Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-08-16
trctchcd his hand toward the sun-paintcd

"S'S - Soil tnerc. ne crlcu. tGOld
IN the western land You can sec it re-
iiectcd against the sky! lnza, am going
therc to make my fortune. From this
honr am going to be man, and, Den
MS Lowry's luck shall change. l will
come back rich 10 claim YOU, INA You
Will wait for me, darlingl"
Words were not needed for his answer;
one look into her dark eyes was enough.
lie claspcd her in his arms, and for the
first time their lips met in kiss of true
love.
A week later Denny started on his
journey.
Soon she received letters from Denny
hopeful, encouraging letters. She an
swered them al, trying to cheer him who
was working for fortunc-and her. lie
was IN the mines, toiling, sweating, hop
ing Others were making big strikes and
securing fortunes; it would be his turn
soon. But slowlya year dragged by and
stlil Denny was rs far from fortune rs
ever. Ills old luck hung by him like IL
spectre.
Finally he cased to write. Iuza was
tortured by hope and fear. Had he made
Il fortunate strike and was coming home,
or was he sick, perhaps dead? She could
not tell.
Another year wore away and then
MA was married. 1t WAS match OF her
parents making, and she consented, to
please them Her husband was II we'll
toto young farmer, and lie was really
iond OF her. INA found him kind and
aliectionatc, and she surrendered her life
INTO his care, feeling that perhaps il was
best that she should do So
One evening just ut sunset eight years
alter lnza's marriage to joel Gray, a be-
whhskcrcd, fOotsorc, wcary-appcaring
tramp turned into Mr. Grays dooryard.
Ills clothes were ragged and his entire
appearance was that of Il man who had
seen hard times, indeed. He came along
the path with Il slow, tired step. Near
the door little dark-cycd girl was play
ing, and the tramp paused to gaze stead
NY ut her Tor several minutes. INA, who
was standing by window with baby
III her arms, regarding the stranger with
some alarm, saw him dash II tear from his
eye. Then she knew that there was
nothing to fear from him.
just then Joel came from the barn yard
with n trimming milk pail in either hand.
inc stranger turned toward him us he
approached and asked if he could have
something to cat and nights lodging.
at is asking much, know" said the
tramp,in an unsteady voice, "but if do
not find shelter, must sleep beneath the
open sky with only Gods green grass for
a bed, l have seen better days, sir, but
llcE nlWrVS NvoS l.rninct mn
Joel Gray had no particular love Tor
'ranpS, yet there was something about
this man that won his sympathy. As II
result, the stranger was given some supper
and permission 10 stop ut the farm house
that night
The tramp ate his bread and milk in
silence, but INA WAS conscious that Il nair
of sal blue eyes were Watching her every
movement.
The man did moi eat much for one who
protested to be so hungry, and when
INA spoke to him he replied in low,
mumbiing manner When he had finished
eating and moved away from the table.
little Lucy, lnZa's oldest child, came TO
nm and deliberately climbed upon his
knee. He gathered her up in his arms,
while his whole frame trcmbled with
emotion The child lay there trustinely,
passing her fingers through the mans
beard and grooming to herself And thus
he held her while the twilight shadows
gathered and she stopped her soft sing
ing TO close her eyes in slumbcr. The
shadows concealed the tears that ran
silently down the mans face and were
lost in his beard. No one saw him as he
tcndcrly kissed the sleeping child.
That night Joel Gray's buildings were
burned to the ground. TO this day it is
Il mystery how the fire caught, but solse-
time in the night the family was aroused
by the smoke and flames. The fire had
already seized the house in its fatal grasp,
and with difficulty Mr.. Gray and INA
escaped, the latter with the babe in her
arms. Close behind them the tramp
came staggering out of the burning house.
Joel caught him iiercely by the throat.
''This is your work." shouted the
farmer, hoarscy.
The stranger dashed aside his assailant's
hands as he replied:
Gas God is my Judge it is mott"
INA seized her husbands arm, rs she
shricked:
'Lucy! Lucy! Where is she?"
"Great God" groancd Joel, as he
staggered as if about to fall. "Shc must
be in thcrcm
81 will save her." declared the tramp,
quietly, as he turned, sprang up the STEPS
and vanished through the doorway into
the burning building
Every moment that followed seemed
like an age of suspense and horror to
Joel Gray and his wife. Suddenly n
dark figure appeared mt one of the win
dows, and all about him the fierce flames
seemed leaping and curling. He held a
large bundle in his arms There was
n rroch f,f Il