The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-09-17
Agatha Penryn's Query
By EMMA J. BOWEN.

ancestral
the wall. These, she said. sternly, ARE the peo-
pie whom you are determined bring a public
scandal Agatha
1t was the time in my experience that
Aunt Penny had brought before this court Of
the past, that hung In the upper hall / had broken
my engagement, aunt Penny had planned and
executed for me, and with the wedding day but
a week Oft.
For forty-odd years Aunt Penny had worshipped
at the shrine of family pictured here. For
instruction, correction raproof she had always
brought to these shadows In their atrocious
frames. To her they reflected the glorious and
honorable past of the family of Penryn. To
they seemed a quaint, f-giddy array OF and
women who. in their cir day and time had believed
women monstrous hoopskirts, of them
sleeves others faced the world from he Septbs or
huge poke bonnets They all object lessons
teaching the absurdity OF some fashions that have
Some of the men, with their great shoe buckles.
resemhled the pictures OF George Washington: some
of them--thsse must have been the poet-artists
of the Penryns--wore wildly long hair that had the
appearance of being uncombed. None OF the gem
temen, in OF apparel. would have pass-
ed muster in any society OF which knew. unless.
perhaps. they had chosen to foregather with the
butler and the coachman. associate with the
members of walters union.
For the most part the faces OF my forbears
fat placid. smirking and satisfied in expression.
In their eyes there was lcok of rsproach for me.
with one exception thought detected in the
face of great uncle Peter Penryn, look OF
the rest at the OF the hail--for a reason ira
dition said that otter long engagement. arranged
for breach promise; he eagerly paid
what the court thought was sufficient balm for his
thus losing among the ancient and honorable
people who looked down from the wall followed
the engagement broken-why I would be
married she and the ancestors had expected.
1t trying ordeal for l loved Aunt
Penny devotedly, and had spent twenty years under
her roof and an her eare--I was 1--WE and twenty
The wedding rousseau upstairs of IL In
the partially packed trunks the bridesmaids
in readiness and tiptoe. the wedding breakfast
/
promise would give Aunt Penny the most intense
To her feelings, and keep my place in
her affections, ! descended 70 saeterlnse
that Leon-~Mr Masters-desires to break the
easement"
Desires? What you saying. Agatha? De-
clines to Penryn, with the invitations all out
the bishop invited to preside and with beautiful
HE does" / faltered. with sudden determine
ton to see Leon Masters a, once and make him tell
Aunt Penny It was his wish to be free Why had
come to the decision not to marry Leon--why had
last moment, could hardly explain. felt that
his being younger than Leon was twenty two
in childhood. We had been swee.hearts In early
youth but with the wedding day week of | felt
that was taking mean advantage of child to
Marry Leon. did not love him.
But might have known better than tell this
Since 1 could remember Aunt Penny had never
been SO happy as when she was doing battle with
she changed in minute to the soldier she and
Ss.s M a this ss he looked ., after r.a mm
duct She left me with her hne eyes slowing with
waited for me for hour 10 the Office of Leon
Masters
He had received the letter that morning. I knew.
If the mails had done their usual work. He took
me to his inner sanetum and hurried
planation:
'Lson-Mr Masters I've told Aunt Penny that
you-that you the who didn't wish--she
Is hurt. very much hurt. Leon, and angry--and
thought that perhaps You would tell her that it is
Leon looked unutterably relieved, rs that aii.
Agatha" he said was afraid-very much
have reconsidered ietter-that you not
that yon wanted to go on. You know
And had expected to find him overwhelmed with
back.
50" stammered you really didn't,
caused -er-embrarassment-not for u
kings ransom. And dad had his heart it
he thinks you perfection, Agatha--and You
begun to feel about ~, psaS old Aunt pannv ~
to do. = anu 'e'' "'' ''A' = s "Aa' "'-A-'
Worse and worse. Home / went hot and tremb-
ling. / shut myself in my and would see no
callers. Toward evening. when had reasoned IL
all out, and had begun be glad had both been
saved from friends and from the great mistake.
Aunt Penny came to me with triumphant light
Agatha my poor lamb" she said. Icons father
has come to set things right You must come down
When reached the drawing room, where he
waited could not help thinking how young and
been forty hve-he had been widower for many
| years. He took hand In his.
agatha Miss Penryni" he said. what / say
to you--what do?'
Sitting there with my hand in his. told him
the whole bald. dsagreeabe truth. lie bent
me when I had finished.
Agatha" he whispered Dear
Love that had fed from long courtship came
to me that instant without any courtshp. / loved
Icons father. and knew it. / found myself swept.
unresisting. into his Aunt Penny In
soon. and told her OF the change, and restored
her to normal afterward There be q wedding
on the day set would marry Icons father There
would be little gossip of course there Is always
buzz of excitement over the marriage of elderly
man who writes checks sometimes In figures:
but there would he scandal would be
mother to Leon after all: but would dictate
to him when 1t to his marriage
When went upstairs that night or my second
betrothal glanced along the wall at the faces Of
my ancestors. They seemed to smile approval a4
me, all but Ny great uncle. Peter Penryn.
lay face down the floor a perfect ruin. When
he fell why, I knew. Was he ashamed
of mo. wonder, or he overcome with joy?
The Sane and Safe Democracy