Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1888-10-12
JOHNS HEROISM,

otcelc wrote the following paragraph in
one OF her letters to her husband in
New York the other day:
John must como down here Mt once. whoth
ell you can spare him or not. Our dear little
LAURA IS greatly taken with tall, thin young
man, with hooked nose and thin lips called
Stuyvesant 1t is whispered about the hotel
that he is n very good match, and has tho YER
itablo blood OF the cd Dutch governor in hi,
veins: must say that it has queer way of
showing ITSELF, FOR tho young. man is us palo
as n srccter; and dressed in that white duck.
with his sunken eyes and bilious skin, is
enough TO brighton one. have grown TO hate
him while LAURA is growing TO DO quito tho
contrary, am afraid. All tho evening ho
leans up against tho WALL mover dancnr. or
opening his mouth, save to give vent TO
some hateful, sarcastic criticism upon The
scenes around him, and yet dear little Lnurn's
eyes-as, indeed, all tho other pretty eyes
nbout-are perpetullly besecching him for al
tention: In tho daytime lie is always with n
long black horse, that covers moro ground
with It's legs while it is going than
any other animal TINT ever saw. When
Laura goes out to drive behind it, and
vanlshes out of sight with the bony creature.
trcriblc TO think how dreadful il would be-
II our dear little girl would over DO pnrt mud
parcel OF this wretchel man and his beast.
SO think John had better como down ut
once; l quito long to SEQ his handsome fnco
ana hear his honest voice. and think it is
about time that John should tell his little
story TO Laura and have thing settled COM
fortably.
Mr.. Archibald Steele smiled when he
put the letter of his wife in his waist
cont pocket, and, picking up the morn
ing paper, scanned through his gold
trimmed spectacles the ncws of the day.
Finding nothing therein to refine the
exceedingly satisfactory condition of his
affairs, he put it down. smiling MS only
n prosperous, contented down town mcr-
chant can smile. He was one of those
happy exceptions 10 the ordinary rule of
mortals, with whom everything went
we'll His who C experience was IN cx-
clamation point to that elect. If he
venturcd little hazardously in trade,
fortune trimmed her sails to favor him.
ii he set his heart upon anything rclat-
ing to domestic felicity, all the elements
OF art and nature conspircd to bring it
about. SO when he stepped to the door
OF his Office aud bcckoncd TO n Young
man with strip of commercial paper in
his hand and pencil behind his ear
with the general air of brslSncss and
shrcwdncss about him that bctokened n
successful downtown merchant embryo
Mr. Steele smiled the third time, with
The mr. of one who was not at all afraid
OF any bilious, blue blocdcd obstacle
that might be thrown in the path OF n
domestic happiness which he firmly
agreed had been arranged by an Omni-
potent hand
"John," said Mr.. Steele, closing the
door of his private office, and looking
upon his young clerk bcncvolcntly, GIVE
got an order from Mrs. Steele which l
wish you would attend ton
Certainly, sir" said John; "shall
go out and get the articles MYSELF"
why, the fact is, john" SAID tho
merchant, enjoying his joke more and
more, sits only one articlc-u rather
bulky one. 1t was baigained for long
time ago. | think you will have to 20
down with it, John"
down to the selshorem said John.
getting little hot and Mustered sis it a
very valuable parcel, sir2n
"Well, perhaps your natural modesty
may dcpreciate its worth, John. Mis-.
Steele and think good deal of it. and
Laura, too, am sure does. The COM
modify is yourself, John. Mrs. Steele
wants you to go down and take little
holiday there"
When the name of Laura was men.
toned the young mans face grew more
clustered and hot than before
"You are very kind, SIR" he said.
sand Mrs. Steele is more like an angel
than woman"
"Rather solid and plump for that
interposcd Mr.. Steele, bat liking the
phrase nevertheless.
"But it is a simple mad ness," pursued
John, ITO dream of further happiness
than enjoy now-your affection and
that of your wifc-my position here; I
don't dare, 1 can't hope for ANYTHING
more. Oh, Mr.. Steele, can't tell her
my story. She would turn from me with
horror and aversion. She is SO Young,
SO beautiful. Let me at least enjoy the
present"
'tAnd in the meantime some cadaver-
Gus, bilious, blue blooded scoundrel will
carry her of from us all..'
Then Johns face grew pale aud stern.
'If there is the slightest feeling upon her
part for-for any one else, then, indeed,
Mr.. Steele, my case is hopeless.
The commercial paper futtcred from
his hand, the pencil fell from his ear
and he leaned his head against the desk
and trembled
''Why, who would suppose you could
be such coward'" said Mr.. Steele, i'm
petuously. '.You shall go down with
me this very day"
IL All the way TO the scashore Johns
face wore the look of one who had re-
solved to storm deadly breach, but who
did not hope to survive the attempt.
Even the ocean, when it confronted
them, wore threatening look. Upon
the horizon q pile of clouds formed a
background, wan and gloomy, great
black mist lay in the zenith, and q