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

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and e. md 10 deserve your affection.
! b. ptoapared IN business during
the ~ oar, and can offer yott 3 very
comf - heme, and you will stall
aba all . iosk .llss "a sssIs se2ssisse g e
must have had other suitors bsfore me,
and am plain and old-fashioned, not
gifted with flowers Of speech. but
shall consider myself most happy and
fortunate man if you will consent to be
my wife. Yours sincerely,
JOHN SHERBURNE.
p. S.-Please let me hear from you
~ soon ~ possible
Miss Penelope gasped aud laid down
the letter. Her mind was in chaotic
confusion. She walked over to the
small blurred looking-glass which hung
over her chest Of drawers, and stood
there looking intently at herself.
"Ah, If he had come twenty years
ago!' she whispered, shaking her head
sadly ct the reflection before her; stllen
/ might lave been worth having; now,
am an old woman. And yet he loves
me, aud will consider himself fortunate
il will be his wife What have done
to deserve this great happiness I" Fall
ing on her knees Ly her bedside, poor
Miss Penelope sobbed and cried wall
of sorrow fof her lost youth and more
than one tear Of Joy. Here Penelope,
Jr., appeared upon the scene. and hear.
ing the wonderful news told by Miss
Penelope with as many bushes as girl
Of Is, clapped her hands and embraced
her relative on the spot, declaring it
was no more than she had expected.
On DIR. Sherburne's table lay two
letters, which he was quick to spy when
he came in. One was postmarked
"Boston," and was from his sister; the
other was directed in small, cramped
hand. the capitals carefully elaborated,
as if by one not given to much writing.
Neither OF them seemed TO be what he
expected, SO he read his sisters letter
first. The end OF it ran thus:
"Do you know anybody in that very
far away village OF yours by the name OF
Pansy Harding? | happened to know
lin confidence, of course.) that she is
engaged to my particular pet, Archie
Johnston. He raves over her to me,
and report SAYS her paternal relative
has no end of money. I am dying to
know all about her. Do make her ac-
quaintance. and give me your candid
opinion OF her"
Her pretty ring, "a friend" to whom
she constantly spoke of writing, and
numberless incidents unnoticed at the
time, rushed to his memory, and slow,
sickening conviction grew upon the
lonely man that youth attracts youth,
and that Archie Johnson's Pansy would
never be his wife. Slowly, aimlessly
he opened the other letter, but, after
the first line or two, read rapidly to
the end. Miss Penelope wrote:
II have read your letter and must
say it was great surprise to me. I
never imagined that you cared SO much.
or at all, for me. First of all, l want to
tell you some things that you may not
know. You speak Of the difference in
our ages 40 if it were great deal. I
may look younger than ] am, but / did
not think SO. am "A. and / heard
you tell father you were 49, so you see
there is very little difference. I prom
ised mother, when she died, ten years
ago. that so long as father lived !
would take care Of him, so II you took
me you would have to take father, too,
and not many men would want an old
maid for wife. and her old father be-
sides. You are also mistaken about
my having had suitors. I have never
had one in my life; you are the only
man who has ever cared enough for me
to ask me TO marry him, so ! know
nothing about love affairs. but do
know that your letter has made me
very happy, and that ii il should be the
viii Of Providence, / will try to make
you good wife. But would like you
to consider all the obstacles. and do
nothing that you may regret one oi
these days. PENELOPE HARDY"
sWhew!" whistled the doctor, sitting
upright in his chair, "Here's duce Of
3 mess! asked Penelope, Jr., and
Penelope. ST., has accepted mel"
Iwo1id not like TO say how many
pipes The doctor smoked that night, OF
how many times that letter was read.
Enough that quite early next morning
small boy brought . note to Miss
Penelope containing theee words:
The obstacles are not insurmounta-
BILE. ] shall call 20 ses you this after
noon. j. b.
This note threw Miss Penelope into /
state Of nervousness very trying to PEN
elope, Jr.. though it must be confessed
that energetic young person did great
deal in . short time certainly Pene.
lope Hardy, with her hair rolled loosely
at the nape Of her neck. instead Of in 4
tight knot on the top Of her head, with
soft bow Of pretty blue fastening the
simple linen collar, and relieving the
severely made black dress, with pink
flush fborn ol it,tense excitemeut) on
her chesks, and . new light IN her tinid
eyes, va : much plsa&anter person to
look q than tho Penelope who had sat
BY tho hearth and darned.
Penelope, Jr., opened the door for
him. \ am very glad. she whispered
heartily pressing his hand IN her eager,
girlish 3Ashion; n always thought you
would nit each other" And before be
could d6d words to respond {that last
remark bsing rather hard upon him,
considering the circumstancea1 led him
quickly to the pArlor, and, shutting the
door softly went away.
Behold your ulysses!s he said. with
forced xayety, very foreign to his
usual bollspoeseeeod manner. But n
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