Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-05-24
when a young fellow, who hadn't spoken
before mt in his word


hear her sing that as solo. 1t kind of
upset him hearing it, suppose
swell. some laughed and Some snecred.
but didn't wait to hear what else was
said. A fellow showed quarter in my
hand and'I slid out.
Smith was standing under the Electric
light on the corner, with his hans in his
pockets and his hat over his eyes as I
was goin' past. He catched me by the
shoulder NOT rough, though = and
twisted me round.
"Joe," he says, sudden like, elf had
you should have new suit of clothes
from top to toe"
For my duds was Just awful, and that's
the fact. Rags and patches, only the
rags was worst. And before I knowed
what he was dom, ne went down on his
knees, and after fumblin' about his vest
a bit, pinned up tho biggest tear of all,
SOS the bare skin didn't show quite so
bad in where my trowscs was ripped
from knee up
1T more than it was kind OF n freak took
him, till next mornin'. And if
you'll believe me, Smith had took a
his necktic Tor to pin up my rags with.
didn't know what to do at tic first
OF 1t, not having any idea where to look
might call the highest circles, nv
care to ask advice of rcgardin' jewclry
But there'sa young lady lives up nigh
Washington Square that was awful
In, nth el, I'll l.,
belongs to a guild" L think they call
in our ward, where l used to drift in
sometimes of a Sunday. | took the pin
to her and told her the whole story.
She turned whitcr'n one of the mari lie
statutes in her parlor when the sees the
pin. But she never spoke for n minute.
"lou did quite right to bring me this,
Joe" She says, after bit. "AIr. Smith
is-a-a friend OF mine, and will see it
returned to HIM. If, as you heard, he
has lost all h S money"
And then she stopped, and walked to
the window. She stood there lookin'
out ut nothin' ever SO long. Then she
gave me Il dollar and left And it was
over year fore I ever heard OF or see
Smith again.
But meanwhile Miss-the young lady
I'm speaking of-NIiss Blank, I'll call
her, got me steady job carrying out
papers for newsdenler she knowed.
And Wednesdays and Fridays she paid
me for BLOWN the little organ to the
mission chapel | was telling Of
j was late that day, and VIXEN got to
the mission little Mike Dwyer was
BLOWN in my place. There wasn't 4
soul there to hear, but Miss Blank was
kind OF playin' all to herself, so l sot
down bit to lis'cn.
Some one come shu him in ard sci
down near The door. When l looked
round, he'd dropped his arms on the top
of the setiec forard of him and laid his
face down on en-.
"Half drunk, likely enough" I said to
myself-for lots of that kind drift into
the mission it being sort of in the
slums, as you may say. But its folks OF
that kind the mission is trying to get
hold of. And this man, SO far as could
make out by his seedy rig, seemed to be
something i'll that line OF business.
Whilst | was in the choir boy line,
heard some pretty good singing as n
matter of course. But talk about your
sopranos-Miss Blank lust went ahead
of anything.
Curious wasn't it, that she should all
at once have struck in on KINDLY
Light2'
So long Thy power hath blessed me; sure,
VIII lead me on,
Ger moor and fen-o'er crag and torrent
The night is gone;
And with the morn those angel faces smile
Which have loved long since-and lost
awhile"
She and the organ stopped oil at once.
It was still as death in the vcstry, and
heard her give kind of sob.
Great Heavens says the man be-
hind me. And look round again to
shake my head Mt him. But you might
have knocked me out with feather
buster in one round 1t was Smith
but his own mother if she'd been alive
never'd knowed him. Pale and peaked,
with shiny coat and trowses fringed at
the botto rs-wcll, he didn't look much
like the Smith I zee at Morrison's, you
can bet.
all the same, I knowed him; and
went for him like a shot, for he was
making n break for the door.
"'AIr. Smith-AIr. Smith," l sung out,
''stop, want to tell you about your
scarf pin. Miss Blank has got it,
and"
"Arthur, ~
1t was only word, but it turned
me round like top. There stood Miss
Blank, staring at MIR. Smith-only
staring isn't the worldwide was hang
ing onto like anything. For was bound
to make myself square about the scarf
pin.
Arthur, she says again, and sank
down onto the settce like she was faint.
He never said word He put his hands
over his face, went square down on his
knees front OF her and dropped his head
in her lap.
l amt none too bright about things
like that; but I've read love stories in
the papers before now, and | see that
wasn't no place for me, so lit out soon's
/ got my wits about me, and let 'em fix
things up their own way before any one
come in.
Was they married finally2 We'll. I
should say so. And always cal'lated
had hand in it, too. For, don't you
see, the opil and dimun' pin was one
Miss Blank had give him for birthday
ever so long before that's how sho