The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-12-10
PencGOpe'S
Problem.
By Constance DARCY Mackoy.
. Copyrighted. 1907. by c. H. Sutonne.
. Observation-Disclosures,


1t was nearing the first week OF
July. The sun blazed down on the
noisy. unshaded street where Penelope i
Compton lived. and the air was rife \
with the smell OF heat parched brick 4
and pavement PeneIope's sister. 7
Ruth, pale, gaunt young girl, spoke
from the sofa, where she lay propped |
up with pillows.
Don't you think there's any way.
PenelopeT'
"None so far, dear" said Penelope
cheerfully. But one never knows
what may turn up"
For at least a month Penelope had
been hunting place in the country
that should shelter her widowed moth
er. her sister and herself and be with
I'm the compass OF her slender purse.
With two invalids boarding was out
of the question, and summer cot
tage. no matter how small, had so far
been beyond the means of Penelope,
the breadwinner of the family. a
frail but determined girl. the idol of
the crowded city schoolroom in which
she taught. Day after day since
school closed she had answered ad-
vertisementS, only to be disappointed.
And it was imperative that the two
invalids should have country air. Ruth
grew paler week by week, and Mrs.
Compton-but Penelope never dared
TO think of that, for she needed all
the courage at her command. On this
particular afternoon the pathetic pa
thence OF Ruth's question nerved Pencil
ope to further effort. Something must
be found! 1t was a matter OF life and
death!
Rising suddenly from her seat by
the window, Penelope caught up her
hat that lay on a chair near by and
began to pin it on with swift nerv-
Gus gestures.
"Are you going to try again?" said
Ruth. the quickening of hope in her
voice
II am going to take a street car-any
car-and go out to the end of the line
and then ask from door to door till /
find what | want" said Penelope We
hemently. DO you feel strong enough,
dear, to be left alone with mother"
"Oh, yes" responded Ruth, brighten
ing. as she always did at the expecta-
ton that their FL Dorado might yet be
reached.
Penelope stumbled blindly upon the
first car that came. Beneath her brave
exterior she was weary and sick at
heart but the keen rush of the air past
her as the car left the crowded streets
and took 4 downward grade in a more
sparsely populated district was tonic
and refreshing She began to feel less
tired, less hopeless. The car whizzed
on through suburbs with trim, fenced
in houses and green fields that stretch
ed away in pleasant undulations. The
leaves of the trees rustled. silver greer
in the afternoon light. When the enc
of the line was reached Penelope go
out. her spirits rising. Surely among
; the cottages dotted here and there
would be one that answered her re
quirements. But Penelope soon discov
cred that they were all rented. 1t was
3 a thriving community, and there were
J no vacancies. Tears welled in Pencil
] ope's eyes, and she was forced to stoI
and wipe away the trimming drops
81 must find something" she said al
most savagely. Il mustl I willp'
4 shady road opened before her
She had not dreamed that so trul!
rural scene could be within easy dis
lance of the city. Elms grew on eithe
hand; bird song noated down to her
Z drowsy with the heat; wild roses sen
p up a sweet briery perfume from th
e roadside. Cottages became fewer an,
= fewer. Finally there were none at al
( It became very still Now and then
5 twig dropped or a tree toad chirre6
= The peace of it was balm to Penelope
: tired nerves. She delighted in the flich
q ering, leafy shadows, the warm e:
9 sences of the earth She paused I
= lean on fence rails and look at bits c
e views framed by swaying branches
e She fingered to gaze at the ruins {
= what had once been a fine brick maj
sion and which now stood FIRE charre
and desolate. A little way farther o
Penelope came upon the barn belon;
Ing to 1t. 1t was a large. spaciou
s structure, its red paint storm wor
r and peeling. its weathercock still twir
r ing merrily as if in defiance to sun an
n rain.
Moved by an impulse she coul
II scarcely define. Penelope tiptoed up
N it and looked in its window. The int
Y rior was clean and airy A few wis.,
IA of S+ra " ShOund at fha odca Of ID
d NOW: the stalls were dimly hospitab'
But it was the great width down th
sr center of the barn that made Penelor
thrill with sudden resolve. II only be
idea were feasiblei She wrenched
the door. 1t was bolted and did M
n yield. She looked in the window agai
'e and then. fred with the rapture or ht
n find. went back along the road whenC
she had first come. her feet seemir
hnv - z