The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1899-08-26
WHY SHE WOULDN'T.
EHEY sat together in Miss Penelope
Rankin's sitting-room.

by tney mean MIS-. AInOs ohiuuer anu
Miss Pe9elope herself. They were of near
the same age, and before Mrs. Skinner had
changed her maiden name for that Of Skin
ner and moved away from the village in
which she she had been born and raised they
had been girl friends. In those days they
had had but few secrets from each other,
and in every way were as close as two
women usually get But there was secret
in the life of Miss Penelope, secret which
her neighbors Of the village had never been
able to solve, and Mrs. Skinner, back to.
her girlhood home for short visit, intend
ed to find solution, and learn why Miss
Penelope had never married, and especially
why she had never married Job Liscomb.
Penelope was making braided rug, and
Mrs. Amos Skinner was knitting stock
ing. A silence had fallen between them
after the first half-hour chat, and each
seemed occupied with her own work.
Penelope was, in fact, thinking OF the
black stripe she was going to put around
the edge of her rug, but Mrs. Skinner was
trying to think of some way to lead up to
the subject of Job Liscomb. She was on
from the west visiting her sister, Mrs. Sim
con Quincy, and she had chosen this after
noon to spend with Penelope Rankin.
"Have you ever found out why she
wouldn't marry Job Lscomb?" Mrs. Amos
had asked when they were talking about
Penelope that forenoon.
mo, we haven't" Mrs. Simeon had re-
piled. Us
81 believe I'll find out this afternoon. I'd
| just as lief ask her right out"
90 don't believe you'd want to.
eyes, / would She and l used to be
good friends, and it's so many years since
/ I've seen her that she'll be feeling like tell
| ing me things that she wouldn't tell the rest
of you that have lived along with her, as you
might say. Yes, I'd just as lief ssk her as
! not"
But now, as she looked at Penelope, she
| hesitated. She decided not to ask her right
out, but to lead up to the question eau
| tiously.
"You do seem to be real comfortably sit
uated," she said, at last. "And you amt
grown old like me. Your house is just as
pretty as can be, and, wen, guess you've
| done better than some that's married"
| She laughed little nervously. 1t wasn't
as easy as she expected. She wondered if
that was too abrupt beginning.
I Penelope smiled placidly. I'm greatly
favored" she said, "and don't feel any rea-
son for complaint with my lot"
Mrs Skinner went on with more conf
| dence: Il guess you didn't make any mis-
take that time you give Job Liscomb the
mitten. They say they're as poor as picry,
and now he's had to go and break his leg,
and, well, they seem to be in peck Of
trouble all the time" <E
| Mrs. Skinner waited moment, but there
| was silence.
NO." she went on, hastily, fearing that
Penelope would change the subject, mo,
! guess you knew what you were about"
| She waited till the pause was just the
right length for the effect she wished to pro-
duce, then said: "But I've always wondered
how you happened not to have him."
II suppose there's good many would
like to know that" said Penelope, calmly.
Mrs. Skinner had held her breath and
looked at her friend with bright, piercing
eyes, but at this answer disappointed ex-
| preston came over her face.
"Well, you can't deny twas curious" she
said, with the slightest trace of irritation in
her voice. ''There he'd been going with
you steady that spring, and then all at once
he stopped short, and neither of you gave
any reason for it'that ever heard Of.
NO." said Penelope, Pm sure never
have"
A tinge of color famed up in Mrs. Skim
ner's face. This was rather disappointing.
She controlled her voice with an effort, and
| went ON patiently:
ut was awful strange. My! I can re
member just how you looked that spring.
You had lavender delaine, and it was
terrible becoming, and everybody said that
! you and Job were the best looking couple in
town. That hit me, for that was the year
Amos and began to keep company. But
you were good looking that year." she said,
generously, glancing at Penelope to see the
effect of her words.
well, everybody was thunderstruck
when it came to an end so sudden, and every.
body guessed different reason. Some
thought it was his mother made the trouble,
and some said you hated smokin' SO bad, but
always thought it was her he married after
wards"
She paused, and looked at Penelope, try.
ing to decide il she was going too far.
"You know he began to go with her soon
after you got through with him. Well, l
thought p'rhaps he didn't know his own
mind, and maybe you'd seen him larkin'
| round her"
'sWell," said Penelope, suddenly, edo you
blame girl for being mad under such cir
cumstances?"
Mrs. Skinner caught her breath. 1t was
coming out now.
$50 that was the reasor?" she said, her
voice shrill with excitement. $50 that was
the reason. You don't sayi'
mo, don't say" said Penelope. There
was mischievous CLEAN in her eyes. 81
don't say so, and that wasn't the reason.
was just fooling you"
Mrs. Skinner knit fast, and her mouth was
closed like trap. Penelope looked at her
| now and then.
'They say Jobs fat now" she said, mildly,
'tnd bald. too"
| Mrs. Skinner picked up courage for one
more trial. YES" she said, che is, knew
he'd be bald; it runs in the family. Say,
Penelope" she pleaded. II wish you'd ten
me the reason you wouldn't marry him."
"Well, will," said Penelope, relenting