The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-08-24

case OF every arc'ptcd truth, which may
have become automatic to the rest Of hu-
manity, there are always those who reject,
or affect to reject, its teachings.
a yer, sturdy opponent to the PROPOSE
ton first set down was Mr.. Phineas Paine,
hardheaded and successful grocer in the
town of Caresville. Mr.. Paine, it is true,
did not deny the proposition generally, but
he signilied his denial by his conduct to-
ward his daughter Penelope, who had ar
rived at the age mentioned in single bless
edness.
II there ever was a woman in the end OF
the nineteenth century who had cause for
complaint on the score of repression it was
Penelope Paine. Her mother had died
when she was five years of age, and her
father, possessed by the idea that he knew
how to bring up a child right, had i'm
mcdiately begun the systematic course OF
repression that made his daughter demure,
timid little girl, and a meek, spiritless
woman.
lie had kept down all her youthful JOY
business by straight-laced rules of deport-
ment of any natural tendency. People
looking at her would say
"That girl looks as If she had been boxed
up all her life" And, in measure, she
had been.
But Penelope, prim as she was, grew to
be fair woman to look at, and in spite
of the difficulty of approach, she had many
stealthy admirers. The grocer was in his
way, a social man. That is he liked to
have someone to listen while he gave his
views and opinions, and at first young men
would affect to be coming to see him. But
the moment they were so imprudent as to
let it leak out that Penelope was the real
object Of their attentions, they were sum-
marily dismissed.
Il Just won't have it," the old man
would say.
young folks don't know what's good
for themselves, and they need the guidance
of some older head to keep 'em out OF mis-
chief
Penelope never seemed to care much
about her beaux or the loss of them, till
Ned Holborn began going there. He kept
a feed store, was brother Odd Fellow
with the grocer, so the old man liked him
pretty well.
Penelope was clerking in the grocery, as
she had been doing ever since she was
old enough to tie up package OF sugar,
but she always left an hour earlier than her
father, so as to be at home and get his
meals for him, for Mr.. Paine's hard hear ted
frugality forbade his keeping "a girl, y
albeit he was abundantly able to do so.
1t was during these happy intervals of
time when Penelope was entirely alone,
that Ned Holborn was wont to steal few
minutes away from his store, and uncere-
moniously drop in for short chat. 1t was
the first of such pleasure that the girl had
ever known, and these stolen moments had
She knew that her father would not have
approved of this intimacy between Holborn
and herself, and for that reason, at first,
she took shy delight in it, For with all
his repression the hard-hearted grocer had
not succeeded in crushing ouv of his daugh-
ter that touch of romance which is in the
nature of every woman.
But there came Il time when there was
more than the romantic secrecy of the
affair to give it charm. The intimacy had
ripened into love. The young man had
placed his honest affection in the keeping
of the quiet, demure girl, and she had given
her heart unreservedly in return.
As the days went on the stolen meetings
grew sweeter to BOTH and Phineas Paine
measured his pickles and weighed his pounds
in blissful ignorance of what was passing.
But the state of affairs got to the cars of a
jealous rival of Iolborn, and a word to the
unsuspecting grocer brought him up stand.
ing. The scales fell from his eyes, and
shortly after the lovers were surprised to
to see him walk into the house in the
midst of one of their tete.a-tetes.
OF course there was scene The old
man stormed and Penelope wept, but
staunch Ned lIolburn stood up like a
man and faced the music" He told the
old man that he loved his daughter, that
his love was returned, and she had prom
ised to wed him, and the end of it all was
his dismissal from the house and perem-
tory command never to return.
And Phineas Paine was grieved for after
all these years of confidence his system had
proved at fault. In spite of all his reprcss-
ion he found that his daughter was not
well brought up, and when she had been
put to the test had fallen signally.
After this the old man was his daughter S
shadow. He never allowed her to leave
his side. Necessity checkmated frugality
and he hired house girl to take care OF
his furniture and get his meals.
In vain poor Holburn sought for chance
to talk to his s"eetheart She was as
effectually shut away from him as if she
had been immured within the four walls
sc n nnp,,opt Nod uroape5 in cpirt and