Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-10-18
MRS. PENN'S PRESENT.
BY ROSE TERRY COOKE.

BY ROSE TERRY COOKE.
4 have TOLD you before, Harry, that
| won't marry literary woman, al
any price. [ hate'em! They are
insufferable, egotistic, romantic, silly,
or strong-minded.-a altogether detest-
able. So, don't introduce me to your
cousin, as you call her. And, for
heavens sake, don't let your con-
founded trick of trying to make
matches come between us again
Hal. Weaver laughed as hard as a
man could who, under all his amuse-
ment, fe't taste of bitterness for he
had once meddled with Jonathan
PENIS life, in an unothorized way,
deliberately and with malice prepense
leading him into the net of female
spider and leaving him TO escape as
he could. Jonathan fioundered out
of the silken snares in time to escape
with life; but he never quite forgave
Henry Weaver, though the poor man
was not to blame. He had a wife,
and his wife was Miss Van Aliens
cousin. Hence these tears.
But kind-hearted, laundering Hal
had never forgiven himself And
now that Jack Penn had been four
years abroad and came back a bach
elor, it seemed to Mr.. Weaver he
ought to atone for his past sin. And,
having found out lately a step cousin
OF his mother's-a lady who quite
TUNED his own head by the charming
contrast she presented to Mrs. Wea~
ver-he resolved to introduce Jack
Penn to her at once; and like an ami
able idiot, invited him to dine, frankly
declaring his good intentions in his
behalf, and adding: you can't help
liking her. She's awfully smart Sup
ports herself entirely by writing.
Goodness! What stories she does
turn OUT Makes you laugh and cry
in the same breath" And the result
of all this eulogy was the curt and in
cisive remarks which we have already
heard, and deferring of the dinner
party sine die. --
But Jack Weaver was soon to be
absorbed in a manner that had no
more to do with marriage than
heaven, though that was its only
heav emily trait
His property, much mismanaged in
the years he had been moving about
over Europe, began to disappear, after
the winged manner of riches, and al
most slipped from him entirely. A lit
tie was left-enough to avert starva-
ton; but he must needs work. And
here Hal Weaver came to the rescue,
eager to do something for the friend
to whom he owed good turn. He
got Jack place in a wholesale store,
where salary of 81, 900 a year was
to be had for hard work and the
work was quite as wholesome for him
as the wages. His eye frightened,
his steps grew firm and alert, his Lam
guild face woke up to interest in life
and humanity, his naturally acute
mind felt the benefit of exercise and
reused to the keen pleasure of labor
we'll done. Moreover, he fell in love-
Not at all as he should have done, for
he hardly ever went to Mr.. Viewers
now; and when he did, if there were
any symptoms accompany to be heard
through the parlor door, this deliber-
ate misogynist would take up his hat
again and flee. But it was his habit
to walk every Sunday afternoon in
Central Park, through the pleasant
days of the year; for his business affrod-
ed only one brief vacation in August
He noticed, after the first few Sun.
days, that he generally met a particu-
lar group in the rambe-an old lady,
in a widows dress, with a tall, slight
young woman, evidently her daugh-
ter, for the dove-like, dark eyes of the
mother were repeated in the young
lady's face, though with more sadness
and pride in them than dwelt in the
serene gaze of her parent There was
something mighty attractive to Jona-
than Penn about this lonely pair. He
liked old ladies, if they were what
old ladies should be, as every gentle-
man does; and this was evidently a
good specimen. Daintily neat in her
somewhat old-tashioned dress, the
gentle curls of snow-white hair, the
low, trembling voice, which he could
hear as they passed and repassed the
bench where he habitualIy sat, all in
terested him. And even more agree
able was the intelligent face of the
daughter-not very beautiful except
for the rounded contours of youth
and health, the abundant red brown
hair, the sad and splendid eyes, and
the wonderfully vivid expression of a
face that lacked only bloom. Jack
Penn watched these two with respect
and deepening attention for at least
three months; yet could not devise a
way to make their acquaintance,
much as he wished it. But 'sto HIM
that waits all things arrive and one
Sunday early in September, as the
pair came up the path toward him, he
noticed that the old lady stepped
more ieebly and hung more heavily
than ever on her daughters arm.
They had scarcely passed him before
she sunk to the ground, slipping from
her support as silently and helplessly
as dead leaf slips from the bough.
Mr.. Penn sprang forward to help her
and, lifting that light, wasted shape
in his arms. laid her on the bench
close by. The daughters face was
white. even to the delicate lips; but
she did not lose self-possession. She
applied salts to her mothers nostrils
and rubbed her cold hands, and when
a faint sigh began to speak of return
ing life she asked Mr. Penn to fetch q
carriage. This he did, with no delay;
and, lifting the old lady in bis arms,
placed her beside her daughter, took
the. direction, and, mounting beside
the driver, was at hand to help when
the carriage reached its destination.
From that time Mr.. Penn was
counted one of Miss Chester's friends.
She lived in a tenement house, on a
fat. alone with her mother. They