Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-08-08
literature.
HOW SHE DID 1T.

be married to plebeian--to girl who had
wealth but no name, no family, no ancestry,
or no coat-of-arms on the panel Of her coach.
Could human misery be greater2 Could
the Ossa Of grief piled on the Pelion of dis
appointment make heavier load Of sorrow
No. The cup of Pennywise was full to the
brim, and he must drain it to the lees, how
ever bitter the draught. Such was the tenor
of old Pennywise's musings as he paced the
velvet carpeted floor of his library on the
evening when our story opens A converse
ton his son had had with him, as they sat
together slipping their wine, after dinner, had
been the cause Of this tumut in the breast Of
Peter Pennywise.
Launcelot was a weak-eyed and pink
skinned youth, with thin, yellow hair, which
he parted in the center, and little wisp of
saffron whisker on each side of his face, the
pulling of which with his nervous little hand
constituted the principal employment of the
scion of the house of Pennywise.
Father" said Launcelot, after gulping
down two or three glasses of wine to give him
courage. " Father
"Well, my son, what do you want ~ asked
the pompous head of the house.
"What do you think of marriage 2"
"What do think of what ?" questioned
the surprised Pennywise.
" Marriage" replied Launcelot. Mat
rimony, you know. Two hearts with but a
single thought, two souls that beat as one,
and all that"
=" think that every man should marry,
and would be glad to hear that you had
fixed your affections on some lady with the
proper qualifications"
"What are the proper qualifications ?" in
quired Launcelot.
4" Family" replied his father, " Family
whatever else you do, be sure to never dis
grace the name of Pennywise by plebian
connection"
"Why, is our family such very great
one2" demanded the young man.
"A great one !" echoed Pennywise "why
it's the greatest in the land Study careful
ly the genealogical tree that hangs in the
hall, and which cost me five thousand dollars
to have properly traced, and you will see
that the name of Pennywise was as WELL
known as that of William at the time of the
Norman conquest, and that the coat-of-arms
is one of the most respectable and ancient
that ever heraldry boosted Of"
Well, of course, that's true, father; but
I've heard some of the fellers at the club
say that grandfather was pawn"
Your grandfather was broker and bank
err, as myself am, and was fully aware Of
the responsibility of being worthy of his fam.
ily," said Mr.. Pennywise, interrupting his
son; " therefore he began my education by
impressing the value of family name upon
my youthful mind, and so, when had grown
older, and he intimated to me that | ought
to marry. the highly respectable Miss Pound
foolish, went to that lady, proposed, and
was accepted. Thus consolidated the two
great families of Pennywise and PoundfoOl
ish, and you and your sisters are the result
But you ask my opinion of matrimony, and
you think of marriage?''
Ye-es, sir" gasped Launcelot
And whom do you propose honoring with
your name?"
Mss-a-iss Petersham," answered the
youthful Pennywise
Observation-Disclosures never heard
of Petersham. Who is she?" demanded
the old gentleman, with darkening brow
"Sho is very rich,'
And Launce faltered.
Riches are very WE'LL but you do moi
need them. Your mother left you all hel
fortune and shall leave you half of mine i
you marry as l wish Who is this-thi.
Petersham? What does his father do? ?"
"He keeps large clothing establishment.
"What~ roared Pennywise. "a tailor
1t shall not be. The arms of PeDnywis'
shall never be married with needle, or dis
graced by a-a-great Heaven "a goose
1t shall never be-"
1t must be !" said Launcelot going to thu
door, "cause I've popped, and she's accepted
me-"
The old man mechanically arose, anc
walked to his study, where he began pacing
ment of our story.
A gentle knock on the library door rouset
Mr.. Pennywise, and bidding the knocke
come in, he settled himself in his easy chair
and prepared to receive his visitor.
The visitor proved to be the governess 0
the two Misses Pennywise-aged twelve an,
fourteen-whose disorderly conduct and will
full destruction Of wardrobe and text book
occasioned many visit to the library, afte
the dinner hour, by the goVerness.
She was a neat, pretty little body, thi
goVerness, and had often attracted the motto
of the young blOods who came to visit Laun
celOt, but she paid not the slightest attentio
either to their compliments or glances, at
tending quietly to her pupils, and seemin
wholly wrapped up in their charge. In fact
Charley Gushington, who was falling in Low
with every girl he met, once observed of he
to Launcelot:
" Launcc, that goyerness gal-whot's he
name Amy Door f-aint got any hear
The only thing she could love would be NOR
pupils, or plenty of money"
Good evening, Miss Door," said Penny
wise. when ANY had entered the library