Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-11-14
PENELOPE'S WEB.


MY father and mother-in-law were sit
ting, one on each side of the open fire
My father was reading-my mother was
knitting mitten. She usually was knit
ting either a mitten, or a little red stock
ing, or baby's shoe, or wristlet, or 9
shawl. Her eyes were not good by gas
light; and as she was a manager of the
Old Ladies' Home, visitor at the Orphan
Asylum, and friend and protector to for
lorn children in general, she was never al
loss where to bestow her knitted goods
Not 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 quiet sound to which the ear
had grown used, l looked up. My mother
had laid down her work, and was engaged
in tying knots at different intervals in a
length of doubled worsted. My father
had dropped his paper, and was regard.
ing her with an amused smile, in which
there was world of tenderness and gen.
tleness.
What are you, trying to do, mother,
dear !" said |, at last
II am trying to see whether l can re-
member how used to make harnesses" !"
answered the dear old lady, with smile
upon horsesl" she explained, seeing my
puzzled look; but that which belongs to
loom"
81 never saw loom," said 1.
"Ah, then can hardly make you un-
derstand. The harness is very essential
part of an old-fashioned LOOM"
"Did you know how to weaver" l
asked.
"That she did, as well as Penelope her
namesake!" said my father, answering for
her. 81 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 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 pause, "that owe my wife
to 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 so
many bad accidents that l could not help
being anxious about him.
Ek"Yes, do, fatherl" said my mother.
swell, you must know, then" the old
gentleman began, "that was an only
child, and naturally my parents thought a
deal of me. They moved from Vermont
into Genesee County at a very early day
indeed, my father was one of the first set
tiers at Broomfield. Some day we will
go back there, and see the old place. 1t
was mild enough when we went there /;
but in time the wilderness was subdued,
and blossomed like the rose. My father
farmed two hundred acres, and owned a
sugar-bush and potashery. Potash used
to be called Genesee money in those days,
because the merchants made their remit
tances to New York and Montreal in that
coin. Well, always had turn for books
and study, and l was not more than twelve
years old when my father promised me,
that if | would stay and help him until l
was eighteen, he would send me to col
lege: 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
tiers, doing my Latin and Greek with the
minister, and helping ON the farm in sum-
mer, till was eighteen. My birthday
came in June, and my mother began di-
rectly to make my new shirts.
"'Mother,' said, one day; why did
my father select Dartmouth for me?'
"'Your father and his brother both
went there, and his folks lived in that
neighborhood,' answered my mother.
"l never knew my father had broth
erp said l, surprised.
"My mother started, and looked trou.
bled. Then she said, impressively 'Ab-
ner, you must never mention the matter
to your father. He has never spoken his
brothers name since we moved out here,
and he will not allow me to do so. You
were named for your uncle, but then it
was your grandfather's name as WELL
"'But how did it happens? / asked.
What was the cause of the quarrel for l
suppose there was a quarrelP
"A girl of COursep said my mother,
with tone of bitterness very unusual
with her. Your father thought there was
only one woman in the world, and that
was Penelope Morrill,; and she thought
there was only one man in the world, and
that was Abner Hoyt. / don't know how
much she was to blame. My sister Abbey
always took her part, and said Penelope
was over-persuaded by her folks TO say she
would have Nathan. Anyhow she broke
off her engagement to your father and
married Abner. Then your father married
me, and we moved out here. That is all
/ know
"'Did Uncle AbneI have any family?'
l asked after short pause.
"I believe he had. They moved away
from the place, and both he and his wife
died young. Abbey always kept up her
friendship with Penelope; but asked her
never to say anything about them in her
letters. When you are in Vermont, Alb
ner, you must 60 and see Aunt Abbey
"Paulet is very queer little place,
with more ups and downs, and wooded
mountain sides, and running brooks than
/ ever saw before. Aunt Abbey lived in a
tinyred house, just whore the little Paulet
river runs across the road, and turns,
almost at a right angle to its former
course. Just in front of high rocky
ledge, at the base of which the river flows
for some distance, and then directly under
a high.arched bridge, pours down some
thirty feet in pretty little fall
Aunt Abbey gave me warm welcome.
She was a widow, much older than my
mother, and lived in the little red house
with her daughter Malvina, a cheerful,
sensible old maid, with learning enough
for college professor. OF course we
had everything to talk about and made
new acquaintance with 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