New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-23
MISS PENELOPE'S PENSION

20 much Just claim ez you,
Miss Penelope-she always answered 10 'ha'
name. regardless of being the relict OF Nathan
Briggs and widow OF good standing-naoe ho
answer. at first She was occupied IN casting oh
the heel OF a stocking.
Marrying so late in life. no one IN Ca"""
could get out Of the habit OF addressing hef as
Miss Penelope: so Miss Penelope she reha'neu
both before and after marriage she WAS i"
little old lady. with soft eyes ana d pA'
droop to the corners OF her mouth Ihese A"N
ious curves were accentuated now as
A,onred her knitting in her lap and glanced up
q little deprecatingy
"I hadn't thought on It" she commehceo'
'Well you Jess oughter" broke IN he' com.
n.r,on volubly. ITS sin and shame to let
money 60 to waste as olongs Ter YOU ~
r,en.s, WHY there's Seth Sawyer, claimed he
he'd a gunshot In the knee-hed doctor GER
ti6cate made out an all that; but Farmer Jones
80. 10 on, 4. nilferin' q hen-roost-he was with
h,r, when re done it. OF course he can't come
forward and testify fur he'd be defamin NV MS
own character An Hannah Pratt-she that wuz
q Winslow-draws her stipend. regular: thoush
every one knows Stephen Pratt never went lii'ei
the war tell 'twuz nigh on over, an uleu !" mo
he'd at his allotted time. No one can say 'ha' Vi
vour claim. Penelope It's all open ana ABOVE
board"
4 tender smile wreathed Miss Peneopes lips
&c she lifted her eyes TO the opposite wall "4ie'e
a sword and knapsack were suspended.
ayes Nathan. he fit in three oatties-Shlio
Nanassay and the Wilderness. he wuz 'ooN ,ei
the hospittle arter the last one, an tha' INC
only bit wv information l could scrape up
Con,dn't make out, even where he wuz purieu'
Cornoral Brent. he brought me them Things
back; found 'ern on the battle-hed
A tear stole down the wrinkled cheeK.
"vrvuz grievous loss. Sister penelope
That's the way l look at it You've give a lie u
vour country. an now 1t owes you recompehsa-
ton"
Mrs. Bracket leaned back after THIS STATE
ment. and looked at her friend as II deiylhg hef
20 deny the allegation,
The bereaved widow shifted uneasily under
that steady gaze. The remarkable now OF IAN
guage confused her.
at never seemed zactly right" she ventureu
+mjdlv. Elder Little use ter go on awful
'rainst insurance. Pears ter me this Is bout the
same thing?"
Flyira Bracket shifted contemptuousy
"sakes alive. The quicker you get that notion
ort Yer head the better You don't hear no sech
talk nowadays in the pulpit, tt mes hev changed
Think Nv havn ten dollars month. sides the
arrears Uncle Sans good purvder
Miss Penc!ope made no rejoinder to this but
turned the heel Of her stocking medtatively
perhans awe OF Elvira Bracket restrained her
from an open expression Of her views. Tor Mrs
pracke.t,s mother vas a Peterson. To nave
ANIMATED from such stock was a brand OF
nobility One Of the Petersons had borne the
t,t,a Of Circuit Judge; all had held offices or re-
spectability
Mrs Brackett's sisters husband was pros
perous plumber. They lived In the city, ana FL
vira paid a yearly visit to her kinfolks returning
from each trip in an elevated ana instructive
frame OF mind. Elvira was born manager 81
now. when she leaned forward with an air OF
settled determination Miss Penelope sank oach
IN her chair with much the same sensation OF a
fy in Il spiders web.
"I,s ALL very we'll" Elvira went on. In an en-
nha.ic tone Of voice. "to be independent when
you're Young an spry an can look out Tor your
self but now, with old age staring you III 'iie
face It's q slightin' Nv Providence that WHAT
II be, We wuz talk,n' 1t over az the sewing crc'o
last Wednesday. HanneA Jewett sald she hedru
Won had at been to meetin since last July cause
Won hadn't a decent pair NV SHOES Ter wear
Now. Miss Penelope, you know what the bioie
saws about hidin yer talents in napkin III
hevin' husband tibet fit in three pat'ies ISL
a talent don't know what is''
Elvra's arguments were not exactly logical
but Miss Penelope had not the courage 10 reiu'e
them, and so she went on
81 tell You now. have an idea. July Ann mas
sont q mass fur me to come on an visit her.
can't get off. seem it's Jess preservin Time Dut
you might as well take II an go far as Wash
L.. 1au Eacr O d.
,ng-bouse there an she'll take you in. I'll write
her TO meet you an she'll tell you how TO go
.bcut II. That's just the very thing! I'll find
some one gon on from Northboro ter put you
in care Of an it'll give you chance ter see the
Can,til too-it's a powerful pretty city, so they
saw Now. guess I've got you all fXed'' And
F-yira drew her shawl around her and prepared
10 take her departure.
Don't yer worry about yer things or nothin'.
I'll be over an fix 'en up for you"
Miss Penelope sat motionless for long time
after her visitor had left her. The sun crept
down behind the horizon line. and the stars lit
their glmmerng tapers one by one thread
NJ moonlight stole through the parted curtains
and glittered on the shining andirons. When
she stumbled TO her feet at last and began TO
nrepare her simple meal there was still dazed
expression on her face.
"'Nirh on ter seventy-two an gon ter the
Capitil. I wonder what NaShSn would say?
Flviry seems ter think it's my duty. She sed 1t
wuz slightin' Nv Providence"
Even now after Nathan had been dead thirty
wears Miss Penelope found herself Offering to
his opinion, as she had always tried to do while
living: not that she had ever followed his advice
when given. 1t was simply a form of respect
nv which she strovc to hide the consciousness
that Nathan's judgment was not to be relied
UPON. Indeed, no one but Miss Penelope had
much opinion of Nathan Briggs. To obtain GER
tincate of respectability in Canaan 1t was neces-
sary to be familiar with ones family tree.
Nathan had come ther. stranger.
He had always been singularly reticent os TO