The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1880-06-12

and up the chimney, and which, in case
OF the old lady's sudden decease would
fall to him as next OF kin: AMI everybody
that IS, everybody in Leellyille- said
that the thing was shameful, and that if
any one had right to whatever her aunt
left 1t was Miss Penelope.
Every one had said this about six
months when Aunt Buttersby was taken
suddenly i'll. She refused medical as
slStance on the score of expense, until she
grew so bad that DR.. Jalap could aid her
by neither pill nor potion, and on one
winter S day lay dying on the hardest Of
straw holsters.
She knew her end was near, and spoke
of 1t freely, chiefly triumphant on the
score of not having incurred a useless
doctors bill.
Brother Silas listened fearfully for the
mention of Will, but none was made.
and on the score Of property nothing was
. said until sunset. Poor Penelope, the
doctor, the minister, Silas and Simon
/ Starbuck were assembled about her
couch. Then, suddenly, Aunt Buttersby
i sat bolt upright IN bed, lifted her skinny
/ finger and said:
- / call you all to witness
Shes wandering, poor thing, sad
/ Sllas, III tremOr.
No, she's not, said Simon Starbuck.
. call you to witness what | say, :"
reiterated Mrs. Buttersby; "Penelope
Baxter has been good girl, ana dutiful
to ne. I'm gong to reward her
Sllas groaned and Penelope began to
weep.
81 told her." said Mrs Buttersby,
THAT Id leave her something hand
some, and III keep that promise. Re
member they're my dying words. |
give TO Penelope the big China jar that
stands on the mantle-piecc yonder. \
china trader gave it to poor Buttersby
years ago; it's worth a great deal, and ii 5
pretty"
Starbuck smothered an oath. Silas
looked less terrified.
But, pursued Mrs. Buttersby,
penelope must promise never to sell it.
! If the time comes when she must part
with it, she must break it. No stranger
can have that jar. Promise, Pen, prom
Use. F."
And Penelope promised that She never,
never would part with her dear aunt's
last present.
Mrs Buttersby never spoke after this.
and three days after was laid at rest in
the old churchvard, and her brother.
Silas Brown, took possession Of the house
in which she dweIt, and another in the
village and, finding no gold under the
pear tree or up the chimney, sold the
village house ana rented half Of the
other, and lived temperately on his IN
come.
Poor Penelope took the china Jar away
III her arms with reverential care, and
ing married to Simon began to keep
uouse with little other furniture besides
n pine table, two chairs, a stove and a
tta-ket. L. But the Jar graced her man
telpIcce and was her pride and glory.
1t was tail and slender, with narrow
neck, and a device representing a Chi
nese lady OF rank walking in Il blue gar
don among pink butterflies Every dav
it was busted religiOusly, and turned
best side foremost, and prOfane hands
never touched it, Mild Penelope felt
that her aunt had crowned the benevo-
lence Of her life by this gift, and only
thought herself silly for having believed
in the hidden treasure But Simon was
Of different mold. As time passed on
lie waxed more and more wrathful ut
fate. The world did not appreciate his
genius His father died and he was left
to his own resources. He left Lee5lyiIIe
at last, and going to New York, resolved
to become a star and astonish the dra-
matte million. Fate was still against
him; and as a last resource he settled
down as Il very subordinate actor in an
exceedingly minor theatre, and came on
III peasant costume to say "welcOmc
home, my lord, " TO the newly returned
heir; or as a smugglcr, who announced
that the g captain was waiting, or
sometimes as a speechless king at ban
quet.
Penelope made nets and nursed her
children. In few years the house was
full Of them. When we say the house,
we mean the habitation, which, correctly
speaking. might have been mentioned Us
rooms. They trottod and crept about.
fell down stairs and out of windows, and
overset kettles Of boiling water, and
through all escaped alive, with their full
complement of limbs. The disappointed
actor WAS not as greatly reioiced as q
patriarch would have been by the mum
Der of his olive branches Probably
sandals and goat skins were more easily
come at than morocco shoes and calico
frocks ar nowadays. And finally, in
despair, s5tarbuck took to drink, and
crowned Peuelope's misery Then began
the regular pawning of the china jar.
Once a week, at least, food ran short,
and there was no money in any pocket;
and on that day, 1T dusk, Simon would
repair to his "uncle's with the legacy
in newspaper, and bring home sundry
shillinGs to purchase supper, Poor
Penelope always managed to get her
treasure back before it was time 10 pawn
it again, and on the whole, the china jar
cost them more than It's original value
over and over again.
1t was a miserable sort of home
Simon seemed to grow more morosc
every day: the children walled ami
fought; Penelope worked her fingers to
the bone; and rarely had any time t.
wash her face or brush her hair; and the
bugbaar Of the household, the black man
up the chimney, was the agent who col
Iected the monthly rent. They were
always behind hand and always ON the
verge OF being turned out into the street,
and Just saved themselves this unploas-
ant circumstance over and over again.
Penelope declared that it would happen
some day, and Simon said Let it; bet
ter know the worst
Perhaps it was for the purpose OF ac-
quiring this knowledge that, coming
home in an oblivious state from the