The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1880-07-14

Il
live a thousand years-an age which
would have caused poor Penelope to
marry rather late in life. In any
case, the genius was not prepared
to go 10 housekeeping even on the
smallest scale; so he made a virtue
of necessity, and while his poems
still teemed with his seorn Of gold,
he privately pondered on the proba.
BILE meaning of Something hand
some.p
Meanwhile there was q new arri-
val in Leekville. Mrs. Buttersby's
brother, who in his youth had been
no credit to his family, and in his
old age was no particular credit 10
himself, made his appearance one fine
evening with a bundle tied in blue
cotton pocket handkerchief over his
shoulder, and declared his intention
of remaining to end his days with
his dear sister. Mrs Buttersby re-
ceived him coolly, and intimated that
he had best return to his former resi-
dence; but silas Brown literally
would not go, so there was nothing
for it but to make up an unused bed
in a 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. Buttersby, and al
though he was ten years older than
his sister. every one declared that he
had an eye to the gold supposed to
be buried under the pear tree andu
the chimney, and which, in case of
the old lady's sudden decease, would
fall to him as next Of kin; and every
body tiseverybody in Leekvillc,
said that the thing was shameful.
and that if fany one had a right to
whatever her aunt left it was Miss
Penelope.
Every one had said this about six
months when Aunt Buttersby was
taken suddenly i'll. She refused med.
ical assistance on the score of ex-
pense, 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 the score of not having incurred a
useless doctors bill.
Brother Silas listened fearfully for
the mention Of a 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 as
sembled about her couch. Then, sud-
denly, Aunt Buttersby sat bolt up
right in bed, lifted her skinny finger
and said:
II call you all to witness"
"she's wandering, poor thing"
said silas, in a tremor.
"No, she's not" said Simon Star
buck.
II call you.to witness what / say,n
reiterated Mrs. Buttersby; penelope
Baxter has been good gal, and du-
tiful to me. I'm going to reward
her"
silas groaned and Penelope began
to weep.
II told her." said Mrs. Buttersby,
"that I'd leave her something hand
some, and I'll keep that PROMISE
Remember they're my dying words.
| give to Penelope the big china jar
that stands on the mantlepiece yon.
der. A china trader gave it to poor
Buttersby years ago; it's worth a
great deal, and it's pretty"
Starbuck smothered an oath. ST.
las 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, promise.
And Penelope sobbod that she nev.
er, never would part with her dear
aunt's last present.
Mrs. Buttorsby never spoke after
this, and three days after was laid at
rest in the old churchyard, and her
brother, silas Brown, took possession