Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-06-21
MISS RHODA'S TRAMP"
BY HELEN 7. CLARK.

VIII take forever and day to rise"
''IcS, Miss Rhody."
"And be sure to moyc the plants before
you 90 to bed, especially that new wax
plant. ] wouldn't have that nippcd for "A
dollar. You can lock all the doors. and
l will take the key of the little side
entry"
"los, Miss Rhody'
"Oh-and, Savila, be sure to put an
extra quilt OF your bed The turkcy-rcd
khottcd comfort is to be put ON the best
bed when Cousin Pamyra's folks come.
so don't take that
"No, Miss Rhody"
Tho tall, straight figure of Miss Rhodn
Goodwin moved down the garden unth.
between the now dcsola;cd nowcr-bcdls,
out at the gate, and down the crisp,
crnnching road. She was bound for the
wednesday evening prayerm meeting, and
carried her copy of Gospel Hymns in
siIoAcr large, old-lashioncd mufr.
81 hope Sayilla won't get nervous
about tramps. It's dreadful night for
any poor, homeless creature to he roam
ing around. ! don't believe the Lord in
tended things to be SO uncvcnly divided
in this world"
And Miss lihody began TO ponder in
her honest heart the old, vcxcd question.
old as the hills, unsettled us the rest
less occan-thc question of poverty and
wealth. She could not shake il or, even
when she entered the vcstrv of Little
Zion Westinghouse, and greeted the
faithful few assembled there in the sub
dued manner consistent with the place.
The minister delivered his short. in
formal discourse, the last hymn was sung,
1t clmnccd 10 be "Thc Ninety and
Nine and there was Tie movement of
!oosrned tongues and preparation for de-
parinrc- Miss Rhody exchanged good
nights with two or three friends whose
homes lay partly in her direction. then
hastcncd on alone. The session had been
long, and She was afraid that Savilla
might forget some Of her parting injunc
tons.
'!Savilla means we'll" She said to her
sell, "but You cant pui an old head ON
young shouldcrs-ror :. young one on old
shoulders, she continued, us singing
blast whirled needles of fine, sharp snow
into her face, ears and neck, even under
tS' '-iiNhs Nillit -nu'pll.
The storm had come m suddenly while
The worshippcrs 1T Little Zion were SIM
ing the final hymn, the words of which
were still echoing i'll Miss Rhodas ears
Away on the mountain blcal; and bare!
Away from tho tender Shepherds carcm
Again she thoght, ''Nylat bitter
night for the poor!" and hurried on to
reach her own warm, tidy sitting room.
The point of view makes all the differ
cnce. Miss Rhoda, kind hearted rs she
was, formulated her thought much rs one
would say; "What beautiful sunsct!'
or "What cross dog!" and she congraiu-
lated herself the next moment on the
snugness and comfort awaiting her nj the
end Of her short, bracing walk
Another woman trcading with chilled
and weary feet the sclf-samc snow, and
battling with feeble strength the self
same wind, q few rods behind Miss Rhoda.
thought the same thought ! ith Il far diff
lerent sequel.
ut is Il bitter night Cod makes such
nights to reconcile the poor, desperate
wretchcs like me TO death. But when
the river is frozen one must lie down in
The snow or some icy doorstep to die
Some incXpiicablc attraction drew her
after the tall, military figure before her.
at makes small difference whether |
turn down this road or the next The end
must come in the morning"
When Miss Rhoda turned in nj thc
garden gate, and opened her little side
entry door, the woman leaned heavily
upon the fence pailings, and dcvouretl
with her fearless, restless eyes the com.
Portable outlines of the house, the red
glimmer on the snow from the isinrlass
windows of the "Radiant Home" heater
in the sitting-room, the yellow flare of
the lamp that Miss Rhoda lighted. When
the latter came to the windows and drew
down the curtains, the woman ut the
gate gave sudden choking sob, and
then, like Dickens "Joe," tmoved on. >
Miss Rhoda sat down to warm her fee,
and to look over her weekly religious paper
before going to bed Savilla, with I'm,
usual thoughtfulness, had set the teapot
ON the back part of the ''Radant Home, ;
and prepared a plate of buttcred toast
nicely covered with clean napkin.
Miss Rhoda's eyes frightened ant
softened, as she murmured: "Savilla il
good girl-a most excellent child.
am really quite fond of Savilan
She had poured out cup of tea anc
broken tempting slice of toast in halves
when faint cry arrested her attention
She listened, and it came again. Mis-
Rhoda put down the tea and toast un
tasted, and carried the lamp to the sid
door. When she opened it the rays fel
upon dark, snow-sprinklcd figure q
her very feet. The woman had com
back, still urged by mysterious mower
and had thrown her weary body acros
Miss Rhoda's threshold, whether to di
or live she knew not, and scarcely cared
Miss Rhoda set the lamp on the eptr1
table, and raised the exhausted creatur
in her arms. 1t was the work of fe,
minutes to get her into the sitting-roor
and upon the old-fashioned chintz sof
which miss fhoda wheeled close to tn
stove.
81 needn't disturb savilla," sh
thought. "This is case that ca
surely handle" -
The woman had not lost consciousness,