The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-09-30

Kind OF adopted child OF ours She's al
orphan aud when her step.lathcr dice
she hadn't any home, and her mother wa
great friend Of ma's--so she naturally
came to u.s. We would like to keep he
with us all the time, but she has very in
dependent feelings, Pen has, and likes t.
support herself She's a splendid hant
at all kinds Of weaving, and folks scnc
for her lar and near But she makes hel
home with us,and as she is to come home
Saturday, we'll hitch up old bay, and &C
after her.
i was pretty well disposed to like Pen
elope beforehand and when young Doc
tor Amber, who was the beau Of the
place, asked Malvina when Miss Winder
was expected, | felt that he had taken an
unwarrantablc liberty. When [ saw Pen.
clope, understood the reason | felt at
once that we were made for each other
and have never changed my mind. In
a weeks time we were as well acquainted
as if We bad known each other for years
and in three weeks we were engaged
1T was very inprudent in me.' said
my motber-u.aw, demurely; 4 don't
know how came to do So
Nor [ l never could guess Well,
Aunt Abbey and Malvina both looked
troubled when we told them of it.
I'm afraid it won't do, children said
my aunt.-'I am, indeed. Perhaps |
ought to have Iorscen and prevented it
You have heard Of your uncle Abncr?'
Mother mentioned him to me, once |
replied; but she cautioned me never to
speak Of him to father.
Just 50. l was afraid it was that
way SAID Aunt Abbey. How folks can
he 60 inveteraie, | dou't know. Well,
Penelope, here, is your uucle's only child
You sec, her mother married again after
his death. She was left kind OF forlorn
with this baby, and | asked her to come
and stay the winter with me. Old Ma.
jor Winder he took great fancy to her,
and-well, | suppose it was natural
enough
Natural for some folks SAID Malvina,
with emphasis.
Well anyhow, the old man was very
good to her, and gave the child good
education. But you see, he never made
a will. | used too talk to him abont it,
and he said he meant to provide for Pen.
eiope. But he was taken suddenly one
day, and the daughter by the first mar.
rlage, who never could abide Penelope
nor her mother
Nor anybody else, but herself inter.
rupted Penelope. i pever could under.
stand how she could be Father Winder's
daughter
She wasn't much like him, that's Ger.
tain Tor a sweetcr tempered old gentle.
man never lived continued my aunt.
: Anyhow 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, | did write letter
to your father unknown to Penelope but
such a letter as he sent me, | never
dared let your mother see t,Pep, but III
show it to you both now.
So she did. 1t was bitter, hard let.
ter-and cruel and uniorgiving. My
cheeks burned with anger and shame when
read it. Penelope did not say word
at first, but presently she frightened up.
Aunt Abbey said she :; III could see
Uncle Nathan, | am sure I'd make him
like me in spite Of himself
Il believe you would said |
well, | don't know-your father is
dreadful SET said my aunt. 'AnyL W,
Abner, you owe everything to your faith.
er, and you ought not to 20 against him
Aunt Abbey is right said Penelope
after little pause; it won't do, Abuer.
We must give it up for the preseat,'
4 was very unhappy at the idea, and
dare say said many foolish things
That you dd!' interrupted my mother.
We'll, Penelope was firm; and when
we parted. she would not even promise to
write to me. | was so downheartcd all
my vacation that father thought | was
sick. and was for keeping me at home
but opposed that plan with all my
might, as yon may guess. | once tried
to Introduce the subject Of my uncle with
my father, but got such an answer that |
never attempted it again was very
unhappy, indeed; | could not bear to
quarrel with my father, though | thought
bun very much to blame /; but neither
could endure the thought Of not marry.
ing Penelope.
Thing, were in this state when | re.
turned to college. | had heard from Pen.
olopc once, through Malvina, who told
me among other bit of news, that the Ly.
man family from Paulet were going to
move to Rochester, and that she meant to
send parcel TO mother by them.
Toward spring | received letter from
my mother asking me to come home for
little while. She said father had spran.
ed his ankle so that he could not get
about, aud that he wanted to see me She
added that she did not know what she
should have done only for Mary Windcr,
a young lady who had been visiting her,
aud had stayed to help.
Mary Wipder y | said to myself, and
then my heart gave great jump. for |
that Penelope's middle name
was Mary. It seemed very unlikely that
Penelope should be staying with my moth.
er, and yet should find her there. So
did.
Il found my father looking older and
more feeble than | had ever seen him.
His ankle was better. so that he could 20
about the house, and he sometimes got as
far as the barn but he had been obliged
to leave a great deal to James White, his
hired man, and things soon showed the
difference. had not been in the house
half an hour before | heard the praises of
Mary Wnder sounded by both father
and mother.
She says she saw good deal Of you
at Aunt Abbey's = said my mother.
'Oh, yea = | answered sshe STAYED