Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-07-26
AN OLD MAID.

Oh course WIS IN old maid: ANYBODY
IN Maple Ridge could have told YOU that
and IA good many would have said was
several years older than The old family
Bible affirmed.
felt all of M three aud thirty wears.
and knew that the ,l"rk little lace that
looked back at me so scberly from the
cracked mirror Showed Them BEYOND
question. Bat, what of that, had
other things 10 think of than that | WAS
an OLD m''d-many others
ihcfc was poor Susie, or pet. the
yo"nSeS; OF It's al, who would marry
handsome. reckless Noll Das;icr. who. of-
ter Il wild lie Of only rcw Years. ended
1t M drunkard'S grave and lett POOR
Susie and her two babies TO me.
Nor WAS that nil. frr Fred. our eldest
the pride Of our old father and mothers
hearts, must marry. ;oo-wi,irh was well
enough onl after cae brief year in his
'city Office, lie, too, Yrcw sick and died
but on! so rca 'cfuliy. 30 nobly,
"lonli care fcr my wife ami baby.
hIary!" he said. loo.,ing at me so plead.
lnyly, and answered: "Yts. Fred. al
WAYS
80 ii isn't mitch wonder locked old.
since only my little s!rcssmaiiing shop
Stood between LIS Mi and starvation.
Father and mother had bnco;nc so fee
Die they could only sii OF either side OF
the chimney and ialk Of their trials and
sorr0ws
Susie took upon herself The ;ara Of Inc
large household, and Eve shc,! many :,
'sccre: terra, nigh: thinking how wan and
white sac was growing, our beautiful
little Susie.
What did Frcds wife 10? That's y
sore subject; no one ever said anythino
but have seen Susie shu. her lins in !,
strange way when ''ihe lady" swept into
our simple meals and never offered to soil
her white hands even To wash her own
dishes or clothes.
"Shcs never icen Taught 20 work, j
suppose" thought; poor ihing,"
Then bent lower over my sewing and
sat M Il little later
Things had goEe on in this way for
nearly. IL year, until one night when il
was growing very laic. Susie came in and
smut the door OF my shop carefully.
"What is it, my dcar!" said cheer
fully, for there was y look oil her face
that troubled ne.
MARY, she said, sinking down nj nv
side and laying her pretty golden mead
on my knee, my poor Marry and then
she began to sob so ptifuily.
l had but little time 10 spare. for
knew Mrs Greatnonse niuS; have her nr,.
dress by the next evening. IN, | drop,,cd
my needle and took her in my arms and
whispered;
"What is 1t, my darling, tell me, won't
you?"
con, Mary. so goal so unsc!fsh. 7
can't bear it. You are working yourself
to death for me and mine. I've Ihought
md thought and planned, and .herc:s
only one way"
81 don't undersiand--how hot your
checks are! You're going to be sick ;"
I'm going to die. Don't look so
startled. I'm very wicked and foolish,
but can't see you kill yourself nor nv
precious children siarvc. am only
only going to get married." desperately.
Then I felt her whole body sh.lti;icr.
eyes, darling, but who?"
''l'm going 10 marry Nj Caleb Letting
we'll"
"Siisic! You are nad!"
"No; he proposed tonight rs left the
store, and accepted hi,n. ;hat S all; why
ioat you congratulate mc?''
''Bacausc can't for | know-ah. nv
darling! know You don't love hin.''
Glove. loved orce and got n sweet
reward. Yes, I'm in love with tho old
mlsers money; that's honest"
''Eiush, Never mind, sleep on it. pct
Wen talk about il tomorrow; must
finish This dress now"
"Alary, do stop and rest, Won unseliish
housckceper. Your burden shall he jic;,t-
ened I'm not half rs miserable as Won
fancy"
But knew what she suffered, and |
sighed, for things had come 10 u very bad
State. What with poor father down with
The rheumatism and Susic's children SUI
ierinS for shoes, and none of us too
warmly Clad, unless it was 'thc lady,
that Is what Susie had called Frcd's wife
TO me more than once: but could only
sigh and remember that they were her old
gowns.
Nevertheless il did seem hard that she
and her baby should have the one SPARE
room and fire, and coal so dear. But
In, me, had promised. Such n rosebud
rs that little, cooling baby was. If I'd
time I'd have cuddled it by the hour, and
strange to say, the mother had called it
"Alary" She never said it was for me,
and often wondered, but never asked
her-for somehow all lis simple folks were
bit afraid Of ''thc lady,"
TWAS one dull, rainy evening in Fcbru-
airy when poor Susie came 10 me with her
pitifnl story of sacrifice she had resolved
10 make. remember very particularly,
because Mrs. Greathousc was to have