Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-08-10
THAT SETTLE.

jealous, but the dinner was already ON the
table, and 1t was undoubtedly relief
when her husband came out of the study
and seated himself.
"Was that Miss Penriff?" said she.
eyes" Mr.. Oakley answered, sit was
Miss Penriff. She wants to sell her old
mahogany SETTLE
"I wish could afford to buy it. What
did you tell her, Simeon?'
"Why, told her I'd write to that big
antique buying firm in New York." said
Oakley. They are the only people who
can deal with her to any advantage"
Keziah Penriff went home to the old red
house under the hill, where Dolly was
making tomato catsup in the kitchen.
"Well, Dorothy" said she, "I've done
It,"
"Done what, Aunt Kizzy9'
GIVE sold the old hall settle"
"But" gasped Dolly, stirring away
with spasmodic vigor at the tomatoes,
grandfather Penriff brought that settle
from Holland himself, and it's 200 years
old And it's the last relic of the old house
on the hill!'
"Still, " reasoned Miss Penriff, GIVE no
right to keep it, Dolly. It's been almost q
matter of idolatry with me- and perhaps
I'd better let it go. We are poor, Dolly
very poor!'
Dolly lifted the kettle off the stove
cts no disgrace" said she with COM
ical grimace. "But it's most uncommon
ly inconvenient.
eff you feel that way, Dorothy" said
Miss Penriff, ~ don't see why you refused
Orlando Daley last week"
"Why," said Dolly opening her blue
eyes very wide, "bccause didn't love
him!"
"He's very rich, Dorothy"
"He's welcome to his money, Aunt Kiz-
zy"
"My goodness me!' said Miss Penriff
"Who's that driving down the road in a
covered cartS'
II don't know" said she, "but-I-
think til Johnny Barton"
"OhP' said Miss Penriff. elias that
young man gone into the express bust
ness?"
"Not exactly" said Dolly, busying her
self among the tomato jars. "But think
he drives around picking up old china and
brass 1iredogs, and all such things, for
some big collector in New York.
The little discussion was terminated by
the sudden tapping of Johnny Barton's
whip handle against the side of the open
door.
"How do you do, Mrs. Penriff?" said
he with stupendous self possession.
''Mr. Barton, aunt" said Dolly in
hurried sort of way. "This is my aunt,
Miss Penriff, Johnny"
81 don't know what has procured me
the honor of this call, said Miss Penriff,
strengthening herself up.
"Well, don't know much about the
honor of the thing" said John Barton,
laughing, sbut I've heard from Mr.. Oak
10y that you wanted to sell an old carved
settle. I'm buying up that sort of thing"
ooh, indced9"
Perhaps you would allow me to look
ct it9" went on Johnny, resolved on bust.
ness.
John Barton walked slowly around the
settle, eying it from every point Of view
Miss Penriff watched him.
eyes, it is beauty" said he "What
will you take for it, Miss Penritfp'
II hardly think you can afford to buy II
young man," said the elderly lady grimly
John Barton Redeemed little.
''Oh, as for that" said he rather awk
wardly, "Im representing some one else.
Personally perhaps
"Well, said Miss Penriff, cit cost $780,
But 1 don't expect to get it's full value"
"Aunt Keziah would take $780," fut-
tered Dolly.
Every well" said Mr.. Barton, cts a
bargain. Is there man about the place
who could help me lift it into the wagon?"
"There's old Silas Virgins beyond the
big rock" suggested Dolly.
And while Johnny Barton was gone for
him the old lady sat down on the settle,
where the yellow sunshine glimmered
and the smell of late mignonette came in
at the window.
"Here was where I 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 lover used to sit"
ooh, Aunt Keziah' cried Dolly, sud
denly finging her arms around the old
ladys neck. II never knew you had
lover"
docs any woman ever live to be 20
without lover, child9" said Miss Penritf. |
"But your grandfather was very am
bilious man. He was losing money in
those South sea shipping ventures even
then, though I didn't know it, and he
wanted me to marry rich man and re-
trievo the family fortune. And Henry was
poor"
Dolly held tight to her aunts hand. She
chung around her neck, with passionate
kisses.
"Now you know, Aunt Keziah, why I
didn't accept Orlando Daley Now, you
know why / love Johnny Barton"
'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" sobbod the girl II don't care
for money or rank. only know that /
love John!''
Dorothy" said she, "if you love the
lad, take him. II was young oncev'
And then she went back into the house,
so that she might not see the old griffins
with the claw feet being carried away.
Only two weeks afterward Dolly came
eagerly to her aunt.
"John's uncle is coming down from
New York, +" said she, the gentleman who
bought the mahogany settle. It wasn't
for q store, Aunt Kcziah, that John
bought 1t. It was for his own house. He's
very rich, and John Is his only heir.
who's that knocking at the doorP It
can't be Johns uncle alreadg!"
Miss Penriff's drawn face had bright. |
ened into sudden radiance.
tits Henryl" said she, with ~ start.
no11v 1ooEad half friphtnnnd INIT MI tho |