Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1894-04-14
me the honor of this CALI said
Miss Penriff, Strengthening herself

pOOT, Idu0u 0lu0Tly WOtual. iHd
her father, Squire Peregrine Pen
riff, had once been the richest mar
in the county.
We'll, / don't know much abou
the honor or the thing said Johr
Barton, laughing. But I've jus
heard from Mr.. Oakley that yor
wanted to sell an old carved set
tie. I'm buying up that sort o
thing
oh, indeed
Perhaps you would allow me t
look at itg' went on Johnny, re-
solved on business.
Dolly flung open the hall win.
dow that generally kept closed and
curtained. A blaze of yellow sun
light flooded the hall. gust Of
sweet, autumn, leaf.scented all
came in and the carved griffins
seemed to wink their wooden sat
isfaction.
There 7 cried Dolly. Isn't it a
beauty And heavy-oh, what a
piece of solid heaviness! Oh, that
isn't secret drawer! It's only a
place to put umbrellas and canes
in. | used to be certain there was
a secret drawer in it when | was a
child But I've changed my mind
now
John Barton walked slowly
around the settle, cycling it from
every point of view. Miss Penrifl
watched him.
Yes, it is a beauty!' said he.
What will you take for it, Miss
PenriffY
I hardly think you can afford
to buy it, young man. said the ell
der lady grimly.
John Barton redeemed little.
'Oh, as for that said he, rather
awkwardly,' I'm representing some
one else. Personally perhaps
'Well,' said Miss Penriff, 1T
cost three hundred dollars. But
don't expect to get its full value.'
Aunt Keziah would take a hun
dred dollars fluttered Dolly, ST
Very WE'LL said Mr.. Barton, Its
a bargain. Is there a man about
the place who could help me lift
it into the wagonp
There's old Silas Virgins be-
yond the big rock suggested Dol
ly.
And while Johnnie Barton was
gone for him, the old lady sat
down on the settle, where the sun
shine glimmered and the smell of
late mignonnette came in at the
window.
Here was where l used to Sit
said she. There was big stained
glass window in the hall just over
it, and great fireplace beyond,
where they burned such big black
logs of cold, winter nights. And
there, in the other corner, my low
er used to Sit
Her voice quivered,a tear spark
led in the blue faded eyes behind
the steel trimmed spectacles.
oh, Aunt Keziah!' cried Dolly,
suddenly fl'nging her arms around
the old lady's neck. never knew
you had a lover
Does any woman ever live to be
twenty without a lover, child p
said Miss Penriff. But your grand
father was a very ambitious man.
He was losing money in those
South Sea shipping ventures even
then, though | didn't know it
and he wanted me to marry rich
man and retrieve the family for
tunes. And Henry was poor
WAS that his name Aunt Ke
ziah?
SO. l never married at all,'went
On Miss Penriff. Good bye. old
settle!'
And, with infinite pathos, she
touched her lips lightly to the big
gest of the griffins' heads.
But Dolly held tight to her aunt's
hand she chung around her neck,
with passionate kisses.
Now you know, Aunt Keziah,'
said she, almost in a sob, why /
didn't accept Orlando Daily Now
you know why | love Johnny Bar
ton. Johnny isn't rich, but Meth
er was your Henry. Oh, Aunt
Kezlah, you won't blame mer
Dear me! said Miss Penriff. in a
sort of bewildered way. You do
not mean to say
Yes, do, said Dolly, turning
pink and white, like the tall hel-
lyhocks at the garden gate. 1t was
only last night, when we walked
home from the prayer meeting to-
gether. | couldn't think of what
Elder johnson was saying because
OF Johns blue eyes, and it seemed
like dream to me, until he asked
me to try and love him a little +?
And do you love him Dorothy
I'd ride around the whole world
with him in that old covered cart
if you only say yes! sobbed the
girl. don't care for money or
rank. | only know that | love
John
And she slipped back into the
shadows as Johnny Barton and
old Silas Virgins came to lift out
the mahogany settle.
Miss Penriff watched them
through a mist of tears.
Here was the poisoning out of
truth and love, and all that bless
ed disregard of Always nd means
that only comes in the dawn OF
life She had outgrown it all, but
it was story that repeated itself
with each new generation.
She remembered that Mr.. Oakley
had said that John Barton was a
good young fellow enough. She
looked at the old settle. where she
and Henry Hartford had sat years
ago, and she beckoned softly to
Dolly.
Dorothy, said she, ifyou love
the lad,take him. IL was young
once!
And then she went back into
house, so that she might not see
the old griffins, with the claw feet,
being carried away.
Only two weeks afterward Dol
lyy ro,,no oarorl,y ~ har or,f