Smyrna times., 1908-01-15
PenelOpe'S
Problem.
BY Constance D'Arcy Mackay.
Copyrighted, 1907, by c. H. su,c,,rs

OOLAPtOu INeu, ana 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.
Don't you think there's any way.
Penelope?"
None so far, dear" said Pcaelope
cheerSully. But one never knows
what may turn up"
For at least a month Penelope had
been hunting a place in the country
that should shelter her widowed moth
er, her sister and herself and be with
III the compass of her slender purse.
With two invalids boarding was out
OF the question, and a 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 ut her command On this
particular afternoon the pathetic pa
tience 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
Il am going TO take Il street car-any
! car-and go out to the end of the line
and then ask from door to door till
find what l want" said Penelope We
| hemently. DO you feel strong enough,
dear, to be left alone with motherY
ooh. 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 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 all rented. 1t was
thriving community, and there were
no vacancies. Tears welled in Pencil
Ope's eyes. and she was forced to stoI
and wipe away the brimming drops
81 must find something" she said al
most savagely. 81 must! l WILL!
A shady road opened before her
She had not dreamed that so trul!
rural scene could be within easy dis
tance of the city. Elms grew on eithe
hand; bird song floated down to her
drOwsy with the heat; wild roses sen
up a sweet briery perfume from tn
roadside. Cottages became fewer ant
fewer. Finally there were none at all
1t became very still. Now and then
twig dropped or a tree toad chirred
The peace of it was balm to Penelope
tired nerves. She delighted in the flicB
ering. leafy shadows. the warm es
sences of the earth. She paused t
lean on fence rails and look at bits O
views framed by swaying branches
She fingered to gaze at the ruins Q
what had once been a fine brick MAI
sion and which now stood fire charre
and desolate A little way farther o
Penelope came upon the barn belong
ing to it, 1t was a large. spacioU
structure, It's red paint storm wOr
and peeling it's weathercock still twir
ing merrily as if in defiance to sun an
rain.
Moved by an impulse she cOul
scarcely define. Penelope tiptOed up
it. and looked in its window. The int
rior was clean and airy. y few wisl
of straw showed at the edge of Il
NOW: the stalls were dimly hospitabi
But it was the great width down Il
center of the barn that made Penelol
thrill with sudden resolve. If only b.
idea we're feasible! She wrenched
the door, 1t was bolted and did n
Weld. She looked in the window aga
and then. fred with the rapture of b
find. went back along the road when
she had first come. her feet seemil
hardly to touch the earth. By dilige
inquiry among the cottage colony s.
learned that the barn belonged to pc
- ole by the name of Mason. but th'
\ had been abroad for years. and N
- Frederick Carey was in charge OF I
property. Back to the city went /
4 q