The Van Buren press., 1873-09-30

very much to blame; but neither could
endure the thought OF not marrying Fen
cl0pe.
"Things were in this state when re
turned to college had heard from
Penelope once, through Malvina, whe
told me, among other bits of news, that
the Lyman family from Paulos were go.
inc to move to Rochester, and that she
meant to send a parcel to mother by
them.
"Toward spring | received letter
from my mother asking me to come home
for little. She said father had sprained
his ankle so that he could not get about,
and that he wanted to see me. She ad.
ded that she did not know what she
should have done only for Mary Winder,
a young lady whe had been visiting her,
aud had stayed to help.
"'Mary Winderv I said to myself, and
then my heart gave a great jump, for
remembered that Penelopes middle name
was Mary. 1t seemed very unlikely that
Penelope should be staving with mother,
and yet felt sure that should find her
there. So did.
II 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 oblig-
ed to leave a great deal'to James White,
his hired man, and things soon showed
the difference | had not heen in the
house half an hour before ! heard the
praises of Mary Winder sounded by both
father and mother.
she says she saw good deal ofyou
at Aunt Abbcy'sr said my mother.
"'Oh, yes" l answered; 'she stayed
there most of the time. Aunt Abbey
thinks the world Of her. Where is she 2
She is over at Widow Browns sit
ting With Emma, answered mother.
You know the poor child has been in
decline this long tima Somehow she
h taken to Mary and feels as il she
must have her every day,
"Suppose you 20 over and bring her
home, Abnern said my father; 1T will
be quite dark, and the road is rather
/ lonesome
l.
with a curious questioning expression as
he spoke, and dim wonder crossed my
mind as to whether he suspected any
thing but dismissed it at once, remem-
bering the letter Aunt Abbey had show
ed me. 1T can't be' i thought; : he
would not have her on the place an hour.
"'IIow did Miss Winder come here 2
! asked, MS mother followed ine out to
the door.
"'Oh. she came up to Rochester with
family from Vermont, and then came
over here to bring me parcel from Alb
bey. So, of course, asked her to stay
and make a visit had n piece in tho
loom which Jane Pratt had just drawn in
when she was taken sick, and nothing
would do but Mary must finish it. She
does beat ali for weaving that ever saw
Then your father sprained his ankle, and
| wasn't very well, so she stayed on and
don't know what shall do when she
goes away. wish we could keep her al
ways
"Fathcr seems to like her, too y said
|, my heart echoing the wish.
"'He does. never saw him take so
to any one He said yesterday that if
we ever had q daughter in law he hoped
she would be just like Mary.
"Wel, | went after Penelope and
brought her home, and many pleasant
walk we had afterward, along that same
lonesome eros, road. 1t was rather hard
work for me to call her Mary
"Yss, you used TO scare mo half to
death, saying Pear interrupted my
mother Il had to tell father it was a
nickname Aunt Abbey gave me. Oh
dear! I'm afraid VIC said and did q good
many things that wouldn't bear examin'
alton. / have always felt ashamed of the
whole performance.
=" Marrying me included, ! suppose.
Well, matters went on so for some weeks.
took hold OF the farm. work, and soon
got things into shape again. Invent down
to Commencement and graduated, aad
then came back to take hold of the har-
vcsting l had quite made up my mind
by that time to be a farmer.
"When tho heft OF the harvest work
and cheese making was over, Penelope
proposed to my mother that she should
draw in piece of fno linen, for which
the yarn was ready. When she came to
examine the loom, she found the harness
in need OF repair, and as making harness
is best done by two pair Of hands, she
asked me to help her
81 don't know what the harness is,
said J.
Well, it is the system of strings in a
loom. nv which tho threads of the warp
are alternately raised and depressed SO as
TO allow the passage Of the shuttle These
strings are knotted in a peculiar and
somewhat intricate manner. We were
engaged in this process when my father
passed through the room.
"'That's right, Mary! said ho. 'llar-
ness him up tight"
".Sho has done that already said !,
speaking without thought.
Mary looked scared.
$50 much the bctter3 said my father.
Il hope you will both go as well In
double as you do in single harness. SO
saving, he went into the next room and
shut the door
al wonder whether my father suspects
anything? said |. Mary looked very
grave, and had to repeat the question
before she answered.
"I don't know whether he does or
not; but one thing know, Abner: l
shall not 20 on in this way any longer.