The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1911-03-31

That Sunday had been one of Miss
Lettice Penfeld's lugubrious days
when the whole world was CARRIED in
a dark dismal blue. She had looked
up from her melancholy book of SER
mons TO discover her niece, Susannah,
smiling radlantly at Martin Wayne's
bookcase. Susannah had the grace to
blush roslly as her eyes met Aunt Let.
tees dispirited glance
isn't he handsome, Aunt LettieeP
she asked daringly.
"1Tandsomc is as handsome does. >
quoted Miss PenGeld gloomlly. Some
times ! have qualms regarding your
future happiness. Marriage is such
lottery you can never tell how one OF
EN- is going to turn out. Sometimes 1t
seems as If when there's the most rea-
son 10 expect happiness there comes
the most misery. And 1t doesn't do for
a girl TO trust herself to a man Just be
cause he is handsome"
"Scems as If I'd heard something of
that sort before" Susannah said
scornfuly. Aunt Lettice, I've always
noticed that you have qualms about
everything on Sunday afternoons ney-
or any other time unless it's a rainy
day. Do believe is that horrid
book of sermons all about everlasting
torment and so forth. Now, I'm going
to prescribe cure for your melan-
cholia-thcre"
Miss PenGeld gasped as Susannah
leaned forward, caught the book of
sermons from her hand and tossed ii
page downward into the glowing CRATE
fire. The flames llckered up, and the
ancient and brittle pages curled into
charrcd fragments. The old sheep
skin binding sent black pillar Of
smoke up the chimney while It smell.
ed horrible
"Susannah Penneld," cried her aunt
Indignantly, "see what you have done!
That book belonged to my GRANDPA
ther. You know how / have cherished
It. You are lacking in respect to me
and to your forbears.' Miss Penfeld
adjusted her gold eyeglasses on her
Roman nose and sailed majestlcally
toward the door.
Susannah was genuinely penitent
and rather frightened ut her own rash
deed. but Aunt Letticc was always so
exasperating on Sunday afternoons
hnI 90 Gnn1uVa
since Susannah had come to live with
her an orphaned and penniless little
girl
81 am SO sorry, Aunt Lettlce," cried
Susannah rcmorscfully. II wish
could undo that mschievOus deed
Il must expect ingratitude from you,
Susannah 1t is ever thus when one
performs an act of benevolence. |
have always tried to do my duty by
you ever since you came to me poor
and friendlcss, and now you turn and
bite the hand that has Caressed you.
Susannah arose and stood before her
aunt, her pretty checks pale as white
roses, her gray eyes dilated until they
merged into black.
Aunt Lcttice. what are you say,
ing? You cNaggerate what | have
done. | have been grateful for your
Kindness have tried TO be ms a
daughter TO you, and now
Merely because suggested that
your future life with Martin Wayne
might not he all rose color" went on
Miss Pcn6cld in monotonous com
plant. 81 couldn't help thinking about
it when | saw Martin paying so much
attention to that rich Miss Fearing
not that he needs the money. for he
has plenty of his own. but
Susannah anticipated Miss Peniields
departure by leaving the room hastily
through the library door, thus adding
insult to the injury she had imposed
upon that austcrC lady.
Through the gloomy library and the
dim hall she went. up the wide red
carpctcd stairs to her own room, where
she locked the door and sank breath
lessly into a chair before her writing
desk Her face was still white. and
her eyes wore a new look of trouble
Before this SuSannah had always
brushed her troubles aside Today
they were heavy enough. She too
had observed her lover with Madeline
Fearing, but until Aunt Lettiee's in
situation Susannah had never enter
tanned n doubt Of Martins loyalty
Now her honest heart was atlame with
jealousy and her pride was stung by
Aunt LctticC's taunt
Pen and paper were NJ hand. and IL
was the work of an instant to write a
brief note to Martin, breaking off the
engagement ana incloSing within the
envelope tiny box containing the
ring he had given her Another note
to Aunt Lctticc announced that hence
forth Susannah would make her own
way in the world and would try to
repay little by little her Indebtedness
TO her aunt SuSaunah selected her
plaincst last years street suit. gather
ed few other ncccsSaries into shah.
by leather bag, slipped her own
especial picture OF Martin on top aud
stole away IN the dusk Of that Sunday
evening JUST III luP lllut Nutu sue
might have been expecting Martin to
come She had left the letters on her
dressing table so that when Aunt Let.
tice came TO secL her they would I've
found
With beating heart she rode down
town TO the railroad station and bought
her ticket for New York Her own In
land town did not offer any opening
for n young woman who had no talent
for anything in especial unless 1t was
to make home for some excellent
young man, and Susannah's career In
that direction seemed TO be closed for
ever.
Arrived in New York. she found
lodgings at working girls club OF
which she had often heard, and the
next morning she awakened to a new
life of independence and work.
At the end of three days Susannat
found work in the basement OF large
department store, where she sold al
sorts of kitchen ware TO busy house
wives. Because Susannah was borr
housewife herself she found genunn,