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

Nobody knew just how rich Mrs But
tersby was. Some said she Was q mil
honaire; some limited the sum to sixty
or seventy thousand; some said she pos
sessed only an amount which died with
+ her; and some that she was richer than
John Jacob Aston, and had bags Of gold
up her chimney and behind secret pan
nels, and amongst the roots OF the old
/ pear tree at the foot of the garden. The
| pear tree being such very likely place
for hidden treasure, as it was utterly I'M
! protected, and only fenced In from the
public road, over which any trampmight
Chamber, as many did, at any hour OF the
night. However this might be, all agreed
that Mrs. Buttersby wns lnI7er; ana
certainly, for woman Of any means, she
was remarkably penurious. Her small
! house had few comforts IN It. One
smouldering fire alone was lighted there
! III the depth Of winter.
| Butchers meat was almost an unknown
/ thing, and ten, coffee and sugar luxurie5
never to be thought Of by Penelope BsX-
/ ter, the only other inmate Of Mrs But
I tcrsbys mansion beside her excellent
self. For, be il known, Mrs. Buttersby
had slave of white complexion who
trembled at her very nod; who lived on
cold potatoes-when there were any
wore Mrs. b. S old gowns. out of which
she was always bursting, like an over
boiled potato out Of its jacket; and was
invariably seen III very much hattcned
slippers entirely down at the heels and
the clumsiest of blue yarn stockings. \
slave who, on rare occasions Of absence,
signed her letters to the Old lady " Your
3utful niece, Penelope Baxter, and was
supposed to be the daughter OF Mrs.
Buttersby's sister, who was always allud-
ed to as that "undutiful critter. Sal, " by
the old lady, and as mar " bytheyoung
one
Penelope, although not set off by her
attire, was a good-lookng girl, with a
ne retrousce, blue eyes, pink checks,
curly golden hair, and no sign Of bones
anywhere about her, and was, truth to
tell, the object of alteration, nly Of
Simon TOmpkins, the village .. =, y-t
OF Simon Starbuck, who hadno particular
trade at present, but thought q doing
something, and, meanwhile, rls the
genius of his household. Hayi2G a taste
for music, and being known - have
written poems for the Leekvllle lAnlI,r-
6OH The baker, being eldg-ly, and
wearing a red wig, WAS despised by Miss
Penelope; but Simon was favored not
only IN secret, but IN measure openly;
for at the bottom OF the garden. under
the pear tree before alluded to, .h"re hal
been an interchange Of VOWS add locks
of hair, and a promise Of ctCg-.I con
stancy. For the life Of her, lciJDe
would not have revealed this TO lar aunt,
bat the old lady being shrewd enough 10
see through so transparent n thing as
Penolope's heart, found it out IS" her
self and accused her Of the Grin.
You've gone and engaged yourself,
Pen, she said, standing stit IS any
ghost III her white uightgown la- t. the
damsel's cot-bed one night.
Aud thankful thing it was to one
that took and did for you when dat un-
grateful critter, Sal, died. I should
think the victuals you'd had Woa'l hov
riz up and choked you, and that blue
bead necklace what | civ you woHil hev
turned to hemp rope about your neck.
Did | civ you bed board and clothes to
hev such a reward as this All. You 4
repent it when I'm dead and gone, and
buried i'm the churchvard IQiu't likely
III live moreu twenty years. Couldn't
Won wait till then, Pen ?-coultlu't sou
wait till then?'
Pen, who was Il ten3er-heartcd damsel,
went profuselv Mt this, ana, iii the
scantiest 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
leave her excellent aunt as long as that
lady continued to breathe. 50 Aud. !"
sobbed Penelope. broken-leartedIy.
clinring 10 Aunt ButterslE's hand u
did think Of the maroou-colored merino
1ou took off Of your own back u give
me Christmas, when | said Yes to
Simmy and my heart smota Included
it did
The ola lady, somcwbu, modified by
this confession badc Penelope arise, and
bound her by solemn oath tj remain
in single bless>duess. during the rem
uant of her aged aunt's existence. he it
long or short.
And surely MS Won 10, SAIL Aunt
ButtGrsbv. when lie oath had been nj
tered. 'sareiv as YOU do, Iii leave Won
something handsome, and you can have
Simmy whenever Won choose
.Somerhino, handsome, Aunt Bat
tarsbv uttered the words with u siolriff-
,.a,,,s which il,nIiad million. and Prne-
Ia,,,, ,,bn' Io.I Ieya,, hilbert, believed IN
Li, INIT. fortune vas iastaD-Iy com
y0rte.I t..a nonIIIar sul,arstItion
WI NH .s.,,,sfbing handsome :