River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-01-30
THE PINKNEY GIRLS.
They Were All Accomplished Ex-
cepting Lucy.

give Of EN- said DIR. Pinkney with
complacent eyes s.All fine, well-grown
girls, as straight as an arrow, and I'M
derstandin' themselves we'll Except
Lucy. And she's an odd one. not bit
like the rest. | don't understand it.
Never did. If il was the old days of
evil fairies I should most think she'd
been changed in her cradle, Ia, ha, ha"
The four Miss Pinkneys laughed
alOud. a. in duty bound they laughed at
all their fathers jokes They were
exactly like the doctor, all excepting
hundred extra pounds or 50 of avOirdu-
pOis. a bristly beard, and masculine
habilimentS. Their laugh was the very
echo of his, their complexion was SINH
lar, they even walked and carried their
heads like him. But Lucy Pinkney
cOlOrcd as red as a Glove pink, AMI
shrunk into her corner at the ieering
laughter
There amt one of 'em but could sup
port herself Just "a well as any man
going, il il were necessary, went on the
doctor. Except Lucy. She never had
any faculty that I could find out Eth,
what's the matter2 LUcy-Lucy, where
are you gOing?"
La. pa, let her GO" said Mrs Pink
ney. Il don't see why you are always
sneering at poor Lucy. She doesn't take
any comfort Of her life"
''Sneering.' replied the doctor I'm
only speaking the truth"
Miss Eliza Pinkney had studio in
the north chamber, and painted. The
doctor, in his paternal partiality, com
pared her pictures with those of Turner.
Just look at those reds and pur-
plcS." said he Don't it remind you
of the slave Ship There's no calcu-
lating what that girl will accomplish
before she's thirty Miss ROsina taught
school. and tLabblcd in Darwin and Her
bert Spencer. If Rosy ever writes a
book said the dOatOf. I'D like a
chance to read it A girl with that
shaped head is bound to have intellect. ="
Sophy stenOgraphed when she could get
any member of the family TO read aloud
with sufficient slOwuess. ANY rapidity
of speech threw her of her equilibrium,
but. as the Doctor said. time would inn
prove that I'm told that some of tho
court stenOgraphers in New York get
81. 600 a wear" observed he. why
shouldn't Sophy?- And Sarah Pinkney
was taking lessons in music ''She has
a sumner of a voice" said DIR. PinlSney.
And the big bugs in New York pay any
price for parlor singers / shall get her
a either when 60 to town next. But
as for Lucy. bless me. don't know how
that child does fill up her time"
., -T..-Ta- I f.s.aT Tfre1n r-ir1
heard all these comments in silence.
Mr. Pathfcld. the village rector. could,
perhaps, have told 81 the kindly visits
she made to sick families. the sewing
she did for poor. OverwOrked mothers in
the factory houses down by the river.
The weak-cycd old druggist could have
borne witness 10 the prescriptions she
copied for him 50 that no frightful mis-
take should cloud his later years. As
for Ms. Pinkncy, she boldly asserted
that she couldn't keep house without
Lucy The other girls never have any
time 10 help me. said She. But Lucy
Is always ready.
Jack al all trades and good at none, :"
in nv opinion every woman ought TO
have a trade 70 support herself She
ought 70 excel in something. Now,
what can Lucy do?'
Don't worry. pa, said Mrs. Pinkney.
''l'll risk Lucy
But one day bomb of misfortune fell
into the camp Of the Piukneys. Ane'er-
dO-well brother Of the doctor. somewhere
out in Kansas. for whom he had in
dOrsed to a considerable amount, disap-
peared suddenly. and from comfortable
competence the Piubneys were plunged
into poverty.
This place must go. said the doctor.
who had grown old and haggari within
the last twcnty-foJrr hours. Wen have
IL move 10 the little red house on Bar
lock road. The girls must go 70 work.
The
Then his voice became strangely
muffied-thc features Of his fave drew
10 one sidc-he sunk helplesSly on the
floor.
..ParaIyzed on the right side said
the doctor. when he viewed the case.
.'Oh. YES. he'll rally. He may live for
wears But his professional career is
over. What is that he's saying. A
good thing the girls can support them
selves? Well. 80 il Is. Ell? ! wouldn't
try 70 talk If I were you. doctor But
don't frct-take things easy. tn all
be right"
Tho four elder Miss Pinkneys were
afectionate daughters. and at once be-
gan to consider their futures and that
of their father. Miss Eliza boxed up a
number of paintings and sent them to
different art galleries in prominent
cities. ROsina applied for the principal
ship OF a high-grade school near by, and
sent 2 fat bundle Of manuscript, on the
sly, 20 New York publisher. Sophia
put an advertisement in a paper:
.'wanted-A situation as stenOgrapher;
willing 10 90 as low as SIS per week TO
obtain experience. And Sarah de-
cided 70 take music pupils. and entered
an application as organist to the new
ehRECk sudeE BsElOeh hills.