-persuaded by her folks to say 81
would have Nathan. Anyhow she brob
of her engagement to your father an
married Abncr. Then your father marie
me, and we moved out here. That is a
know
Ibid Uncle Abner nave any family
I asked, after a short pause.
81 believe he had. They moved avs
from the place, and both he and his wi
died young. Abbey always kept up h,
friendship with Penelope; but l asked h,
never to say anything about them in h
letters. When you are in Vermont, A
ner, you must 60 and see Aunt Abbey
"Paulet is a very queer little plac
with more ups and downs, and woode
mountain sides, and running brooks tina
l ever saw before. Aunt Abbey lived in
tiny red house, just where the little Paul
river runs across the road, and turn
almost at a right angle to its form'
course. Just in front Of . high rock