The Virginia enterprise., 1907-12-06
The End of Her Visit
By Violet Etynge Mitchell
(COpyright.)

"Phoebe! amt it about time we had
mother here on visit?'
Mrs. Penny paused in her washing
and looked back at him over her shoul.
der, timidly.
Il suppose it is, JOSIAH" she spoke
hesitatingly, and her face clouded. If
you say the word Ill 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 If
there never was time when it's real
convenient for mother to come"
Mrs. Penny sighed. II know it,
JOSH she replied; I've been awful
mean about that visit, but soon's the
milk's attended to III set right down
and ask her to come; and-and-Ill
give her the best room and golfer
the piller cases a purpose. [ 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 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,
Yes, 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 a sin, she
wiped away from her flushed cheeks
the last traces of tears, then called
out cheerfully: Come in!'
why, Mrs. Wigger!' exclaimed she,
Frightening as the door opened to ad-
nit an elderly woman. Her shrewd
black eyes we're full of keen intelli-
gence.
IF l 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 a kind of mother
to me-
What pears to be the matter with
you, my dear?'
Mrs. Penny hesitated "Mother's
comm to pay us visit,' said she at
last, a little irrelevantly, as it might
appear.
You don't mean Josiah's mother,
ole Mis- Penny"
Yes, I do" replied Phoebe Imply
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. l know Ann
Eliza Penny well; there amt one thing
about her l amt pizen we'll acquaint-
ed with, and she's one of the cantan-
keringest, interferingest, all round, all
hreddest old woman l ever"
"Hush!" exclaimed Phoebe, with her
finger on her lips. The sound of her
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:
Il 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 say
them was the only times she ever had
bilious attack, and when she had one
of them she's very partik'lar about
bein' home"
1t was the end of the second week
of Mrs. Penny's visit, and the effects
of it were already visible upon the
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 in
appearance, she sat bolt upright in the
cane rocker from early morning till
bedtime, criticising and interfering
with Phoebe, or nagging at Josiah,
who was showing a wonderful agility
in disappearing Immediately after
meals
On this particular morning Mrs.
Penny had tasted everything on the
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 was
comfortably settled, then left the
room, carrying with her a pile of
heavy dishes.
The tears trickled through Phoe-
be'S fingers and drowned in = tinv