Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1888-10-12
dense, red vapor almost touched Che

- Oh tho mOL bduu, huQt
like meteor, n long black horse swept
by, disappearing in tho mist, leaving for
John the memory of n charming hoad,
crowned with blonde curling hair, two
kind eyes bent upon his own, and q
white waving hand extended in saluta-
ton.
"John," said Mr.. Steele" did you see
tho face of that mani 1 count upon
your saving Laura. Did you SEQ his
thin, cruel lips and tcachcrous eyos7"
~ only saw Laura, SIR" said John,
simply.
Later on Mr.. Archibald Steele aud
his plump, pretty wife were alono
together in thoir private parlor. Her
dimpled hand lay lovingly in his, and
her shapcly head, frosh from the hand,
of the coilTcur, rested recklessly on his
shoulder
Suddenly the door opened, and there was
heard tko rustic of sillscn drapery. A
still shapelicr Little head, and frcsher
from the hands of the coilTeur, all I'M
rump'od by the audncious hands of NOR
tai, pecpel in at Tho door. Laura was
pale; her little white hands were claspcd
together and her musical voice trembled.
'Oh, papa, mamma, come directiyi
Air. Stuyvcsant ventured too far, and
and"
"Was drownedp said Mr.. Steele, with
queer combination in his voice of pity
and relief
"No, no; how can you suppose so
dreadful n thing1 He was res ;ued, but
is very weak and i'll. lie has asked for
Inc. and may go2 Will you not come
with me, III ,mmal Oh, do, beg of you.
Can't she, papal"
Her blue eyes filled with tears: her
little feet seemed wanting to fly through
the corridors.
Certainly not" said Mr.. Steele.
"Let him wait till he is able to come to
you or me. Either the man was drowned
or he isn't because he was imbecilu
enough to risk his life, that is no reason
for your being the talk of the hotel"
Laura raised her eyes proudly.
"No danger of that, papa; and be-
sides, every one 10 occupied now with
the one that rescued him"
And what madmau was that?" said
poor Mr.. S cclc, who could not reconcile
himself to the present condition OF
affairs.
al don't known stranger, I believe.
/ was so interested in Mr.. Stuyvcsant 1
forgot TO ask"
BAH" said Mr.. Steele, getting upon
his feet and walking to the door. ''Pll
30 and find out all about it. DO you stay
here till l return"
Before he had gone far, Mr.. Steele
heard from the excited guests several
different versions of the airnir; but one
aud all agreed that the rcscucr could
be nothing less than champion swim
mcr.
"a regular watcr-dogr" said one gen
tlcman to Mr.. Steele; and as the MGR
chant had heard this cpithct but once
before in his life and Tint on an occa-
SIGN of vital interest 10 himself, he sought
out the hero Of the hour, and found, to
his unbounded establishment, it was
John Waters himselfl lie was quite en-
velopcd in the ilounces and furbclows of
pretty and sympathetic women, who in
sisted upon knowing every half second if
he was sure he felt strong and well, and
how in the world could he buffet those
dreadful waves in that grand, heroic
way, and How did ho manage to drag
poor Mr.. Stuyvesant to the shorc2
John, like any other hero of the hour,
enjoyed this aduiatiou, but looked
anxiously at Mr.. Steele when he ap-
preached.
"Hum," growlcd that worthy mor-
chant; "a pretty fellow, you, to inter-
fcrc with other peoples plans How do
you know he wanted to be rescucd7"
"ile appeared anxious that way, SIR"
said John. ole wrapped himself about
mo like devil-iish. | thought Mt one
time we'd both go down together. There
ought to be n school for teaching people
how to be saved It's the easiest thing
in the world; the water itself is an &C,
ccssory, if you manage iG right"
"Oh, do tell us how, Mr.. Waters,
please" chornscd the pretty and SYM
pathetic women; and rs John began
his lesson Mr.. Steele slipped away.
ooh, papa" began Laura, show is
Mr.. ,Stuyvcsant"
~ don't know-I didn't ask" he re-
piled. 81 was interested in the fellow
that dragged him ashore He's an old
friend of ours. The way we made his
acquaintance was on such an occasion;
he saved lady from downing"
"Why, papa" said Laura, he must be
q splendid fellow"
Magnificent" said Mr.. Steele. "You
see, we had travelled over considerable
of the world together, your mother and
!, while you were yet baby; and we
found it rather odd one morning to dis
cover that having crossed the ocean and
the Alps, loitcrcd in tho Highlands.
travelled thence down the Mississippi
valley, across the American desert to
California, and back again by another
route, your mother had never been ND
the East river rs far rs Morrisnnia. it
seemed so absurd to have neglected this
home excursion, that we determined
upon it at once. The morning was wet,
but we didn't mind it. Your mother
looked prettier in a waterproof and rub
bers, with a shovel hat tied down under
her chin, than most women would in
ball dress. She wasn't bit afraid of
rain or mud. She was little too reck.
less; for, getting ashore to see the in
stitution for vagrant boys, her foot
slipped off the plank, and she disap-
peared."
Mr.. Steele stopped minute; his voice
faltcred; the plump little hand of his
wife slipped into his own; he clutchcd
it, and went on again.
Gone minute saw her as neat aud
tim little figure as ever graccd water
Ill i IL