Willmar tribune., 1907-12-04
The End of Her: Il: Visit
By Violet Etynge Mitchell
(Copyright.)

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"Phoebe! amt it about time we had
mother here on a visit?'
Mrs. Penny paused in her washing
and looked back at him over her shoul-
der, timidly.
II suppose it 1s, JOSIAH" she spoke
hesitatingly, and her face clouded. If
you say the word I'll send her an invi-
tation at once
Mr.. Penny was driving a nail into
one of the kitchen chairs which had
for some time needed repairing. "T
seems to me, Phoebe" said he, "as II
there never was time when it's real
convenient for mother to come"
Mrs. Penny sighed. Il know It,
JOSH" she replied; "1've been awful
mean about that visit, but soon's the
milk's attended to I'll set right down
and ask her to come; and-and-Ill
give her the best room and golfer
the piller cases a purpose. I can't do
no more?"
NO" Mr.. Penny stammered, run.
ming his fingers through his long, red
dish hair in dazed kind of way.
Mothers a little peculiar, likes pow
erful we'll to have her own way. You'll
humor her, Phoebe?"
Mrs. Penny was hidden from sight
behind the door as she answered,
Eyes, JOSH"
Josiah, with his hands buried deep
in his pockets, went slowly down the
lane leading to the barn.
Phoebe watched him, shading her
eyes with one hand from the setting
sun, and then reentering the house be-
gan to prepare their early supper.
A knock at the door caused her to
start, and, as if caught in sin, she
wiped away from her flushed cheeks
the last traces of tears, then called
out cheerfully: "Come I'M"
"Why, Mrs. Wigger!" exclaimed she,
Frightening as the door opened to ad-
NIT an elderly woman. Her shrewd
black eyes were full of keen intelli-
gence.
IF I amt glad to see you!" cried
Phoebe. "A talk with you always
chirks me up when I'm blue. 1t seems
to me as if you was kind of mother
to me''
What pears to be the matter with
you, my dear?"
Mrs. Penny hesitated. Mothers
comm to pay us a VISIT" said she al
last, little irrelevantly, as it might
appear.
"You don't mean Josiah's mother
ole Mis- Penny"
The elder woman relaxed her hold
on the arms of the chair and, throwing
her head back against the padded pill
low, began to rock violently.
my lands!" she exclaimed. "You
let me know when she's gone home
and I'll come along and take up what's
left of you on dustpan. know Ann
Eliza Penny well; there amt one thing
about her I amt pizen we'll acquaint
ed with, and she's one of the cantan
kerjngest, interferingest, all round, all
fireddest old woman I ever"
"Hush!" exclaimed Phoebe, with hel
finger on her lips. The sound of hel
husbands approaching footsteps upon
the gravel path had reached her ears
Mrs. Wigger made a long visit. She
took tea with Mr.. Penny and his wife
but no further opportunity for conf
Dental talk occurred between the two
women until, as she bade Phoebe
goodnight at the door, she managed
in squeezing her hand, to whisper:
II dunno as you'll set any great
store by my tellin' you of it, Phoebe
but caraway seeds in cake always
brings on sick spell in Mis- Penny
I know it, because I've heard her sa,
them was the only times she ever hat
bilious attack, and when she had one
of them she's very partiklar abou
bein' home"
It was the end of the second weel
of Mrs. Penny's visit, and the effects
of it were already visible upon thu
face of her daughter-in-law, whose
worst fears were verified. Things
might easily have been better, but
they could not have been much worse
without an open declaration of war be
tween the two women.
Ungracious in manner, angular ii
appearance, she sat bolt upright in The
cane rocker from early morning til
bedtime, criticising and interfering
with Phoebe, or nagging at Josiah
who was showing wonderful agility
in disappearing Immediately aftel
meals.
On this particular morning Mrs
Penny had tasted everything on th.
neatly-spread breakfast table with az
gressive disapproval.
The old woman took up her knit
ting and sat down by the dining room
window. Phoebe saw that she wa.
comfortably settled, then left the
room, carrying with her a pile O.
heavy dishes.
The tears trickled through Phoe
be's fingers and dropped in>e tiny
salt lake on the kitchen table. Sud
denly she looked up and fixed he1
eyes meditatively On little closet, thu
door of which stood invitingly open
revealing shelf after shelf of neatly
arranged dishes and glass jars con