Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-10-07
The Birterville Mystery.

"Wife, come here, quick and see if you
can tell what's the matter with Nancy Per
kins," exclaimed John Ponsby who had
been gazing curiously for several seconds
through a window that overlooked the front
yard of his next neighbor.
"Well, neyer!" calculated Mrs. Pons-
by, upon seeing the familiar figure of Miss
Nancy Perkins, a maiden of forty or there
abouts, standing upon her own doorst ep,
dressed in All old gray ulster, which was
partly concealed by faded woolen shawl,
and her well-known sum- bonnet dropping
like mask over her face. She was sway
ing around and bending forward and back
ward, as though conyulsed by some power
full emotion.
'ls she laughing or crying, or what in
mercy is the matter with her? I'd 90 right
over and see, but she's such queer, re-
served sort of body, like as not she'd
tell lue to mind my own business. She is
al ways more civil 10 you, John, won't you
gol"
Not |, indeed. just look there She
has certainly gone crazy, for see, she is
hitting her head against the front door.
Has Peter spoken to her since he came
homer"
Not that l know of but, john If he is
your brother, he hasn't spark of manhood
if he doesn't marry Miss Nancy yet"
but she is rather old now."
$50 is he-ten years the older"
''Well, they would have married twenty
years ago if 1t had not been for your sense
less chatter, and that of few others of
your kind, telling her he went twice week
to see Squire Nesbit's daughter, when he
was only posting the old gentleman's books
doing night work to increase his earn
ings"
"Now, John, don't go raking over the
past | am sorry enough, and told him
about it last night; but you know | didn't
find out the truth until he had gone to Cal
lfornia. Dear me! to think that's twenty
years ago and now he has come back well
off. But bless my soul John, now
know what's the matter with Nancy she's
doing that to attract Peters attention"
'-Oh, no! It's only little after six, and
| don't think he's up yet"
ON warrant he's up and watching her
from his window"
VCll3 III uOCSu SGCIll ~ IldG
would rig up in that kind of style and make
such fool of herself. think a girl, no
matter how old she is, will try to look re-
spectacle and act decently if she wants to
gain an honest mans heart"
But don't you see that she has the very
old shawl on she used to GO sleigh riding
with him?"
"Well, she is making a pretty show of
herself to others, as well, for see the crowd
of boys climbing on the fence, and yonder
goes a crowd of women, some of them still
in nightcaps."
''Yes, there's Mrs. Frishee, and Mrs.
Snyder and Sallie Yeomans, and Aunt
Betsy Bly,. I'll just run out and see what
they think of such antics. And the uneasy
but gOod-natured gossip was gone to join
crowd of her kindred spirits hurrying
toward Miss Nancy's gate.
In few minutes nearly the entire pOpu
latlon of the village had gathered around
the neatly-kept door yard where the odd
looking figure was swayng, and gently,
then vehemently, and again standing mo-
tionless, but never glanclng around, and
seemingly unconscious of the curious gaze
of the villagers.
Miss Nancy had lived long alone, taking
no interest in the gossip and tea drinking
of the neighborhood, devoting her leisure
time to birds and flowers, while she earned
her living by fancy knitting, sewing and
embroidery, which she did for a firm in
Boston.
Her we'll known habits of seclusion made
the fast swelling crowd at the gate dislike
to intrude furtherupon her while she seemed
convulsed with such paroxysms of grief, or
mirth which it was they could not tell.
Curiosity had reached degree that was
absolutely painful, when Tom Jones, the
bad boy of the village, rang out
''I'll bet nickel can go up and hug
the old girl, and she won't slap my face,
nuther"
Tom was a reckless, mischievous lad OF
sixteen, and he set astride the fence, hold
ing five cent piece between his soiled
thumb and forefnger, eagerly scanning the
faces of his companions, to see if any one
of them was willing to cover his stake.
II dare you to do il" said one, produc-
ing similar coin.
''Here, Bill Kerr, you hold them. It's
| I'LL We SOG vi u uldhC III luOICdu vi
cents said Tom, as he relinquished his
coin and vaulted over the fence.
Sure enough, the audacious young rascal
mounted the steps and placed one arm ten
derly around the swaying figure. To the
utter amazement Of the giggling crowd,
she did not repulse him, but stood motion
less, with his arm encircling her lank shoul-
der.
Now the old bachelor, Peter Ponsby had
! been watching the curious spectacle, as his