Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-04-09
OLD PEMBERToN'S GIRL.

1t was the night before Thanksgiving,
| and bare headed boy rode at break neck
speed down the main street of certain
Western village, and drew up III front OF
| the post flee, where was always to be
found at that hour crowd of loafers.
Every body. knew at glance that the
youth was old Euos Pemberton's hired boy,
and expectation was at once on tiptoe.
"Patty Pernber,on has drownded her,
self p cried the boy4
He was surrounded in an instant.
"Where?" vociferated twenty voices at
once.
sIn the water. of course! Dye 'spose she
do it in a plowed field?"
"Can't they resuscitate her?" put in a
young doctor with gold spectacles.
'.They'll wait till they find her first"
"Ohr' said the crowd, in perfect unison;
and the boy, having delivered his message,
I rode back, leaving .the entire population of
the village to follow at it's leisure, which
proved the greatest haste imaginable.
Every one knew sold Penn berton's girl. "
| She was Wild rompipg creature, and full
| of tom. boy tricks, although there was moth
| ing particularly "bad' about her. She
could break colt and bake pie to per-
fection, which her sister Molly, just home
from school, could not do; though, when it
| came to botany and the languages, she left
Patty star in the shade" as Patty herself
expressed it.
1t was queer freak for 'fOld Pember-
toms girl" to drown herself. She seemed
to enjoy life, had no real lovers that any
one knew of, and was the last person capa-
Bile of committing such a deed-to the peo-
ple's notions.
The Pemberton farm was the largest in
the neighborhood. A part of it was very
wild ground. A deep stream flowed through
this particular portion, and in some places
it's course was marked with chasms whose
walls were rough and lofty. 1t was agreed
by the excited papulace, as it swarmed out
to the Pemberton homestead, which was
within sight of the village, that Patty must
have fallen into the creek, for the idea of
suicide could not be entertained.
1t was soon learned that the body had
not been found. The stream had been
searched, and the whole neighborhood was
still ct the task; but at last reports Patty
was still missing.
They found her bonnet near the Deep
Hole" said Euos to the young doctor in the
gold spectacles. sShe went into the woods
to look fer table flowers for tomorrow. Mr..
Phillips, my daughter Molly's city friend,
is to be with us, and. Patty thought TO make
things sort o. cheerful for him. I believe
you We met Mr. Philiips?"
The doctor thought he had; yes, he re-
membered an introduction by Miss Holly.
Mr.. Phillips was a nice young gentleman.
If he (the doctor) was not mistaken, he
was person we'll known in the city.
"Ope of the rising business men of
N" added Enos Pemberton, promptly.
s'He was afraid he couldn't be with us TO-
morrow, as bis uncle, from whom he will
inherit comfortable fortune, is very low;
but Molly heard from him this morning TO
the effect that the uncle had surprised them
all by getting better. Now poor Patty has
just, too, when Mr.. Phillips needs rest!'
The doctor hoped that everything would
yet ''turn out for the best" and then joined
the hunters along the creek.
sAin't it queer?" asked young Zeke Zeb-
edee, as he thrust his big brown hands into
the capacious pockets of his ove1als and
looked into his companions face The two
had been the most Jealous searchers for
sold Pemberton's girl.'
"Wbat's queei?" was the response.
"Why, that she didn't leave any note
behind. That's customary, you know
They've found nothin' but the bonnet.''
'It strikes me that they'll find nothing
else"
sLooks that way
1 "Jealous?" roared Jack Juniper. ssPd
1 like to know what'd make Patty Pemberton
| jealous. Come, Zskee! you can't catch ne
| that way. Why, she'd rather break the
scrubbiest colt in the kentry than fall in
| love with kiDg!