The Lambertville record., 1909-01-27
Ole Patriotism
Of Penelope.
by VIRGINIA BLAIR.
Copyrighted, 1909, by Associated
Literary Press.

a man who can vote and won't
Penelope dramatically
"0f course II you feel that way"
Oswald Deering said stifHy.
Every woman should feel that
way"-Penelepe's scornfnl little nose
was in the air-'and every man. The
welfare of the country depends on It..
Pm not so sure"--Deering was fast
becoming aggressiye-"that woman
knows
And then Penelope blaxed .'ot
course''-becoming aggressive-"that II
woman ought not to dabble In such
things But the blood of my ancestors
Is In me. All of my grandfathers were
In the Revolution and In the war of
1872 My father served with honor In
the civil war and my brothers In the
Spanish war. How can I help feeling
that the men who wouldn't fight
were"- She stopped
Oswald was very pale. Il know
what you We're going to say-that be-
cause didn't fight was coward"
Something In the stiffness of his an
ger frightened Penelope.
Il didn't mean she faltered.
YES. you did" he told her. "You
meant that l was coward because l
didn't go 10 the war when your broth
ers did. But there were reasons"
"There are always reasons" she
flashed out You may now say there
are reasons why you are not going to
vote tomorrow"
"Wcll, l don't think you could under
stand II l told you, Penelope"
She stood up and faced him. oh"
she said. and her little figure in the
elinging mauye gown was drawn up TO
Its full height-''oh, | always thought
that you put women on n low plane.
Oswald. and now know It."
"It isn't that" he said doggedly,
"but think ought not to be made to
explain my reason for not voting. 1t
involves some one else. l shall stay
away from the polls tomorrow M n
matter of conscience. Penelope"
Tier little nose was buried In the
bunch of vlolets he had brought her.
Il don't think II Is worth arguing
about she said nj last wearIly as she
lifted her head from the flowers. But
| really think we couldn't be happy II
we feel so differently"
"You mean He had risen and
was standing beside her.
81 mean that-that l think we have
made mistake"
"Then you won't marry Inc, Pencil
epef'
II have never sra that would, Os
valid.
No, but you gave me hope. You
knew that thought
Before his accusing eyes her own
dropped.
But never really said Yes she
whispered.
perhaps not But | understood
that It was because you wanted to be
sure" Ills voice broke, and then all
at once he gathered himself together
and, with his head held high, said
stcrnly, Don't talk of mans ale
glance to his country, Penelope, when
you have failed IN your allegiance to
your love"
II don't love you" she began, but he
interrupted her. You do. You know
you love me. Penelope. But deep
down In Your heart you don't trust
me. And l don't want that kind of
who believes In me-
She was staring ut him In Il dazed
way. goodby." she quiv
cred.
He came over and took both OF her
hands In his. "Oh, little Penelope"
he said, why can't you trust meY
Her Hips quivered. "Why can't you
why you won't vote. 0swald?"
He hesltated and then shook his
head. mo; It's n matter best left un-
discussed. Perhaps some day you'll
see things differently"
Her chin was raised mutinously. II
shall always love my country, Os-
wald."
"And | shall always love you" And
with that he was gone.
Left alone, she wondered IL 1t was
true. Surely in little while Oswald
would he back begging her TO forgive
| him.
| But the next day came, anJ the men
gathered at the polls. and Penelope's
| father aud his sons went out to vote
as the men Of their family had done
before them for conscience and for
| country, and ut dinner they toasted
their favorite candidate In water from
their own clear spring, and their ia
ther made II little speech. "We have
all been fighters" he said. "and hope
I shall never have son or a grandson
TO break our record"
| And Penelope, thinking OF Oswald,
WINGED. What place had he among
these men of war?
But when the feastlng was over her
youngest brother, Bruce said, 1--WE al
ways felt that there was no force like
the force of arms, but / tell you /
heard something about Oswald Deer
ing today that made me believe In n
new kind of courage"
what was it?" they demanded
well, the nurse who takes care of
Oswaid's mother told me when I was
waiting In Oswalds office today. 1t
seems that his father was killed In the
civil war and that since then his moth
er has been very delicate.
when the first news Of fighting In
Cuba came Oswald was wild to go. but
she opposed 1t strongly, and at last,
when she found that his mind was
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Impossible
1t is impossible to be we