Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-02-08
"Hcro is the parasol, +" said she CURLY.

everybody, and PERHAPS they may have
some more picnics before the season Isl
oyer. Pm much Obliged for the parasol.
Ill be very careful Of it,"
And away she went, II great confusion
of ilyiug yellow curls, dimplcs and pink
muslin gown.
"Shc thinks-poor Lii Tuft" said
Martha to hersclf-''that am jealous.
And Of her. Am jealous, wondcr."
with quick impulse of sclf-cxamina-
ton. CAS- if Harry Perry could ever
seriously care for M empy- Drained little
butterfly like that, And after all. even
ter to me who Harry Perry cares Tor and
who he docsn'tY"
And she scwed more diligently than
ever
Blu: when Thursday camc-a perfect
day, with blue skies, and brcczcs softer
than fan the orange groves i'll Italian
clines-shc could not keep herself from
following, in spirit, the progress OF tho
picnic party.
"Now," She said to herself, ''thcy are
Mt Wild Spring, stopping to let the
horses drink; now they are driving. up
to the very hubs of the wheels i'll daisies
and red clover blooms, across Long
Meadow; now they get into the purple
shadow of the mountain where the hazel
copscs are, and the ferns grow ike minia-
turc trees; now-Oh, psh NV there is the
cusiard burning in the oven, | wonder
why can't mind my own business and
lct,o;hcr Peep c's aloncl'
still her mind dwc.t ,,neasi,y on Lii
ian Tufts cXul;ant words and looks: and
when old Mr.. Darimoor came in that
evening 20 bring Il new pattern of
''crnhy" PATCHWORK; for her mother, and
began to tall. OF DOCTOR Tufts pretty,
silly daughter, She listened cagcrly.
Widow bartlett tells me-" said that
gossirpy old lady, that it's goin" to
bc Il mat Ii between ILL aud larry
Perry; bat somehow ! cant settle to be-
licvc it. Trey air't no more alike than
II stalk o. corr and n cabbage sprout. [
always suppo>ed-wcli," with II quick,
ian%hin" glance ut Martha popban, lit
don't matter what supposed" ANA she
went home
She had scarcely closed the garden
gate behind her Than smother visitor mr..
rived old ictsy Black, wrinklcd-
viSascd cronc, who gathered herbs on
the mountain. sold pcnnyroyal, thyme
aud burdorkroots to the wholesale drug.
gusts, and Giincd II prccarions living by
The sale of root-bcer and cough. syrup,
which 'hc lrewcd herself in the cellar of
her wrctchcd cabin, down the road.
II see yc'vc got more camomilc blows
than you need" said old BETSY. "Ef We
hain't no other use for 'cm, I'd like to
bile 'cm down, an l'll give YOU bottle
of the tea when it's stepped"
"NOu can have what you want" said
Martha, listlcssly. I'VE shall not u.c
them"
And I'm dreadful 'blccged for the
frcsh-bakcd loaf and tho soft ginger
bread you left ut my house yesterday :"
added old Betsy.
~ on are quite welcome. Betsy"
CIT amt everybody would stop to
think of a poor old body like ncr'
shifted Betsy. "And Pm rinht-down
sorry-that bcthat wrulg your pea
cocks ncckl"
- OH wrung it, BETSY"
Martha Was reused into interest at
last.
Yes" admitted Betsy, guilty.
twisting Il stalk of lcman-balm IN her
fingers. Gle was a-scrltchin' ND nv
new roots q lettuce, and he tormented
me ever since first began to make gard
ing, and just did tin minute when
old Satan got possession Of me. dunno
what allied me. I've been Sorry for ic
Ger since. can't say no more than that.
can I"
But Martha heard nothing further of
the old wnman's excuses and ualliations.
Her face had frightened and rloomcd
over again in II breath She had risen
up and sat down again, in n breath.
so Harry Perry had been blamclcss,
after all.
81 have been wrong" She said to her
sclf-''wrong from the very beginning.
oh, how could allow myself TO be
swaycd so INTERESTINGLY by mere i'm.
pulse! And 'now-now, what Shall |
do."
And according to the nature of
womnnkind, she sat down aud cried
heartily.
Little ! ilian Tuft burst into the twi-
light room like n ycllow-trcsscd cyclone
on small scale, as Martha sat bewailino
herself.
81 VIC got back" said she; '.and here's
the parasol: and I'm ever so much
obliged There's little bit of n grass
stain on ii. but | don't think it will
show. And oh, Matty, Pm engaged to
be married "
A!"rh a felt an icc-cold current circle
around her heart.
what | might have expected :" she
said to herself. "And my own fault.
in;o The bargain j"
lie says he's loved me this long time,
and to think that never should have
suspected it," ratified on Lillian. "But
we're to be married right off; and I do
hope, Mat'y, you'll be my bridesmaid I!
Mir. Nolbeck says"
MIR. Noibccll"
"Yes. Didn't I tell you? It's Mr..
Nolbcck l am engaged TO! Who on
earth did you suppose it was:" Little
tartly.
Martha Popham thought that Lillian
'Tuft never would take her departure
but she did at length, and then Martha
went over to Mrs. Pcrry's cottage.
Harry stood at The door, looking
thoughtfuly up at the stars.
Wac his face very sad and pale, or did
she imagine it:
Miss Popham!" said he, in some sur.