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

She was a widow, much older than my
mother, and lived in the little red house
with her daughter Malvina, a eheerful
sensible old maid, with learning enough
for a college professor. or course we
had everything to talk about n made
new acquaintance with a host of new
cousins, both Hoyts and Marvins. | OBJ,
served that almost everybody that called
asked about Penelope; and the answer
always was that Penelope was over at Dea-
con Bakers weaving.
"'Who is Penelope!' / asked at last of
my Cousin Malvina.
"'Oh, Penelope Winder!-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
a friend of ma's-sO she naturally came
to us. We would like to keep her with
us all the time, but she has very independ-
ent feelings, Pen has, and likes to support
herself. She's a splendid hand at all kinds
of weaving, and folks send for her from
far and near. But she makes her home
with us, and as she is to come home
Saturday, we will hitch up the old bay,
and go after her.
Il was pretty well disposed to like
Penelope beforehand; and when young
DR.. Amber, who was the beau Ofthe place,
asked Malvina when Miss Wilder was
expected, | felt that he had taken unwar-
rantable liberty. When 1 saw Penelope
| understood the reason. | felt at once
that we were made for each other; and l
have never changed my mind. In 3
weeks time we were as well acquainted
as if we had known each other for years,
and in three weeks we were engaged.
cit was very imprudent in me- said
my mother-in-law, demurely; I 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.
81 am afraid it won't do, children
said my aunt am, indeed. Perhaps |
ought 10 nave foreseen and prevented.
You nave heard of our uncle Abner"
"' Mother mentioned him to me once
l replied, but she cautioned me never to
speak of him to father
"tJust so, | was afraid it was that way
said Aunt Abbey. How folks can be so
inveteratc | don't know. Well, Penelope,
here is your uncle's only child. You see,
her mother married again after his death.
She was left kind of forlorn with this
baby, and | asked her to come and spend
the winter with me. Old Major Winder
took a great fancy to her, and-well sup
pose it was natural enough
"sNatural for some folks said Malvina
with emphasis.
"'Well, anyhow, the old man was very
good to her, and gave the child a good edu-
cation. But you see he never made a
will. | used to talk to him about it, and
he said he meant to provide for Penelope.
But he was taken away suddenly one day,
and the daughter by the first marriage,
who never could abide Penelope or her
mother
"'Nor anybody else, but herself inter
rupted Penelope. L never could under
| stand how she could be Father Winder's
daughter
"'She wasn't much like him, that's GER
tain; for a sweeter-tempered old gentle
man never lived continued my aunt.
Anyhow she took everything; Pen had
hard work to get even her mothers things.
However, she did get them, at last, and
then she came to us. When her own father
died | did write a letter to your father I'M
known to Penelope; but such a letter as
he sent to me. | never dared let your
mother see it, Pen, but I'll show it to you
both now.
$50 she did. 1t was a hard letter-and
cruel and unforgiving. My cheeks burned
" III iHAC dllu llC.lll Il l. "a L
Penelope did not say a word at first, but
presently she frightened up.
"'Aunt Abbey said she, if | could see
Uncle Nathan, | am sure I'd make him
like me in spite Of himself
81 believe YOU would said |.
"'Well, | don't knOw-your father is
dreadful set said my aunt. Anyhow,
Abner, you owe everything to your father,
and you ought not to 90 against him.
"'Aunt Abbey is right said Penelope,
after a little pause; it won't do, Abner.
We must give it up for the present.
Il was very unhappy at the idea, and l
daresay said many foolish things"
That you did," interrupted my mother.
"Well, Penelope was firm; and when
we parted she would not even promise to
write to me. | was so dO~wn-hearted all
my vacation that father thought | was
sick, and was for keeping me at home,
but / opposed the plan with all my
might, as you nay guess. | once tried to
introduce the subject of my uncle to my
father, but got such a answer that [ never
attempted it again. | was very unhappy,
indeed; | could not bear to quarrel with
my father, though | thought him very
much to blame, but neither could | en-
dure the thought of not marrying Pene-
lone.
''Things were in this state when | re-
turned to college. | had heard from
Penelope once, through Malvina, who
told me among other bits of news, that
the Lyman family from Paulet were go
ing to owe to Rochester, and that she
meant to send a parcel to mother by them.
"Toward spring | received a letter from
my mother asking me to come home for a
little. She said father had sprained his
ankle so he could not get about, and that
he wanted to see me. She added that she
did not know what she should have done
only for Mary Winder, a young lady who
had been visiting her, and had stayed to
help.
Il found my father looking older and
more feeble than | had ever seen him.
His ankle was better, SO that he could go
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, hi.
hired man, and things soon showed the
difference. | had not been in the house
a half an hour before | heard the praises
of Mary Winder sounded by both father
and mother.
"'She says she saw a good deal of you
at Aunt Abbey's,' said my mother.
"'Oh, yes | answered she stayed
there most of the time. Aunt Abbey
thinks the world of her. Where is she.
"'She is over at Widow Browns, sitting
r-,&i W