Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1885-04-29
Miss PENELOPE, SENIOR.

DR.. Hardy was Miss Penelope's IA
ther, and Miss Penelope was aunt to
Penelope Hardy, Jr. They had lived
nearly all their lives in the same old
fashioned house, and Miss Penelope
had never been away from it for one
night even. There had been q large
family of them, but only Miss Penelope
and the Doctor remained-he peculiar
and somewhat of martinez; she, with
simple, self-sacrificing nature and q
strict New England conscience.
At last the Doctor grew too feeble to
practice any longer, and, after some de-
muir, sold out to DR.. Joel Sherburne, a
shrewd, energetic Maine man, who set
up his shingle little way off, and soon
extended the business. He was cheer
full as we'll as skillful, and people were
quick to find it out. Still, he could
not afford to despise DR.. Hardy's many
years of experience. and was very glad
which gratified him and consequently
pleased Miss Penelope. 1t was such q
break in the monotony of their lives to
have this big CHEEKY man to come in
and sit an hour with them, bringing o
breath of the outer world with him, for
his talk was not always of medicine
busy as he was, he found time to read
the magazines, and many new idea and
pleasant thought found its way to Miss
Penelopes half-starved brain.
They made cosy group around the
open hearth. The two Doctors talked
aloud and argued to their hearts con-
tent. while Miss Penelope sat on the
opposite side of the hearth and knitted
or darned and listened. She was full
of kindly impulses, and observing that
DR.. Sherburne's. driving gloves were
ont at the fingers, she timidly offered
one evening to mend them for him, and
did SO while he sat there another time,
in some mysterious way, she discovered
that there was great holes in his overcoat
pockets, which also received attention,
and gradually the new Doctor began to
have quiet. friendly feeling for the
unobtrusive little woman.
Affairs were in this shape when PEN
elope, Jr., came home. In At Of graft.
tude for having been nursed through q
severe illness, her mother had named
her after Miss Penelope; but. as the
gratitude wore away. it was corrupted
to Pansy, "a silly, furbishy name,
said her grandfather, who never called
her by it, though every one else did,
even DR.. Sharburne, although he liked
the old-fashioned name best, and al
ways thought Of her by it. Her mother
had died years before. and her father
was in California making money, 80 the
girl spent her summers with her moth
er's people and her winters in the old
homestead.
She was q happy, winsome young
thing, and frightened up the old house
wonderfully. She and DR.. Sherburne
made friends at once. DR.. Joel dropped
in quite often now, and close observer
would have noticed that he wore his
Sunday clothes almost every evening,
was much more particular in his gem
eral appearance, and always had some
thing to show or tell Penelope. Jr, in
which that willy little maiden appeared
to be deeply interested. These days
Penelope, ST., did not feel as cheerful
AZ usual. It did not occur to her to
blame either of them: in fact she knew
ct q little episode in Pansy's life which
had resulted in the pretty ring on her
finger. and she thought the Doctor
knew it. and it seemed quite natural
that he would prefer the younger wo-
mans company.
Al time wore on the Doctors visits
grew very frequent, and he began 70
realize, for the first time in his busy
life, thas bachelor quarters were bare
and dismal places. Visions Of . pleas
-ant hearth Of his own aud pleasant
facs beside the hearth began 70 haunt
his waking moments, and sitter much
cogitation and W; Ching 81 pros and
cons, DR.. Hherbprne wrote letter.
Il was work 0f some time and med
itation, and cost many shest 0f pArs9
before. Il vas completed then : patient
unexpectly stepping into the otaes. 4
was hurriedly addressed y aMiss Peno-
l0pe Hardy aud dispatched.
During the dAy L - Yecotxed.
PansY took 4 IL, and reading ~ mp