Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-12-06

! pcEmittcu to ramblc. One afternoon
| having had the good fortune to lose the
amiablc Monsieur and Madame Vcrpet in
| the course of our walk, | induced Lctty
to seat herself with me upon II bench be-
side an old fountain, and there told her
NIL felt and hoped. She listened 60 me.
leaving her hand in mine; but when I
had ceased to spcad she seemed TO hcsi-
tate for while, and then spoke, gently:
"Bciorc answer you, MIR. Dccrinr, I
ought to tell you something. You saw
that you have never loved before. /
| have"
She sighed as she spoke, but when 7
took her hand i'll mine again she did not
| forbid me.
''li that love is n thing of the past" I
said, "why should it mattcrl Is it:'
She once more hcsitntcd, lifted her
eyes to mine, cast them down again and
answered.,
al canhDt say" ---" "''
"Do you mean that YOU do not wish
to say2" asked.
"No," she replied. "Un,lcr tho cir
cumstancc l ought TO be perfectly cnndid
with you. 1t depends on somcthinr |
shall never be sure about II don't
know my duty, or rathcr-l think will
tell you the whole truth"
''Do," said.
six years ago, when l was seven
teen, said Lefty, ''mamma, who had
| Dech widow long while, married NJ.
Vcrnet. TO pass away the honeymoon
they went into the country, and stopped
ut hotel, an old family mansion, very
quaint and curious, with old furniture
in all the rooms. | think Washington
once stopped there, Mr.. Dccrng."
"Of course he did," said l. "Thnt
poor old man was always stopping at old
| mansions"
"Wcll, we were there, at NIL events"
continued Lefty; 'and my step father
dear old gentlcmnn!-was wrapped up
IN his own happiness, and | was loft to
do pretty much NJ | chose. used To
| take II book and sit on the bank of the
river under Il tree, and feel little dull:
and So when one of the boar,lcrs who
wns very fond Of fishing, used to brip,r
his rod very near that bank, found il
| company"
"No doubt" 1 said, feeling rather
angry.
''lIc used to fish and used to rcnd at
first, " resumed Lefty, "but after a while
lie began to"
Began to make love to you," / said,
| finishing the sentence she had begun.
"Ycs, said Lefty; 'and he was charm
ing"
"Ahw I said.
"Not young" replied Lctty-"about
forty"
felt somewhat relieved.
"a little bnld," she added, "but it
was becoming; and he was such IN
agreeable person TO Talk with. | felt in
those days II sense Of loss in regard To
mamma She had right to marry. of
course; but still"
"I understand" said I. '-a,ses-'
"And felt glad to find some one who
always wanted me, and when one dav
he proposcd-by lcitcr-I accepted
him."
dropped her hnnd.
"Of course, as he wrote, I had to
write Also" proceeded Lefty. sI nc
ccptcd him, and when the note WIS
written | called little waiter and told
him to take it to Mr. Whitmorc. and 7
saw the boy open the door of he room
That was his and go in, and, of course,
expected that he would come to me by
Inc river, ;s usual, next morning, but he
did not. | did not see him that dny or
the next; on the third he left the hotel.
After he was gone looked ut nv offer
again, and found that had missed The
postscript, which was on the other side of
the page. 1t said: "If you cannot say
yes, will not give you The pain of saw
ing no. | will understand your silence
as Il negative. But long suspense will he
more than | can bear. Give me nv nm
swer at once, pray you. Then" said
Lefty, 81 began to understand that if
hc did not get my letter he must think
that had refused him. did not know
what 10 do. could not write and sov
| had accepted him, because saw the
boy carry the letter into his room; and
was very unhappy, and grew really i'll.
liat IL one reason why my step father
came back TO France. He thought it
was consumption, and thinks he snved
my life. But shall never feel my con.
science clear unless | can be sure he
llltcd me. That would be mortifyinp;
but then | could forget him and not
care; despisc him, laugh at myself. But
when think that perhaps he is break
ing his heart for me, pining, believing
me flirt"-here Lefty applied her
handkerchief 70 her cycs-fsthcn feel
that it is n duty owe to Mr.. Dudley
Whitmorc to remain single for bis
sake"
"Mr. Dudley Whitmorclr oaspcd.
2 eyes," said she; '.that was his name:
haze you ever met hiin?' -
NO" answered. 1t was the Fifth
and nothing but the truth, but it was
not the whole truth. At that moment,
i'll the letter case in my inside vest
pocket, | carried the letter I had found
in the frame of the miro 7 had bought
mt auction. believed it to be the one
Lefty had written to that man. OF
course, was not sure; how could he
until [ had read it? But was con
Vinccd that IL was so ?v Orrniuo II |