St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-08-11
ONE TWENTIETH OF MAY.

ONE TWENTIETH OF NAY
Why Miss Penny Has Cause tx
Remember It.
'Mother. do you reckon I'll have I,
give It up?"
Bessy set the iron down with littl'
sharp clink, and threw a sheet over th'
white dress she had been ironing Will
SO much care.
WELL" said her mother, rubbing tn,
shirt front to remove the last wrinkle
''Sickness is sickness. and kiss is kiss
and duty is duty. and your pa hahn
the man to set such things aside"
''Oh! l wish he would. l wish hi
wasn't such a good man. lwish he't
go to Charlotte in spite of everything.
Elizabeth Smith. What sorter tall
is this? Now don't let me hear any
more such chat; and you . church
member at that"
Bessy's mother glared at her in hor
ror. Bessy dropped into chair and
began to cry.
Il could give it all up but the fire
works. 1 can't give that mp And Sen
ator Vance-oh! I did want to see
him just once, and he is to speak. and
they are to have him at the fireworks,
and there are to be chrysanthcmnms
all in fire. and rockets and things; and
want to 60 SO badly!'
Bessy's mother felt very sorry for
the child. Indeed. Bessy's disappoint-
ment hurt her as much ss it did the
girl. Bessys tears fell thick and fast
on the pretty white dress that lay limp
and damp on the ironing-table. Her
mother finished the shirt and hung it
in the sun on the piazza. As she stood
here, carefully Strengthening out the
sleeves. little smile crept about her
withered lips
'.Bessy," she called. don't set there
mussin' up that white dress; make
'aste and iron it and then run over and
see If Miss Penny haint agoin' to Char
lotte tomorrow. II she is, why can't
you go along?"
Bessy was soon busy with the tucks
again.
Its ironing just lovely, ma. l be-
1ieve 1 shall look real nice. Why
didn't we think Of Miss Penny before?'
When the dress was finished. Bessy
tied on her sunbonnet and ran down
the road to Miss Pcnny's. 1t was a
lovely old place at times. but now it
was . wonder Of beauty. . very picture
of roses. There was an arch over the
gate and now it was a mass of pink
and white roses. Great wreaths of
them hung about the windows and the
long piazza was smothered in them
There were great oak trees stretching
friendly arms over the old house. but
the roses seemed to love the cool
shadows. Once Bessy had heard the
minister say: Miss Penny's roses
bloom in spite of shadows" And Miss
Penny had flushed little, and Bessy
was almost sure she had seen tears in
her eyes. The girl wondered what was
anyone cry.
Now, the place was very still. But
terfies glided through the rose-scented
air. Humming birds poised above the
sweet-scented roses. and bees hummed
over the white-clover blossoms.
The front door stood open and Miss
Penny was reading in the cool hall.
Come in. Bessy. Why. how flushed
you are. Did you walk 80 fast:"
Miss Penny set a rocking chair out
of the draught and put the girl into it.
I'm glad to see you, for. to tell the
truth. was just getting sleepy right
here over a new magazine. So needed
you."
Maybe you ought to have gone to
sleep" Bcssy said.
''Oh. no. Twas only lazy. not tired.
for this hasn't been busy day.
really have done nothing worth.speak-
ing Of To be sure there was the ride
around the farm this morning. but that
is ALL"
Miss Penny. must tell yon why
came. i want to go to Charlotte to-
morrow. l never have been a twen-
tieth in all my life, and pa promised
me, and now Uncle sam is sick and |
can't 60" and Bessy in spite Of her
self. began to cry.
why. how would YOU like to go |
with me-" Miss Penny asked. Dear |
Miss Penny. She hadn't even thought |
OF the First Declaration of Indepen-
dence which one of her ancestors had |
signed in Charlotte. n. C.. Nav 20,
1115. And the notion Of going to the |
annual celebration came to her with |
the thought that this little girl wanted
to go.
''Oh, Miss Penny. may 1: Shall see |
Our Vance after all: and the fireworks?
I'm 50 glad. Am really going?"
Certainly. I'll come BY after YOU,
and. since ] think Of it. tell your
mother I'll take you to the hotel, so |
she need not prepare a lunch. and we
won't come back till the next dav. I'll
never liked that late train.-
Bessy went home with her heart full
of joy. and her arms full of roses.
Miss Penny sat quietly watching her
down the road. Il nope shall not pet
sorry for it. she said The bees NAV
swarm. and Fluff is almost sure to
come OF with those partridge cochens.
and Mr.. Skies viii bring the Jersey
COW, and Martha is coming to make
the upper bedrooms ready for the
boarders. but I'll go anyhow. The
child's face touched me. was young
once" And then Miss Penny's face
grew sad. and her sweet mouth trem-
bled little. for she hadn't been a yerv
happy girl; She was just about as old
rs Bessie when great disappointment
came to her. Charlie had gone away to
work. and after awhile he wrote her
that he was going to marry his en-
pfoycr's daughter. To be sure he had
never been engaged to Miss Penny.
but she thought we'll. never mind |
what She had never gotten over the
old dream. and n DIV when she was no |
longer young the thought of it sad
denesl her.
The morning came at last, and Bessy /
Scafed beside Miss Penny IN tha