Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-07-28


ow's weeds unmodifed in all these years
and little boy played about the house
a bright. dark eyed little fellow. He at
least was perfectly happy. The women
made an idol of him, and he was the sun
shine of their lives. philip" they have
called him after Miss Penelope's father.
Between the pine woods and the deserted
plantation these three live alone. They
never speak of the past. Long ago Miss
Penelope abandoned her efforts to find
Jack Archer. They were made too timid-
ly perhaps, for she has never changed her
opinion as to tho wedding which Win
some knows was a genuine ceremony.
She calls herself widow. She lives as
widow. Indeed she goes to church and
there shakes hands with and bows to her
neighbors, as is the custom, but she asks
no one to visit her and enters no ones
door She is no longer slender, young
girl. Of course. and she looks older than
she should, but is still handsome, and
her widows veil gives her stately air.
The women are not poor. Miss Pencil
ope has husbanded her small fortune
well, and what she has is Winsome's.
But they keep no servant. Servants chat
Der so. Heaven knows the secret that
they hide is harmless enough one. But
it weighs on poor Miss Penelope's heart
as though ii were q fearful crime. It
seems to Winsome to set her apart from
the rest of the world, and she dares not
look forward to the time when her boy
will ask questions about his father. She
fears that he also will be cruel to Jacks
memory and not believe in him as she
does. Poor Winsome! She is still young
in years, but all those things that make
up woman's happiness are blotted from
her life as completely as though she were
clustered nun. No woman ever under
stood tho joy of being loved, of loving, or
longed for the tenderness and protection
that only a husband can give more than
she. But ON that farof wedding day the
page of her life that should have held
those things was furled. 1t must forever
be blank.
'Only," she sometimes signs penitent-
ly when she has inly bewaiied her lot.
''only have my boy. my precious little
Phil, my treasure"
On fine days when the household duties
are over and Phil's lessons said and copies
written mother and child go out to
walk. They love the woods, but Miss
Penelope, who prefers her rocking chair
on the porch to other exercise, knows no
peace Of mind while they wander there.
Her imagination fills the perfumed soli-
tude with tramps. evil minded negroes
and even bears. So to please her they
creep through rift in the fence of the
Randolph grounds. where she feels that
they are safe. and wander about for
hours.
Fruit still grows on tho trees; nuts are
scattered on the ground in autumn.
There are birds and squirrels and long
cared rabbits with pink eyes. Flowers still
bloom, for nature is kind to them in Vir-
ginia even when man is neglectful, and
Winsome and bar boy surely have love-
ly play place. 1t has come to seem theirs
after SO many years Of undisturbed occu-
patton, when suddenly it is taken from
them. The heir Of the Randolph estate
has returned to his native land and has
arrived at his mansion. Workmen are
busy about the house. gardeners and
their assistants in the grounds. A big
black cook with white paper cap on
his head struts Importantly around the
kitchen door and a kerchiefed mulatto
woman superintends the housekeeping
Philip is rebellious when he is told
that he cannot play in what he calls his
garden. He declares that he will, but
when he peeps in at the now open gate
the big figure in white jacket and cap
looks SO much like that Of the afrite in
the illustrations of his volume of "Alad-
din or the Wonderful Lamp" that he
takes to his heels and runs away.
The pine woods do not comfort Phil,
nor the ride 70 the store with Aunt Pencil
ope, though she buys him large oranges
and peppermint stick galore. At the
store she hears the talk-they are de-
lighted with the new arrival, a real RAN
dolph to look at. There will be com.
pany now in the house; you won't be 80
mighty lonely now, ma'am," the store
keeper says. I'VE all feel anxious about
you two ladies sometimes"
They have been very kind in their
feelings to these lonely north ladies'"
and otfense has been warded of by
Winsome's deep mourning, and her man
ner, and her devotion to her boy.
We've always felt we'd like Won to be
more sociable," the man adds; maybe
you will with near neighbors."
Will youY asks little Phil suddenly,
with his mouth full of candy, as they
drive home.
will WHAT" asks Miss Penn.
BE sociable," says Phil. IF you are,
can play there just the same, can't T."
Miss Penelope only says, 1--WE will |
See" and hopes only that the Randolphs
will be too high and mighty to take no.
tice of two plain little women from the
north Southerners are so fond Of auto
biography-of knowing just whom their
neighbors are and what they have been
doing.
..There are to be ne ladies set" she
has heard. The occupant is bachelor,
md that he will choose wife from the
irst families Of the neighborhood has
,een one of the specially maintained ex-
,ectatiOns.
There are the Misses Feyton. mighty
andsome ladies, and Miss Dora Wall
ot handsome, but talented" the store