Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-05-22
THANKFUU'S TRIALS

, InVpacker, Il uOn KNOW WnaC TO 90.
Thankful Pennypacker had come to
, the far west on what the facetious in
habitants of Blue Gulch would have
called "a wild goose chase"
She was one of the great majority of
unemployed women in the State of Yer
mont, and her cousin, Squire Todd, had
heard from his nephew's wife, who had
sister at Blue Gulch, that there was a
district school teacher wanted there.
"Chance for you, eh, Thankful" said
Mrs. Todd. "Better get off as fast as
ever you can, or it'll be snapped up.
Such positions don't go a-begging long"
Thankful looked up with big, wistful
eyes.
ats awful cold weather to go west,
isn't it," said she, little timidly.
"Oh, if you're afraid of a little cold
wind and snow furry or two!" said
Mrs. Todd, elevating her her nose.
And Thankful packed her trunk at
once and departed.
"Ain't it ruther barbarous, mother" :"
said the Squire, "to send the poor gal
way off west in such blizzard as this
'ere?"
swell, joshua" said his help meet,
''she's been here two good months now,
and we want her room for your Aunt
Eliza, that's got money to leave some
day; and, besides, DR.. Lothair's a-comin'
pretty soon to visit old DR.. Jenningses
folks, next door, and it's jest as well to
have Thankful Pennypacker out of the
way"
Squire Todd's lower jaw dropped.
why" said he in amazement.
"Why?" mimicked his wife. "Well,
give me man for solid thickheaded-
nessl Hain't you got darter of your
own? and amt Thankful Pennypacker
pretty gal, if she is past fve-and-twenty
Year,"
"Oh," said the squire. Matchmak-
in, eh?"
"Well, call it what you please" said
Mrs. Todd. anyhow, it's time Electra
was settled in life, and it's jest as well
to have Thankful Pennypacker off some
where else"
But when the Vermont girl reached
Blue Gulch, old Mr.. Wendell, the chair
man of the board of trustees, professed
himself exceedingly sorry, but the posi-
tion had just been filled by half sister
of his own.
"We always give western girls the
preference" said he.
So poor Thankful went back to
esquire Todd's nephew's wife's sister"
in frame of mind widely different from
her name, and uttered the piteous SEN
tence that heads our story.
The nephew's wife's sister was called
McCray-a stout, cheerful body, with
bright blue eyes and double chin.
81 declare to goodness, Miss Penny
packer, said she, 81 feel sorry for you,
but 1 hain't a minutes time to spare
a-listin' to what Miles Wendell said
just now. Two O. the Cinnamon have
gone, and Bridget won't stir into the
dinin' room as long as Wong See is there. |
It's strange how she and the Chinese
hate each other. And the train is due |
in forty minutes, and eighteen mealers |
have telegraphed ahead"
"Can't help your" said Thankful.
"You?" Why, you're an educated la
dy," said Mrs. McCray.
"That's no reason can't cook frica- |
see, or bake pumpkin pie" said Thank |
full, smiling in spite of her troubles
"And have no especial prejudice against
Wong See; so I'd as soon go into the
dining room and see to the tables as
not"
"Well, I'd be mortal obliged if you
would" said Mrs. McCray, with great
sigh of relief. "Here's one O. my big
white kitchen aprons to tie over your
black serge dress, so it won't be spilled;
and you'll find Wong See very teachable
and docile."
So that Miss Pennypaeker was flying
around presently in the neat cool rooms
of the railway restaurant, where long
tables, draped with white, were decora-
ted with evergreen and holly berries, and
the glass and crockery, albeit of the
coarsest, was sparkling and clean.
The Blue Gulch meal station, as Mrs.
McCray told Thankful, was celebrated
along the line for its pigeon pies, its
toothsome waffies, and its dainty bits of
home made cookery.
"And now you're here to sort O. keep
Wong See straighted up" said she, 81
can give my whole mind to the waffles."
A keen wind bowling down the rail
way cut; a cloud of drifting snow, sharp
er than needles and pins; and then the
train. Wong See adjusted his clean
white tunic and rubbed his hands.
"Supper alice readee," said he. "Mis-
see Cray she got waffle all cookee."
"Och. haythen, Chinee," said Bridget,
in her den behind the tea and coffee
holder, as she scowled unutterable things
at the smiling Celestial.
The passengers rushed with one ac-
cord for the warm, cOZy, savOry smell
ing dining room, for the fame of the
Blue Gulch waffles had penetrated far
and wide-when all of a sudden there
was an exclamation, a pause, confu-
sion.
"What is it?" said Thankful, who,
with swift hands, was carrying tea and
coffee this way and that.
"a gentleman has slipped on the icy
car STEP" said Mrs. McCray. 81 reckon
likely he's broke his leg or arm, or
Here, Miss Pennypacker;
you come to the waffle irons. I'll just
stop and see what the trouble is. Nc
Cray amt never on hand at an emer-
gency." II
When the train had gone the hurt
passenger lay in little curtained room
upstairs.
Dr. FELTON, had set his broken arm