Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-06-09
always behind hand. and always ON the

verge OF D01nR Uufn0u OUT lnIO the street,
and just saved themselves this unpleas-
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-
curing this knowledge that, coming
home in an Obvious state from the
theatre one night, he walked into an
open cellar door and broke his leg. That
months rent went to the apothecary,
and the avenging agent made his APP
pearance shortly after, uttering dire
threats, Penelope promised payment
next week. Next week came, so did
the agent; but the money was
not forthcoming 1t was q desper-
ate case. The agent saw it
GIVE borne this long enough" he
said. "Out of this you go into the
street, and if you had anything worth
sixpence I'd seize it. Hoiloa!" for here
his eye fell upon the china jar, chow
did you come by that? It's curiosity
You've no business with luxuries if you
can't pay your rent; that's mine!" And
| he strobe across the room, seized the
long-treasured jar, stuck it under his
arm, and was marching off with it, but
Penelope caught him by the arm.
"Don't take that!" she cried. "It's
all I have to remember my poor dead and
gone aunt by. She gave it to me on her
death-bed."
"Your aunt be-blessedT' said the
agent.
"Amen!" said Simon, from his couch.
The agent still clutched the china jar.
Penelope tried another course.
"You shan't have itr' she cried.
"You have no right to it! 1t is not ST.
mons, but mine. Give it back to mep'
"Whatever is yours is your hus-
band's!'' said the agent. "Hold your
tonguew
Penelope became meek-unnaturall
SO, indeed. She made a courtesy.
You're right, sir, I suppose" she said;
stake the jar, only 1 don't want the
neighbors to know it. Please let me
wrap it up i'll piece of paper"
'Well, make haste" said the unsus-
picious agent, surrendering the vase with
the grace of bear; &C can't wait all
day, man,"
Penelope took her ar1nt's legacy in her
hand. She regarded it earnestly, regret
fully, and said aloud:
'Good bye, you dear old thing. Years
and years you've been my pride. faint
to be counted the times I've set you on
the mantel-shelf. There never was such
china on cal Jh. You're like livin' crit
ter that [ am going to commit murder
on. All, agent, do you know what [
promised my poor aunt p
The agent was not interested.
&C told her that I'd never sell this
vase; and if I was obliged to part with
it I'd
Here Penelope paused to kiss the por-
celain!
L" L told her I'd smash it first, and I'm
going to do it now p
And before the agent could interfere,
down came the vase, crashing on the
earth in twenty pieces.
i" Hurrah for Pen" cried Simon from
his bed. ''That would have brought
down the house in play. Hurrah p
But the agent swore and stamped, and
Penelope was hiding her face in her
apron and sobbed like a child. And
matters seemed likely to take an uu-
pleasant turn, when one of the youngsters
cried: "Mammy, there's paper in the
vase!" And from the glittering heap of
china drew crumpled piece of parch-
ment rolled and pressed fat, and secured
with tape It had been wedged into a
hollow in the bottom of the long-necked
vase, and was fastened there by some
adhesive substance, for piece of china
chung to it as it was lifted up.
"Penelope's heart beat wildly. She
caught the parchment, unfolded it, read
a few lines, and FASTENED to Simon 8
bedside.
81 guess I am crazy" she said; "but
it's my aunts will if I'm not"
And there, upon the yellow sheet,
Simon read these words:
"My last will and testament, which
will be discovered by Penelope Baxter if
she obeys me; for as Simon Starbuck' s
wife, the time will surely come when
she must part with OF break it. By that
time both may know the need of money"
"Money!" Simon turned the page
gleefully, and then read off certain
astonishing sums-not hid under the old
pear tree, but wisely put out at interest
to which Penelope Baxter was to be
the heir. Sums which would make them
Independent Of landlords, butchers and
grocers for the future. And he read
this to Penelope, and she wept.
Dear, good aunt!'' she sobbed.
"She always promised to leave me some
thing handsome, but how could guess
it was the vase ?"
And SO Mrs. Buttersby's hidden treas
ure was found, and Penelope received
her reward at last; and Simon, who was
not bad at heart, now that he was no
longer wretched, foreswore strong waters,
and when last heard of there were no
more fourishing or happy people than
Simon Starbuck and his family. And he
has written and published his poems be-
tween gilt covers, and believes that the
world will appreciate him last.
A Chapter of History.
During the war of 1872 certain colored
seamen, who were also slaves, were