Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1888-10-26

in her trembling hands end rushed
toward the garden.
There was a wild cacklipg, fright
cncd pceping of little yellow balls, and
fronzied scattering.
.'Shoo-shoo" cried Maggie, hor
voice unsteady with indignation and ap-
preaching tears. "Shool"
II the hens wcro alarmed and tempo.
rarily routed, the brilliantly tinted,
sulky- eyed rooster was not.
He stood motionless on the spot where
Maggie's onslaught had found him
motionless save for rising, a swelling,
and trembling Of his gay, red comb,
while his eyes grow fiercer.
Maggie shook her apron with cyclonic
energy.
"You impudcnt old thing~ she cried,
tho laughter struggling through her
tears, and charged upon him valinptly.
She felt sudden whr in the dir, an
angry uprising of yellow legs and
bright feathers, and she put her hands
to her face with little scream.
sharp peck came down ON her fin
gers; she heard his Tutoring wings in
the air, close to her faco.
She lowered her head into her apron,
and fought at him with one courageous
fist. And then she heard rapid, stridng
steps, and rattling crash through the
dry bean. vines; there was panic
stricken squawk, choked in its first stage,
Tapping OF wings, and silence.
Maggie took her head out of the apron.
1t was rs though her fairy godmothcr
IF she had one-had been at work.
MIR. Tisdnlc's rooster lay on the ground
in an expiring fiutter, his sheony neck
twisted, his wurlike eyes forever dulled.
And close Mt her side, anxious and agi-
tatcd, and wi:hal most attractiYcly nice.
looking, stood strange young man in n
well-fitting, travel-stalned suit, and a
soft travelling cap. Fallen among the
tomato-vincs were cane and umbrella.
strapped together.
care you hurt1" he said.
lie had taken out his handkerchief, and
WINS pressing it to her hand, on which
the blood had started.
81 saw it from the hack, you see, and
| lost no time in getting over. Do you
think your hand is badly hurt2"
NO. said Maggie, bewildcredly.
But she was not quite dazcd. She saw
that the hack had stopped ut the It's
da'cs' gate, and that trunk was unload.
ing from it.
lie had come on visit; relative,
probably. She felt thrill of regret at
TINT.
No, she said, gratefully; at WIGS just
n peck. How very good in you! And
look at your handkcrchicfn
"My handorchiefv" said the young
man, repronchfully.
For Maggie, her pretty, brown faco
flushed and her eyes softly smiling,
looked very sweet. despite her rumpcd
hair and her wrinkled apron; and there
was something moro than mere polite
concern in the young mans pleasant
eyes.
lie took her arm, still anxious, and led
her to an upturned box at the edge of
the garden. There was room for them
both, and they both sat down.
''Thank you! do feel a little queer.
I was frightened" Maggie admitted.
"And-I can't thank YOU enough for
your goodness. What should l have
donc' l think he really meant to kill
mc-and just because wanted him to
go homer
He joined in her laugh, treasured hy
her brightness.
"IIomc1 he repeated. "Whati next
1oorl"
Maggie nodded.
They have SO many chickens. and
they're all SO fond of my tomatoes.
They laughed. Somehow they folt ms
though they had been acquainted q long
time.
al must sec to that" said The young
man, decisivcly. ''l'll speak to Wilson
about it. He must have park built,
certainly"
"Wisonl" said Maggie, tilnidly.
"My man-gardener, or whatever you
please-hc does n little Of everything, I"
he explained, smiling. "They came on
ahead, you KNOWS your hand better2-
he and the housekecpcr-to get things
settled little. Why, you didn't think, :"
he queried, studying her puzzled face,
THAT they owned The housed that they
were the people?"
lie could not help laughing. And he
took card from his pocket book and
gave it to Maggie, getting up to bow
with burlesquc formality. 1t bore the
name of Harlan c. Tisdale.
.'lcs-ycs, we didw said Maggie,
rather family. mercy, I'm so gladP'
And then she blushed, and could have
bitten her tongue; but Mr.. Tisdale
looked delighted
'I-you see, he was SO horrid, f"
Maggie explained. confusedly. "Ispokc
to him about the fence, and he wouldn't
even answer me: he didn't pay the
slightest attention"
"Oh, Wilson! Did he have his ear.
trumpet" said Mr.. Tisdale.
"kar-trumpet2 no." said Maggie,
wondering what was coming next.
ooh, well, he's awfully deaf" her
new ncighbor observed, with twinkling
eyes.
And they both laughed again; he
gaily, she bcwilderedly, and both with
shy enjoyment.
"My mother came with me: we're all
the family" said Mr.. Tisdalc, hastily, "a
Maggie. half frightened at the odd, new
pleasure in her heart, rose. "You must
come over and see her. You're sure
you're not hurt."
every sure" said Maggie, flushing
under his eager eyes.
And she put her hand trustfully into
the one he held out to her.
81 was mistaken, Celia" said Maggie,
whom she sat down, with restored calm
ness, Mt the dinner-table; ''they are very
nice. indeed, the Tisdales the Tisdalcs. u
uWnatW en:1 Calio