Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-02-12
PenelOpe'S
Problem.
Copyrighted. 1907. by @. II. sutciiffe.
....essssessessssssse
BY Constance darcy Mscksy.

Compton lived. and the air was rife
with the smell of heat parched brick
and pavement. Penelope's sister
Ruth, pale, gaunt young girl, spoke
from the sofa, where she lay propped
up with pillows.
nDon't you think there's any way,
Penelope?"
"None so far, dear" said Penelope
cheerfully. But one never knows
what may turn up"
For at least month Penelope had
been hunting place In the country
that should shelter her widowed moth
or her sister and herself and be with
In the compass of her slender purse.
with two invalids boarding was out
Of the question, and q 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. bay after day since
school closed she had answered ad-
And It was imperative that the two
inyalids should have country mir. 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
tience of Ruth's question nerved Pencil
ope to further effort. Something must
be found, Ii was matter OF life and
death,
Rising suddenly from her seat by
the window. Penelope caught up her
hat that lay on chair near by and
began to pin 1t on with swift. nerv-
Gus gestures
Are you going to try AGAIN." said
Ruth, the quickening Of hope In her
voice
Il am going to take street car-any
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 Ell Dorado might yet be
reached.
Penelope stumbled blindly upon the
first car that came. Beneath her brave
exterior she was weary and sick ut
heart, but the keen rush Of the air past
her as the car left the crowded streets
and took downward grade In 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 rustlsd, silver green
In the afternoon light. When the end
OF the line was reached Penelope got
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 oil rented 1t was
thriving community, and there We're
no vacancies. Tears welled In Pencil
ope's eyes, and she was forced to stop
and wipe away the brimming drops.
Il must find something" she said al
most savageiy. II must. l will.'
A shady road opened before her
She had not dreamed that SO truly
rural a scene could be within easy dis
lance OF the city. Films grew on either
hand; bird song floated down to her.
drowsy. with the heat: wild roses sent
up Sweet brlery perfume from the
roadside. Cottages became fewer and
fewer. Finally there were none at all.
1t became very still. Now and then n
tWlg dropped or tree toad chirred
Inc peace OF 1t was balm to Penelope's
ured nerves. She delighted In the flick
ering, leafy shadows. the warm es-
sences of the earth. She paused to
ieah on fence rails and look at bits of
views framed by swaying branches.
one fingered to gaze at the ruins OF
What had once been fine brick man.
sion and which now stood fire charred
ana desolate. 4 little way farther on
Penelope came upon the barn belong
ing TO 1t. 1t was a large. spacious
structure, Its red paint storm worn
ana peeling, its weathercock still twirl-
Ing merrily as If In defiance TO sun and
rain.
Moved by an impulse she could
scarcely define, Penelope tiptoed up to
Il and looked in its window. The inte-
rior was clean and airy. A few wisps
Vi straw showed at the edge of the
NOW; the stalls We're dimly hospitabte
out It was the great width down the
uenter OF the barn that made Penelope
.arul with sudden resolve. II only her
,uea were feasible, She wrenched at
tae door. 1t was bolted and did not
yield. She looked In the window again
Snu then, fred with the rapture OF her
nho' went back along the road whence
sne had first come. her feet seeming
nardiy to touch the earth. By diligent
,uquiry among the cottage colony she
'earned that the barn belonged to peo-
PIE Dy the namo 0f Mason hut fhav