Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1888-09-14
OLD CRUNCHBR'S NIECE,

Owen Stanley, huddlcd in the corner
oil third class carriage, was going from
Man hester to Chatburn, where place
in lawyers office awaited him. The
prospect wns not cheerful, but it was the
only means Owen had of earning his
bread since the unlucky misunderstood.
ing with Uncle Raymond. Also. if
Uncle Raymond would never see the
rights of that miserable affair, the work
at Chatburn would be u stepping stone
to better place
AS he walked aimlessly down the
street, after lie reached Chatburn. he
read the name. "Cruncher, Attorney. u
beside dingy Office door, with "Clerk
wanted chalked underneath. lie pre-
sentcd himself before Mr.. Cruncher, and.
after sharp cross-questioning, was en-.
gagged TO ill the post vacant in the
oihcc.
The following Sunday the young man
mad an opportunity of seeing the whole
Crunchcr household in church. When
the service was over, Mr.. Cruncher
staiked grimly forth, followed by the
silent members of his family, cacI and
all evidently in great awe of hun.
Louise Ice, hold Tommy's ripht
hand tight You stupsJly let him trip
on the step last Sundayl" said Mrs
Crinchcr i'll petulant tones, with look
to match, to her niece as they passed
Owen.
1t was consolation 10 have learned her
name. Louise Lett was pretty
name, and suited her. Was her life
made unhappy by that solemn brute of
M old mnni Owen longed for money
and power and influence, and nil the
good things of this life, to take her away
IRON her present bondage and give her
home fit for II princess. But none of
thesc blessings came to him, and he had
to content himself us best he might with
seeing Louise once week in church.
One morning Owen lost his way hone.
lessly in the labyrinths of the HYMN
book. AS he was struggling to recover
himself pretty baud in II shabby ploye
-LouIse's hand-hcld toward him n
book with the place marked bv n scrap
OF paper. Owen was uncomfortable
conscious of blushing as lie accepted the
offered civility; but it was moro than
charming to he noticed, even in tho most
commonplace way, by her.
The pit of paper between the pages
was folded i'll two. He idly pressed it
apart with his thumb, and to his astonish.
ment read these words, evidently written
IN furtive haste ''Look, tomorrow, in
my unclc's hut lining when he comes TO
the office"
This appeared, indeed, like the be.
ginning OF n most interesting adventure.
ana the overture made by girl, whom
he feared ignored his very existence.
How he sat gu city through the sermon.
ana passed the rest of the day and night
uhtii OLD Cruncher appeared ut his usual
post next morning, Owen never knew
when lie saw his patron deeply absorbed
III pile OF letters, Owen, like n coat and
umbrella thief, stole out into the passage
where such articles were deposited, and
possessed himself of the old ucntleman's
sedate looking hat.
There, as he expected, lie found
slowed away in the lining tiny little
note. with trembling fingers the now
hopeful lover laid smooth the compli-
Gated folds of the paper and read:
Please 10 not think me forward or pre.
Stunning III making tho following request:
nm III great trouble. morrow eyenino,
az a.. L shall not be missed for half an hour
WIN you meet mo ut the end of the lame
begins:
The following evening Owen WA, NJ
the place of rendezvous fully half an
honf too soon. As he was beginning
to despair of I.ouse's coming She an
peareu' Dreathless and greatly agitated.
Nv hat must you think of me-" she
began, making an appointment with
you, almost stranger, ut dusk, i'll this
theatrical manner. have strong
motive in this case, certainly" con.
tinued Louise. Il wish to ask yonr
ADVICE on matter of the ntm ost imnorI-
ance to me. l have studied your face as
much us | dared in church"-Owcn's
heart gave bound of delight Then
sne hau looked Mt and thought about
MN and l think can trust you, and
call you my friend. l have no other"
she looked so lovely with the tears in
her eyes as she said this that Owen lonoed
to take her in his arms and kiss her, in.
stead OF declaring himself her devoted
servant IN plain words.
Let MS sit down on this fallen tree
ana Will begin my story at the begin
hing. You men OF the law are i'm.
patent of unnecessary preamble. y
Louise went on, with bright SIN lie for
moment dlspclling the melancholy
ciouaing her lace. "Last February, now
Ae"ii y lour IlontnS nSO, L was travelling
alone from here to Clover Hill on an
GRAND for my aunt. My companions in
the compartment were a very pretty old
lady, an ordinary looking gentleman of
about 40, and younger man. not mt all
ordinary looking. lie had large black
eyes, with wild look in them, and his
dress and manners were quite different
from those of the people I was
accustomed to seeing He sat opposite
me and soon after the train started be-
gan staring at me in most annoying
way"
"Thc impertinent rascall How wish
had been there to punch his head %
exclaimed Owen with warmth.
".He perhaps did nothing to merit
quite such severe punishment, but he
was certainly then, and has been since,
indirectly the cause of great deal of
misery to me lie amused himself for
some time with casting what l supposed
were edmiring glances Mt me- pressing
his hands to his heart and signing pr1.
fonndly. Then suddenly, to nv utter
amaLcmcDt hn fhro,v b;,aeo1e - =.