Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1756-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities external link and the Library of Congress. Learn more
Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL
Newspaper Page Text
& 'py.,4 ltfll''r73aBj3g a MISS MARY'S INDISCRETION By H. M. Egbert "Lizzie! What do you think! A let ter has come from our soldier!" ex claimed little Miss MaryPenfleld, al most dancing if such a term could be applied to such a dignified person as Miss Mary was into the living room. "Your soldier, my dear Mary!" an swered her elder sister, raising one finger reprovingly. The Misses Penfield were quite well to do and quite alone in the world. Miss Lizzie was forty, if she was a day. Miss Mary confessed to thirty two, but even the sweetest of women may be pardoned for deducting a year or so after passing the thirtieth mile-stone. They were the only daughters, the only children of VSquare" Penfield of Bodminton, New England. Once the family had played a prominent part in New Eng land's public life; hut with the growth of the industrial system and the fad ing out of the old ways of life they Jiad become more and more isolated. After their father's death they were more or less "hermits," as Miss Mary ruefully declared. All the village respected the two maiden ladies, but somehow they seemed an anachronism, a survival of other times in the hustling commer cial times of the twentieth century. Two months before Miss Mary, who subscribed to an English news paper contained a good deal of literary matter, had seen an adver tisement. It stated that one shilling, or a quarter, would purchase a pound of tobacco, a box of matches and 50 cigarettes for one soldier in the Frenches in Belgium. The sender's name was to be placed upon the pack age. "I'd like to send a shilling for one of the poor fellows," said Miss Mary. "But wouldn't it be a little for-1 ward, my dear?" inquired prudent Miss Lizzie. "Not in time" of "war, dear' an swered Miss Mary. With many searchings of heart the ladies embarked on their daring en terprise, and in due course a box went forward to the allies' trenches bear ing the iiftme of Miss Mary Penfield upon the-cover. And -now a letter ahd come. It was marked with a red-sign: "Opened un- "How Can You Say Such a Dreadful Thing?" ) der martial law," which alone sent a delightful thrill down the" two ladies' backs. They opened the envelope with shaking fingers and read: "My Dear Miss Penfield- I write to thank you very much for your de lightful gift. Yqu cannot imagine what pleasure such -a thing gives us tfafltftaAfl&Mfj .&: jjgjgggllfj