The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-05-15
PINNEY'S SECRET.
How He Sheltered the Child OF
His Lost Love.

There was some mystery, or something
wrong at Pinney's. That was the reason
why the ''neighbors' folks" on the porch of
Barkers store stood motionless, furtively
gazing at Pinney's place beyond, as though
it was camera and they were being
''taken'' just as they were. Old Major
Hawkes. had been so shocked by the sus-
picion, that he still held extended high his
arm, which he had meant to bring down
with denunciation of Henry Clay, char
acterized by the vigorous emphasis of Con-
necticut Democracy. But just at that mo-
ment the Majors reflections were checked
There was something wrong at Pinney's
So the Major sat in the big arm chair in
the shady corner of the porch-a spot where
he established himself and watched and
mapped when the days were fine-his
billowy eyes, rolling over billowy cheeks
that curved into billowy chin and neck,
fixed in melancholy stare upon Pinney' IS
home yonder.
Judson Guernsey-known only as Jud
Gauzy-had at the moment been reading to
the neighbors' folks from the weekly city
paper some dreadful warlike threatenings
from Mexico but he now stood transfixed,
his finger on the line, and actually upon
the word "bloodshed" which he had lust
read as Teachum came up and said that
there was something wrong at Pinney's.
There was Jabez Peckham, who had been
at the instant testing the strength of hoe
handle. He still stood leaning upon it, but
with his eyes turned toward Pinney's place,
or rolling them timidly from one to another
of the group. Even the surveyors men
across the highway on the old canal tow
path halted in their work, forgot that they
were there to prepare to bring New Haven
and Northampton within three hours
travel instead of three days, and stood in
suspense by their theodolites and checkered
poles watching Pinney's house.
For Teachum had just come with strained
eyes and bated breath, and announced that
there was something wrong at Pinney's.
They did not need to ask him why he
said so. Of course something was wrong.
The little red story-and-a-half house was as
tightly closed as a tomb and the sun was
three hours high True, the faded green
shutters, upon which the rain had tracked
serpentine trails, and which were bronzed
at the hinges with rust, had been as tightly
closed for twenty years, but there was one
shutter in tho window of the rear room
that was always thrown,open precisely at
sunrise. That was tight this morning.
Then, too, the corrugated and messy we'll
sweep hung with its bucket high in
air, as it had not done before for twenty
years one single minute after sunrise; for
then il was Pinney's habit to come forth
the well for the day. But, beyond all,
Pinney's brown and gambrel-roofed store
across the lot, and opposite the canal, was
shut as though it was the Lords day.
The same thought was in the mind of all
of them, but none dared speak it. Instead,
each, after the silence was broken, ven
tured some suggestion as far away as pos
sible from the dreadful suspicion that bur-
dened all. Major Hawkes., whose theory
of existence was that all Wings ought to be
suppressed by law, and that no man who
slept enough ought TO die, ventured TO sug-
gest that possibly Pinney's clock had run
down and that he had slept over.
"lf it wasn't for wimmin' folks and clocks
most on us would sleep over now and then.
1t comes nat'ral to men folks, and whats
nat'ral is what's best Now Pinney, just
AS like as not, let the big clock run down.
/ suppose he's got the big clock yet. 1t