The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-07-03


cut was across car platform. When
she climbed up to it, she said to her
self, Il feel mite dizzy-I guess I'll
sit right here on top Of the steps and
rest little"
Penelope had gone with e heavy
heart, rs has been said, to little Persis
Dowd's music lesson. Penelope was
responsible person as we'll as deeply
affectionate one, and since her fathers
death she had felt herself to be in an
especial sense her mothers keeper.
Old Doctor Bemis, little puzzled
by nervous prostration, which was less
common in North Goshen than in
places where people have more leisure
for it, had said very gravely that his
patient must not be crossed; and Pene-
lope felt guilty that she had even been
tempted to cross her. The temptation
had been dutifully resisted; letter of
many pages to Sam Mute now lay
heavily in her pocket and still more
heavily upon her heart.
It had required many pages to tell
Sam that what he had asked her could
never be, because her duty to her
mother forbade it, She had set forth
fully and pathetically her mothers sad
and dangerous condition, the more so
that she suspected Aunt Selma Of hay
ing made light of it to Sam.
Penelope had to go little out Of her
way to reach the postofice, and at the
turning Of the road she halted, her
resolution weakened by the Juggling at
her heart-strings. Little Persis Dowd
really ought not to be obliged to wait
ten minutes for her lesson; and to-
morrow would be soon enough to send
that letter. Old Captain Dowd, Persists
grandfather, drove Penelope home
around by the river-road, SO the letter
was still in her pocket when she reached
home and found Aunt Selma frantically
footing the horn and ringing the din
ner-bell to raise an alarm.
"Be calm, Penelope, be calm!' i'm
plored Aunt Selma, Historically; "but
little Aaron Scattergood says he saw
her going across the field in the middle,
ef.the. uiternoon, ana my big hat and
the short-handled dipper amt any
where, nor she amt! I thought she
was taking a nap in her room, and I
didn't ring the supper-bell, waiting
for her and you-O Penelope, don't
look like that! It's most likely she
KAY just gone to one Of the neighbors.
VtThe two women stood looking at
each other, Penelope's white-lipped,
dry-eyed silence in strong contrast
with Aunt Selma feverish excitement.
They both knew that Leafy never went
to the neighbors.
Penelope had heard that nervous
prostration sometimes developed into
The thought was too dreadful to en-
dure in silence! "The pond! Aunt
Selma, the pond!" she gasped.
CHOW don't you go to thinking of
that, child! I haint let myself think
of that!' sobbed Aunt Selma. ooh,
poor old Leafy! don't know as I had
feeling enough for her suferings--
though 1 did know they want all
vain imaginations.
Penelope felt the letter in her pocket,
an awful witness to- her guilt. She
thought that her mother had probably
discovered that Sam had written to
her, and anxiety for the result had
driven her to some dreadful deed.
"Oh, my poor suffering mother!
Gould you think I would be so heart
less as to leave you?" she cried aloud,
her self-restraint giving away sudden
ly. Then she aroused herself to
action, on seeing little Aaron Scatter
good standing, highly entertained and
curling his bare toes with excitement,
in the gateway.
''Run, Aaron, to every house in this
neighborhood and ask if my mother
has been there or been Scent" said
Penelope, imperatively.
GIVE been, and she haint," answered
little Aaron, concisely. Nobody saw
her go berryin' but just me. Mebbe o
bear eat her." he said, cheerfully;
"only there amt none" Little Aaron's
head dropped dejectedly with sense
of the tameness of life, and he medita-
lively essayed to pick up stones be-
tween his bare toes.
"Aunt Selma, the pond must be
dragged at once! I'll go and give the
alarm"
Penelope sped down the hill toward
the village, and at the foot she met the
messenger boy from the centre with a
telegram for Miss Penelope Todd,
which she opened with shaking fingers.
"YOur mother safa with friands