New-York tribune., 1903-01-10

Really tracing matters to their source il was ali
the fault Of the little calf. It is unjust world
no one thought OF furnishing the little calf Per
heps too the white sunbonnet had something 10
do with II: but the white sunbonnst vas not pun
ished either.
Certainly 1t would he apparent that the
very small gray figure walking so demurey on sucn
very slim black legs 10 the rectory could not ne III
fault Even if the slim legs had not been proof
enough of this the great. grave eyes in the depths
OF the sunbonnet must have been
Moreover the brown hair drawn tidily back
from the wistful brew the droop at the corners Of
the quiet little mouth-au went to prove that
Penelope left alone. would have strayed from
the pa of duty. which in this was the path
that led TO the rectory. and Mrs Crigby. and les
A little blue butterfly fitted mischievously past
the sunbonnet. but Penelope kept steadily on her
course. She was saying to herself with anxious
soIemnity: lay-nooson-voosate-il-
song"
She had gone to sleep the night before saying Il.
and when she woke in the morning she began AT
once For she confded 10 the pillow, 81 are
very stupid" She accepted the fact OF her stupid
ity with the wstfui resignation which was the
keynote of her small existence. Mother and Mrs
Crigby said she stupid. OF course. she was
PeneIope's mother was stepmother, and Mrs
Crigby at the rectory taught Penelope BY these
two Pene1ope's life bounded at present she
walked steadily small gray figure crowned with
g big white sunbonnet. along the sunny road that
subdued sort of way by force of habit: Penelope's
stepmother possessed of nerves. mysteri-
word significant to Penelope of seedlings and
punishn1ents and calls for Fielding" So, obed-
ent to the teaching of the few OF her exist
ence Penelope walked softly along that road
straight to temptation She still saying her
French verb over herself in anxious fear lest
she should forget All unwilling of the bad little
calf waiting behind the hedge in the next field she
went innocently on. And just she was passing
he hedC va soft vet pushed ire
sistibly into her hand. Penelope jumped, for the
sunbonnet hid the calf. Then she looked around.
"Ohr' she gave ecstatc gasp of utter love.
''you-dorable''
long legs and fed into the field. Penelope could
feel the soft warmth of his damp nose In her hand
She looked at him with shining eyes of deep long
ing
How she to know that he was bad little
calf who had roamed away from his poor mother
and was just seeking for 70 lead into mis-
chief?
He stood a few yards off and looked at her with
alluriug eyes Penelopes heart was beating fast.
She clambered through the gap in the hedge and
drew softly near trembling with eagerness TO
touch him He let her get quite close then flung
up his heels and fed few yards further still
Penelope followed with earnest purpose
This is where the white sunbonnet's responsible
ity came in. Penelope was sideways TO the rec
tory, and the sunbonnet hid the smoke from the
rectory chmneys Now If Peneleps3 had seen me ne
lessons Often coming along 1de Toad sas 1aG 6 eEq @
mind with the spare black figure OF her austere
teacher. But the sunbonnets huge sides hid II
caiflpursued with but one thought. one desire--tO
touch him. Her staid legs grew riotous: they
tHinkled and stumbled in the eagerness OF their
pursuit d...--
mined effort. Forgotten was the French verb For
gotten were Mrs Crigby and lessons. In the world
Penelope Again and again her her @ heart @ beat hig9 si
H5n sbsnrd doR eg ana skipped e Just as the eager little
hand. outstretched to the fullest strainng point
fa tiasaf R E EtR of icy st the warmth 'h-' came
discerntble With his legs at acute angles the cali
sS stood arstcbed @ Peh0P oG3 g hd Ta calf gave a1
high kick and raced awkwardly in the direction
The csif's foolish n9thsr instead of ssolding
al pDroac as ne Wits oy Peneiope seeing him stop at
his mothers side had fresh glimmerng of hope.
But the mother chose to turn nasty; Perhaps
some others Being blind to the truth where their
children are concerned Anyhow; she watched
5af sastaI Fsfa And E6sn FsasioPs h2gs
ner that even PeneIope's great longing gave place
aeross sG e G ersss s Til I'll they had landed their small
owner safe in the next feld Then as sne paused @
flmy smoke rose accusingly to the skies from & tne
= gasp and stood staring wide-eyed and petrifed.
Her wqrd came tgm6ng s5 Ing IN Ms Tab ts snd
severe, seated behind the pile OF BOOKS al the heao
of the dining room table-watting. She put up her
hands 10 her eyes tried shut the vision out;
hut ii would not go. Momentarily the long lean
leaner Side by side with II Penelope saw anotnef,
a pale peevish face. whose light eyes pierced her
through with their cold gleau1,
Penelopes legs gave way, ano she sank o9%n
little calf never once glanced her way; he was 50
busy over his own concerns that he had forgotten
al about her Penelope realized his desertion with
an acouiescept throb of misery II vas only IN the
in the world. began to cry suodue0iy. dredrliS
on and on. She knew that every minute she
STAYED she making matters worse. YET
she stayed She thought night must be getting
but she dared not go home or to the rectory- Ihe
shadows heightened the grass TILL they en-
the little gray heap, and In their cooIness
Penelope experienced acuter misery
place. A., ,xz o,,.s
There was nothing 10 break the hushed solituoe
save the rnournful piping of bullhnch fitting IN
and out OF the hedge. Perhaps II Penelope had
scarlet breast. he would have brought ray OF
aJeviatiou TO her tear dTenched misery But tne
Uhite slInbonnet all it's stiff prtnness outraged.
IA crushed upon the ground. Inside 1t wet cheeks
and tragic eyes were hidden by clutchlng little
hands Penelope was alone, and in the uttermost
depths of despair.
Meanwhile things had happened The village ny
had drawn m ar the small gray house where
PeneIope's stepmother had lived since the death
of her second husband The ny had oeen 1oi-
Vowed nv queue of interested urchns and urchiI1-
esses for in Haywood the fly was a venice OF
grandeur and importance, seldom used ana Inuch
admired z.s.s 80
disanpeared into the gray house. Whereupon the