The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-06


strances. Then the scissors fell from her hands
and sitting there paralyzed she heard the OBJ
probrium he heapsd upon her. while be put
little whitening carefully over his face and
opened bis elopement bundle and took from it
various articles with which he deftly altered
his appearance. until there stood before her an
aged. mnmbling fellow with pair Of unmis-
taxable goggles hiding his eyes and . volume
Of sermons tucked under his arm.
you're my wife, he said, dragging her
down beside him. sSt down and have me read
to you Lay your head on my shoulder. If
you bulge an inch or say word it will be your
fault whatever happens. Quick here comes
the conductor. Here 10 my ticket" and he
thrust it into her hand.
The conductor found loving old couple
"See. Mr.. Smith" he said to some one peering
into the dim car beside him, 'only homely old
man and bis wife. Though / don't remember
you, old gentleman; the old lady got on . good
way back, but
Both on together" quavered the old man.
Nancy ana l. Nance, why don't you give up
the tickefsH
Nance gave up the tickets and the conductor
and his companion left the car.
After that it seemed TO thu old woman that
she was cognizant OF nothing until the train
Numbered into station and stopped. The old
man scuttled of without word. The old wom-
an struggled to her feet and staggered out to
the platform. frsntically asking when a train re-
turned to the village from which she had come
She was told that there WAS no train till the
agony spoke Of Mr. Smith and lawyer who
had been searching for foreer; they would 60
her way IN q carriage and would possibly give
her a lift. lively man mentioned freight
tram which started in little while carrying
some factory hands who had been having meet
ing 10 town.
That was the train the old woman scrambled
into standing up in . corner surrounded by
good-natured but bibulously facetious com
panions
She appeared to be fumbliue at that pocket Of
hers all the way, and someone heard her eroan,
What has my life been that should care for
itl-
And then the village where the Budds lived
was reached, and before anyone could stop her,
before the train had come TO q stand-still. the
old woman had vaulted ont into the darkness
and disappeared.
Running. stumbling, falling. up and on again,
she reached Penelopes homo, was under Pene-
lopes window in tho back of the house, her hand
on the long swsying cord of bed-clothes that
dangled to the ground. She heard knocking
inside the house.
"Merciful heavens! John has reached home
before me. He is pounding on my room door,
And then she was on the rope. going mp hand
over hand. in her terror not realizing that she
was doing what she tad not done since she was
tom-boy playing with her only playmate. her
brother. She was in at the window, had pulled
up the rope and thrown it under the bed, had
snatched of Grandma Dreadnsught's bonnet
and cap. threw the bag with the album in its
pocket TO keep company with the rope.
What is it, John3'
You sleep like q rock, Pen. Open the door;
i have Something 70 say to you"
Wait till slip on wrapper
you needn't mind me-"
She opened the door q crack.
Have carried the odor Of chloroform with
me- Penip
But no; Penelope had smashed the bottle in
her pocket as she came up the rope
'Don't De SO slecpily stupid. Pen. That
scoundrsl has escaped US. A regular villain; be
has broken into tho bank to-night-he has
forged Sam Smiths signature We have been
taken in, and You have been very nearly impli-
GATED with him because of your Intimacy
though. suppose, was q greater fool than
you and worried over my own losses; for,
doubtless. your familiarity with the man was
only one of your soft kindnesses for . lonesome
looking fellow, and one who had seen sorrow.
We must hush matters up as much as We can,
and now that that wretch Ia gone
She flung the door wide open.
"Oh. John, John! I've been such a Ounce" and
she cried as though her hears would break.
''Such duncel'
$50 have been, said . strange voice, ain let
ting him slip through my fngers"
'Merciful powers! Who Is that" she shrieked.
Only Sam Smith, said simple John.
"You needn't mind me" explained Sam Smith,
''such an old friend 40 / am"
Needn't mind hml Penelope had spell
When, two weeks or 90 after this Miss Pencil
ope brought her album to my aunt's house in
homo to see her do il, she was very quiet and
shrinking, though my aunt in those two weeks
Of nursing Miss Penelope had learned little Of
what is told here. After the book had been re-
duced to little pile of gray ashes in the fire.
place, Miss Penelope regarding the feathery
mass suddenly cleared her throat.
Eliza she said, after Mr.. Smith saw me
in that queer trim outside my chamb er-door
that night I-I-well when he asked me to-day
really could not help saying, yes. I would
marry him."
Penelope Buddr
YES went on Miss Penelope, musingly. HE
HAD much sorrow in his life, and his wife died
years ago. He owns that he always liked me,
and So
"Penelops Budd, cried my aunt thoroughly
aroused II think, without exception. You are
the most shameless woman haye ever come
across"
Miss Penelope's head dropped lower and lower.
and the gray ashes of the album were stirred by
her foot
''Yes. dear. know she said. "But then
never told You quite all my story; never told
you the name of the man who WAS 90 much to
me IN my young life and the loss of whom
altered and made extravagant much of my later
years. He was--he is-Sam Smith,