Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-10-04
years, in which toilcd, suffered and

worse. Ephraim was no. the same man
alter that night. The rcmorse that at
fiictcd his spirit seemed also to have
stricken his body. and Inc wasted into tho
mere shadow of his former self.
tried to console and comfort him. rs
did also our good minister, but even in
his distress of mind he seemed us far re-
moved from human sympathy and intlu.
cncc as he had ever been Often in the
night, when | awoke TO think of Percy
rs last saw him, the deep and earnest
tones OF prayer from Tie adjoining room
told me that Ephraim was wrestling for
the pardon wlicl, his abjcct spirit almost
declined in advance to receive
He, too, soon slept in the family bury
ing ground. Poor, sclf-accuscd brother!
have suffered, but never rs he did.
In better times and with average sea
sons, am vain enough To think that,
though woman, could havc managed
the place with the average prosperity.
But the crops failed, and then came on
the wartime, when help WAS scarce, and
the demands of labor we're high, Next
the barns were burned by lightning, and
most OF the stock persisted in them.
With each new misfortune | ncrycd
myself for new efforts; bu; came at last
to realize that | WAS con;cnGiny against
hope. Years were piling their weight
upon me; my strength was failing. Yet
| struggled on
For two years the interest on the old
mortgage whic!, Gated hack TO fathers
time Ind not been paid. and threats of
foreclosure had reached me. The pros
pect or being turned ont uf this dear old
horne WAS iudcly thrust upon me- |
could think of nothing else. WAS
thinking OF it one evening, Just nj dusk,
as | sioo,i ut the door
"A poorly dressed man, leading Il little
girl, came out of the obScurity of tho
road, hesitatcd and stopped. His lace
was half concealed by hair and beard,
and his shabby dress prcjudiccd me
against him; but the roll in his walk be-
tollencd the sailor, and inclined lie at
once to charity.
"Wc'cr hungry, ma'am--sissy and
Inc, " nc said in u grulf voice. 'Somc
bread and milk, please"
l motioncd them into the kitchen.
500 i'll there" said, "and will come
III n moment and get you some food"
Twas gone no lonwer than was ncccssa-
ry to bring the lamp that had left light
Ell i'll the sitting room. At the kitchen
door my feet were arrested by The spccta-
Gle OF the mans impudcncc He had
actually gone to the buttcry, brought out
a pan OF milk and Il loaf Of bread, dark
rs 1t was, and out of clipper full OF tho
milk, he was giving the child Il drink.
was very indignant GLOW dare YOU
take such Il libcrty?" asked.
lie turned his face over his shoulder
to me, and the merry expression of his
eyes stopped my scolding abruptly. He
spokc-this time in voice that / knew
at once.
"Why, Patience, this is the way
used to do, You know"
l did not faint; but I must have
dropped il he had not caught m.. go
Percy" | sob0cd, "has God given YOU
back to mc:'
eyes, sister. Where is Ep;lrain,"
Ipointed toward the hill.
We talked SO late that night in tho
sittingroom that his little girl went TO
sleep in my arms. The report in the
newspaper could not have referred to
iiii3 as itO S.thl laltl l.t lltttl UtNcI seen
the ship Emma MontfoTi.
BronZcd and bearded ms he was. lie had
the bcaming eye and the laughing voice
of his youth; bat when told him more
about E?hraim, his eyes mois.cncd aud
hr w;ls silent for Il long time.
Later liz told me tho story of his wan
behring's which put in Il few words.
He had called 10 almost every Quarter
Of the globe, and in the first year of his
absence he had twice or thrice written to
nc. For some reason | did not receive
tine letters. AS he did 10; hear from me
lie bacamc careless, and for Il Ion. time
was wild aud reckless rover.
Later, he settled in Australia, where he
married AVID reared feinily.
az Thought | Was happy in those days"
he concluded. '.Eul wiien, one after
another, NY beloved wife and children
were taken from mc-..il but Claricc-:ny
eyes We're opened 10 iny inYratitudc and
selsishness, and said to myself That these
Affections were judgments upon me.
Away oil there on the other side of the
globe grew homcsici, for the old place
and the dear. familiar faces-and here l
am"
His words f!lcd me with delight, and
also panied me, for now could tell him
that the place WAS about to be sold? lie
was quick 10 see the change in my face,
and asked me what was troubling me.
He would have to know soon, and it
seemed better to tell him at once. His
eyes actually frightened rs he heard me.
els that ali?" he asked.
"All? why, you don't comprehend INC.
l told you there vas two thousand dol
lars and two years interest due on the
mortgage, and"
He drew Il leather wallet from his
pocket, and tossed it into my lap.
"Thcrc, Patience, examine that ut
your leisure. You'll find three thousand
dollars i'll it; y0u can use what's over to
fix up the old house Fudge! he quiet!
it's only a drop ont of what I have ac-
cumuiatc'l. Did you suppose I'd been
farming OH in rci, Australia for so many
years with nothing to snow Tor it!'
l was laughing and crying nil at once.
HYou locke. 50 shabby, Percy, i dill