Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-09-13
"whnt WIS it3v oucried Nancy Curl


own face closer to the curl shaded one ut
his own side, ''that wish had the
right to keep You with me always. Miss
Nancy, will you look Mt mc-will you let
mc?"
Nancy turned her face away.
You do not answer nc, Nancy"
urged the doctor
Still she remained silent.
The doctor WAS pcrplcxcd. He was
not used to deal with young ladies who
could not find words to say ny or nay.
If the truth must be told, his greatest
difficulty iii his ilirtations with the softer
sex was 10 find the measure of their
tongues. and TO keep them within the
limits of becoming mirth'' when he
made myriads of them blush by popping
the question in that crafty way which cx-
presses great deal and yet means So
very little
Come, pct" he urged, this time FAX
ing Nancys delicate little hand within
his own, and giving the kccncst of keen
Chances direct into her glittcring or5s,
winch were strangely excited in the in
tenSity OF their fire and rcstlcsSncss
Nelly was suffering from what novclists
call :; revulsion OF feeling, and moraliSts
twinSc of conscience. Her heart mis-
gave itself, and her better nature told
her, i'll trumpet tones, that she was play
ing false to tho dearest interests OF her
own impulses.
1t was this silent but powerful monitor
winch kept her i'll Il state Of complete be-
wildcrment, which she dared not COM
init herself on the instant to II word,
even, which might not be recalled in the
future.
Ter hand felt a tender press from the
doctors. Much against her will-she
forced herself to do it-shc returned it
and leaned her head on his shoulder.
drawing nj the same time long, mclan-
choly sigh
"Silcncc gives consent" muttcrcd Dir.
Gray to himself. lie had no notion
what was passing i'll Nclly's mind. He
could not read her soul in her eyes, even
were he Il phySiognomist, since they were
fixed on the ground, and ,lciicd all his
efforts to attract them upward 1t was
to her moment of bitter reflection.
which pride and sclf-cs;ccm stiflcd on
The instant
II was well that the doctor did not
guess why, amidst Nancy's bright
bushes, her lips quivcrcd and her eyes
filled with tears. She had made UP her
mind to accept tic doctor; but in this
decisive moment the thought of John
Armitagc sent Il pang, cruel in intensity,
through her heart. Thea came the
memory of their yesterdays quarrel, and
Nancy faltcrcd, with Il struggling smile:
ell don't know"
She did know when, in the late
twilight, she and the doctor walked to-
gcther i'll the dusky stting-room mt home,
where her father was DOING and her
mother knitting, to ASK their consent and
their blessing
"Dear me-" said the good farmer, rub
bling his eyes. 1.-TWO such pieces of news
i'll one days curious hcrcabout | heard
only I'm honr since that Johnnie Armlagc
is a-gon' to Australia to farm on his own
account. thought, too, that he and
Nancy fancicl each other, but here shes
wantin' TO marry another man. It's curl
ous!"
Nancy had taken her hand from the
doctors arm and had sat down in the
window. She heard, mistily, comments
and congratulations; she answered qurs-
, lions, laughed at jokes. She walked
down to the gate with the doctor when he
left, and stood there under the lilncs, his
arm about her, replying TO his tender talk;
but when he was gone, leavinyn farewell
kiss on her lips, she rushed upstairs, and
threw herself on the bed in perfect
agony of sobbing that she could hardly
stiflc in the pillow.
The story of the next week is hacll-
neycd. Such happenings are too com
mon. Nancy came and went like ghost
of herself; but the whole town was
gossiping over her engagement, and
her evidences Of trouble were ascribcd TO
the 'quecrness OF Il girl just engaged. :"
Old Mrs. Armitayc ran over one after
noon to tell the Evnnses that John was
going on Monday, and she hoped he
would manage to call and bid them good
by; and cried because her pet son was
going away, and was cool and sharp to
Nancy, evidently suspcctins that she was
the cause.
PcShaps light natures suffer most over
whclmingly. Often in the beautiful
June days Nancy, all alone. in some
shadowy, grassy place, with sunbcams
shimmcring above, would wonder in Il
dim, childish way ii she would not ''dic
when John went" Only one hope was
left; John was coming to say gooL-by.
Oh, if she could only let him know how
it really was. But how could She? and
she would look down dcspairingly at the
little gold circlct on her finger.
Sunday afternoon J,hn iin,li,- ,o,,,o
Nancy, sitting in the parlor with the
doctor, caught glimpse of the we'll
known figure at the gate under the llacs
again. For ii moment the room whirlcd
round and she was dcathly white: then
she rose mechanically, saying that she
must bid Mr.. Armitagc good-by, and
went out to the doorway, where John
was greeting her parents and war,iing oil
the Newfoundland with Il laugh
"Yes," he was replying rs Nancy
came up, 'they say there's pretty good
chance out there for Il young fellow with
health and energy--lIow do you do, Miss
Nancyi--and I've always been enter
prising; so mean to try it."