Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1911-04-20
AAAAAAAAAAAAA
SuSannah'S
independence
1t Was Short Lived, but
Served Its Purpose
By CLARISSA MACKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

That Sunday had been one of Miss
Lettice Penfelds 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 radiantly at Martin Waynes
portrait in its shrinelike frame on the
bookcase. Susannah had the grace to
blush rosily as her eyes met Aunt Let
tees dispirited glance.
isn't he handsome. Aunt LetticeY
she asked daringly.
Handsome is as handsome does, :"
quoted Miss Penfield gloomily. Some
times | have qualms regarding your
future happiness. Marriage is such a
lottery you can never tell how one of
'em is going to turn out. Sometimes it
seems as if when there's the most rea
son to expect happiness there comes
the most misery. And it doesn't do fol
a girl TO trust herself to man just be
cause he is handsome"
Seems as If I'd Heard something of
that sort before" Susannah said
scornfully. Aunt Lettice, I've always
noticed that you have qualms about
everything on Sunday afternoons, new
er any other time unless it's Il rainy
day. / do believe it's that horrid
book of sermons all about everlasting
fpv ont nd m erni q
to prescribe n cure for your melan-
cholia-there"
Miss Penfield gasped as Susannah
leaned forward, caught the book OF
sermons from her hand and tossed it
page downward into the glowing crate
fire. The flames flickered up, and the
ancient and brittle pages curled into
charred fragments. The old sheep
skin binding sent black pillar Of
smoke up the chimney. while it smell
ed horrible.
"Susannah Penfield." cried her aunt
Indignantly. "see what you have done!
That book belonged to my GRANDPA
Their. You know how have cherished
it. You are lacking in respect to me
and to your forbears." Miss Penfela
adjusted her gold eyeglasses on her
Roman nose and sailed majestically
toward the door
Susannah was genuinely peniteni
and rather frightened at her own rash
deed, but Aunt Lettice was always SO
exasperating on Sunday afternoons
and there had been so many Sundays
since Susannah had come to live with
her an orphaned and penniless little
girl.
II am so sorry. Aunt Lettice," cried
Susannah remorsefully. II wish
could undo that mischievous deed
II 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 friendless, and now you turn and
bite the hand that has caressed you"
Susannah arose and stood before her
aunt, her pretty cheeks pale as white
roses. her gray eyes dilated until they
merged into black.
"Aunt Lettice, what are you say
ing? You exaggerate what | have
done. have been grateful for your
kindness-I have tried TO be as q
daughter to you, and now
Merely because | suggested that
your future life with Martin Wayne
might not be all rose color" went on
Miss Penfield 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 Penfields
departure by leaving the room hastily
through the library door, thus adding
insult to the injury she had imposed
upon that austere lady.
Through the gloomy library and the
dim hall she went, up the wide red
carpeted stairs to her own room, where
she locked the door and sank breath
lessly into chair before her writing
desk. Her face was still white, and
her eyes wore new look OF trouble.
Before this Susannah had always
| brushed her troubles aside. Today
Il
they were heavy enough. She. too,
had observed her lover with Madeline
Fearing. but until Aunt Lettice's in
| situation Susannah had never enter
tanned a doubt Of Martins loyalty.
Now her honest heart was afiame with
jealousy and her pride was stung by
Aunt Lettice's taunt
Pen and paper were at hand. and 1t
was the work Of an instant to write a
brief note to Martin. breaking Off the
engagement and inclosing within the
envelope a tiny box containing the
ring he had given her. Another note
to Aunt Lettuce 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. Susannah selected her
plainest last years street suit, gather
ed few other necessaries into a shah
by leather bag. slipped her own
especial picture of Martin on top and
stole away in the dusk OF that Sunday
evening just at the time when she
might have been expecting Martin to
come. She had left the letters on her
dressing table so that when Aunt Let
tice came to seek her they would be