Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-02-08
JUDGING TOO HASTILY.

1lcrc's that squawkin' bird o. your'n,
Martha," said Mis-. porham. ~ a.
ways knowel it would come To that at
last"
Martha fopham was vigorously stitch
ing away ut her sewing machine, by the
window Of the Lutte slttin2-room. where
the green and gold lights siftcd through
the leaves Of the scarlet runner Leans.
that were trained there on strings, when
the door opened, and something fell,
with dull, heavy sound. on the Hoor-
something that Mrs. Popham. who al.
ways did things 10y Jerks, had flung in.
Ii was II bundle of iridesccnt blue and
green and gold fcathcrs-a linn. life
less pea ock.
ats Juanw cried Martha. otis my
poor peacock ,"
We'll, guess you're about right
there" sad Mrs. Popham. "With his
neck wrunS. found him II layin' in the
beet bed, close to Harry crry's fence.
L always told yc h. car up the corn and
cracked feed away from Mrs. pcrry's
hens. and scratched up her flower seeds
like ali possessed. | dunno how on earth
the Pcrrys have stood it us long as they
have. | don't feel TO blame Harry
much, artcr all. Folks has fcclin's."
Mother has Harry Perry done this
cruel ,hingl"
''If he hain't, don't know who has, :"
said Mrs. Popham. indllcrcntly. "Rut.
gracious me, child, don't take on so
about it! a peacock amt human
creciur, no matter how you can fix it,"
Martha had left her machine, and was
knccllng on The ioor beside the confused
heap OF iridiscent feathers. holding in
her hand the poor, crested head, that
hung down so heavy. The tears were
dropping on the shrcny neck; her lower
lip was puivcring
"lle was my pet" she sobhcd. .I
brought him up from little chick. |
loved him will never forgive Harry
Perry for this SO long as live"
And when it was gtowing dusk She
took the little garden spade and dug II
grave Tor her ia> orilc among the phloXcs
and tall tiger lilies lay the garden path,
and buried him tcndcrly, with roots of
trailing myrtle above the mound.
larry cry came in that same even
ing as she sat mendng her mothers est
lace collar by the lamplight.
Martha, said he. "hcrc's the second
volume of 'Middlcmarch.' Molie is
through with ii now, and she thought
you WOi!lu Ike to see [
81 don't care for it," said Martha
turning her face rc.olutcly away. ii
don't get much time for reading these
days"
Hurry stood a minute by the door. hut
Martha neither smiled upon Ii M nor
asked him to sit down.
"Wcll, " said he, tentatively, az must
be going"
Martha made no response, and he went.
But he was not thus easily discouraged.
The neat day he again put in IN appear
anCc.
"My cousins, from New York. arc
coming up to spend the day, Martha, "
with us on day excursion to Spidcrwe!
FalisI I'll ask the minister, and MIR.
Nolbcck, and
81 would rather not go, Z" said Martha,
without lifting her eyes from the crowd
of late chickens which she was fccdina
with scalded meal.
'Not go9 But why mott"
Martha put down the bowl of meal
with some emphasis.
81 do not know said she, "that 7 am
bound to render an account of my feel.
mystic anybody
"a liic uay Is incOnVenient, sad the
perplexcd Harry, II could change it."
You need not change it for me.
should not 90. anyhow"
Hurry looked at her in amazemcnt.
"Aartha said he, what have done
TO veX you:"
And. by way of reply to this, she rot
up and went into the house, leaving him
there alone.
"Comc; this will do" said Harry to
himself. 81 don't think l should he n
man o require any more decided rebuff
than h s. I've always heard that women
were luil of tricks and caprces, but !
did think that Matte I'opham was
superior to the rest of her sex. If they're
all alike, then here's an end of itn'
Pretty Lillian Tuft ran in that EVENING
to borrow MATTHIAS new checked silk
paraso.
'.I'm going on n picnic Thursday {,
said she. with the dimples dancing all
around her mouth and chin, "to Spider.
web Falls. With Harry Pcrry's folks
from the city. And my parasol isn't m
to carry. Harry asked inc himself. We
arc to go in the carriage to the foo. OF
the mountain, and to walk the rest of thc
way Won't it be funl wonder they
didn't ask you"
Lillian was fair-haircd, balsam
complcxioncd young girl. with blue.
wondering eyes, and an infantine limo.
cencc Of expression.
Martha looked mt her with o sudden
gang Of dislike aud jealousy.