Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-08-06

'sAnd thankless thing it was to one
that took and did for you when that I'M
grateful critter. Sal, died. should tMnK
the victuals you'd had would hev riz up
and choked you, and that blue bead neck
less what Civ you would hev turned to a
hemp rope about your neck. Did l give
you bed, board and clothes to have such
reward as this All! you'd repent it
when I'm dead and gone, and buried in
the church yard. faint likely LII live
more n twenty years. Couldn't you wait
till then ?'
Pen, who was tender-hearted damsel,
| wept profusely at this, and, in the scanti-
est of night attire, went down upon her
knees, and, after asking pardon, vowed
then and there that not even the talented
Simon should induce her to leavegher ex-
cellent aunt as long as that lady continued
to breathe. and sobbed Penelope, bro
keBheartedly, clinging to Aunt Butterfly .
hand, II did not think of the maroon col
ored merino you took off of your own back
to give me Christmas, when said Yes
to Simmy, and my heart smote me-indeed
| it did. = ..sl,
The old lady somewhat Modified by this
confession, babe Penelope arise, and bound
her by solemn oath to remain in single
blessedness during the remainder OF her
aged aunt's existence, be it long or short
"And surely as you do" said Aunt But
tersby, when the oath had been uttered,
"surely as you do, I'll leaveyou something
handsome, and you can have Simmy when
ever you choose"
ssSemething handsome!'' Aunt Buffers
by uttered the words with a significance
which implied millions, and Penelope, who
had never hitherto believed in her aunt 8
fortune, was instantly converted into a
popular superstition.
What could something handsome"
mean but a large fortune. Under the pear
that night Penelope told Simon Starbuck
of this promise, who, being a genius. he
at first received with contempt and re-
marks about s'dross," but which he after
ward began to view in more hopeful
light, and received with the encouraging
IGuldlh GudU VllO ldOy AAlS oAAvO 4OA 3
after alba speech which caused Pene-
elope to shed tears and hope that her aunt
might live thousand years-an age which
would have caused poor Penelope to marry
rather late in life. In any case, the "ge-
nius'' was not prepared to go to housekeep-
ing even on the smallest scale; SO he made
a virtue of necessity, and while his poems
still teemed with his scorn of gold. he pri-
vately pondered on the probable meaning
| of something handsome"
! Meanwhile, there was new arrival in
Leekvile Mrs. Buttersby's brother, who
| in his youth had been no credit to his
family, and in his old age was no particu-
lar credit to himself, made his appearance
one fine evening with bundle tied in a
J blue cotton pocket-handkerchief over his
shoulder, and declared his intention of re-
naming to end his days with his dear sis
ter. Mrs. Buttersby received him coolly
/ and intimated that he had better return to
his former residence; but Silas Brown
literally would not go, so there was moth
ing for it but to make up an unused bed in
very damp room and keep him.
Certainly there must have been some
strong inducement to tempt Silas to share
the poor fare and sour looks of Mrs. But
| tersby, and although he was ten years old
er than his sister, every one declared that
he had an eye to the gold supposed to be
buried under the pear tree and up the
chimney, and which, in case of the old
lady's sudden decease would fall to him as
next of kin; and everybody is
everybody in Leekville- that the
thing was shameful. and that if any one
had right to whatever her aunt left it
was Miss Penelope.
Everyone had said this about six months
when Aunt Battersby was taken suddenly
ill. She refused medical assistance on the
score of expense, until she grew so bad
that DR.. Jalap could aid her by neither
pill nor potion. and on one winters DAY
lay dying on the hardest Of straw holsters
She knew her end was near, and spoke
of it freely. chiefly triumphant on tht
score of not having incurred a useless
DOCTORS bill.
4 Brother Silas listened fearfully for thu
mention of will, but none. was made
and on the score of property nothing wa
said until sunset. Poor Penelope, thu
doctor, the minister, Silas and Simon
Starbuck were assembled about her couch
Then, suddenly, Aunt Buttersby sat Dol
upright in bed, lifted her skinny fingel
and said:
II call you all to witness"
'sShes wandering. poor thing,'' sale
Silas, in tremor.
ssNo, she's not" said Simon Starbuck
81 call you to witness what I say,'' re
iterated Mrs. Buttersby; Penelope Bax
ter has been good gal. and dutiful to me
Pm going to reward her,
/ Silas groaned and Penelope began tt
weep.
81 told her." said Mrs. Buttersby, ''tha
I'd leave her something handsome, and l i
keep that promise. Remember they're m.
dying words. I give to Penelope the biz
china jar that stands on the mantlepiec'
yonder. A china trader gave it to poo
Buttersby years ago; it's worth a grea
deal, and it's pretty"
Starbuck smothered an oath. Sila
looked less terrified.
"But,' pursued Mrs. Buttersby, "Pene
lope must promise never to sell it. If tn
time comes when she must part with it
she must break it. No stranger can hav
that jar. Promise, Pen, promised"
!, And Penelope sobbed that she never