Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-10-02

with more ups and downs, and wooded
mountain sides, and running brooks
than ever 1 saw bSfore. Aunt Abbey
: lived in q tiny red house, just where the
alittle Paulet river" runs across the
road, turns, at almost Alright angle, te
its former course. just in front is q
high rocky ledge, at the base of which
the river flows forsome distance, and
then, directly under z ahigharched bridge
pours down some Thirty in pretty
little fall. ... e. ....s -g-....i +.
'ssAunt Abbey gave me a.warm well
come. She was. widow, much older
than my mother, and lived in the little
red house with her daughter Malvina, a
cheerful, sensible old maid, with learn
ling enough for college professor: OF
course We had everything to talk about !;
and made Acquaintance with host of
new cousins, both Hoyts and Marvins.
l observed that almost everybody who
called asked about Penelope; and the
answer always was. that Penelope was
over at Deacon Bakers, weaving. - II
/ "Who is Penelope ?, i asked, at last,
Iof my cousin Malvina. fss..o.,
1 "Oh, Penelope Winder l-well, she's
a Kind of adopted child of ours. She's
an orphan; and when her step-father
died she hadn't any home, and her
mother was great friend of Ina's-so
fshe naturally came to us. We would
like to keep her with US all the time,
but she has very independent feelings,
| Pen has, and likes to support herself.
She's splendid hand at all kinds of
1 weaving, and folks send for her far and
near Burshe makes her erhomewiti1 us, ,
and as she is to come home Saturday,
we'll hitch up old bay, and 60 after
HER. Ei. ii
Fl was pretty well disposed to like
Penelope beforehand; and when young
\ Doctor Ambler, who was the beau of
the place, asked Maltina when Miss
Winder was expected, / felt that he had
taken an unwarrantable liberty. When
/ saw Penelope, understood the rea-
son., l felt at once that we were made
for each other; and 1 have never
changed my mind. In a weeks time
we were as we'll acquainted as if we had
known each other for years, and in
three weeks We were engaged ..s.is
'It was very imprudent in me!'' said
my mother-in-law, demurely; ~ don't,
know how came to do so."
"Nor 1! never could guess. Well,
Aunt Abbey and Malvina both looked
troubled when we told them oft.
-t"Pm afraid it won't do, children, )"
said my aunt,-I am, indeed. Perhaps
L ought to have foreseen and prevented
it. You have heard Of your uncle Alb
ner?'
Mother mentioned him to me, once"
1 replied; "but she cautioned me never
to speak of him to father" '~' .'''''
9Just so. was afraid it was that way,Di
said Aunt Abbey. "How folks can be
so inveterate, don't know. Well PEN
elOpe, here, Is your uncle's only child.
You see, her mother married again af-
ter his death. She was kind of forlorn
with this baby, and asked her to come
and stay the winter with me. Old Ma
jor Winder he tsok 2 great fancy to her
and-well, I suppos it was natural
enough"
'sNatural for some folks" said NAL
vina, with emphasis.
"Well, anyhow, the old man was veryf
good to her, and gave the child q good
education. But, you see, he never made
will. used to talk to him about it,
and he always said he meant to provide
for Penelope. But he was taken sud-
denly one day, and the daughter by the |
first marriage, wlso never could abide
Penelope nor her mother" ~ '' -.
"Nor anybody else, but herself,". in
terrupted Penelope. ~ never could |
understand how she could be Father
Winder's daughter"
s'She wasn't much like him, that's
certain; Tor a sweeter tempered old :
gentleman never lived" continued my
aunt. aAnyhow she took everything.
Pen had hard work to get even her own
mothers things. However, she did get
them at last, and then she came to us.
When her own father died, 1 did write
a letter to your father unknown to Pen
elope; but such letter as he sent me-.
I never dared let your mother see it, :
Pen, but I'll show it to ysu both now."
$50 she did. 1t was a bitter, hard
letter-and cruel and unforgiving. Ny :,
cheeks burned with anger and shame
whenI read it. Penelope did not say ,
word at first, but presently she bright
ened up. II
"Aunt Abbey" said she; s'if l could
see Uncle Nathan, 1 am sure I'd make
him like me in spite of HIMSELF '~"
81 believe you would" said l.. ;
'swell, don't know-your father is
dreadful set" said my aunt. '"Anyhow,
Abner, you owe everything to your IA
ther, and you ought not to 60 against
him. 80. .4 l- q i
"Aunt Abbey is right said Penelope
after little pause; cit won't do, Abb
ner. We must give it up for the pres
ent."
t'I was very unhappy at the idea, and
dare say said many foolish things"
'sThat you didv' interrupted my
mother. ..... s.
"Well, Penelope was firm; and when
we parted, she would not even promise
to write to me-. / was so downhearted
all my vacation that father thought l
was sick, and was for keeping me at
home; but opposed that plan with all
my might, as you may guess. / once
tried to introduce the subject of my
uncle with my father, but got such an
answer, that never attempted it again.
I was very unhappy, indeed; could
not bear to quarrel with my father,
though 1 thought him very much to
blame; but neither could 1 endure the I
thought of not marrying Penelope.
'Things were in this state when 1 re-
turned to college,. had heard from
Penelope once, through Malvina, who
told me, among other bits of news, that