Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-09-20

abode, except that one of the staff of re.
, porters Was positive that he had removed
to the country for the benefit of his
health.
This was discouraging, but proceeded
to inquire among the libraries and here
was more successful. On the list of sub
scrlbers to the Mercantile, was the name,
George E. Brooks, No. s India street,
Green Point, Long Island" with n date
of some six months previous.
In less than an hour | presented N.Y.
self at the door of the designated house,
which | found to be plain, but respect
able clearinghouse kept by widow
by the name Of Miles. My first inquiry
was:
"Does Mr.. George E. Brookcs live
herc2"
Mrs. Miles surveyed me solemnly from
ABOVE her spcctacles, and replied slowly:
"He did live here, young man"
"Then he has removcd2n
Eyes, he has been reno we'd to better
home"
"Will you be kind enough, madam, to
give me his present address,"
She stared at me stonily, and apprc-
hcnding that she had not understood nv
inquiry, l repeated it,
"Whcrc can l find 5Ir Brookcs at
present."
Gle is where trust you will some day
find HMM hcaven!"
With some difficulty obtained from
her the information that her lodrcr had
dlcd some three weeks previous; that he
had been kindly cared for by his daugh
ter and n beneficial society of which he
was member; and that after the funeral
the young lady had left the house, ms she
SAID, to return to the friends with whom
she had lived before joining her father.
She had mentioned the name of the town;
but 1t had entirely escaped the landlady's
memory in the trouble and worry of ret.
ting the two vacated ROOMS ready for new
occupants. And thus again had Miss
Emma 3rookcs, will-o'-;hc wisD-ikc, cs-
capped my grasp just as she appeared &C
tually Ill my reach.
After transactiIg some business, next
day too, the cars for home, in the hone
that Miss Brookes, ignorant Of Mrs
Royals death, might have returned to
her house, and there learned of what so
nearly interested her.
On taking my seat in the car. the frs.
person whom recognized was the vo,,u~
lady whom knew only rs ''rom's wife"
out TINS time unaccompanicd by the baby.
saw that she recognized me; and some
Slight attention in regard to the window
sash led us into conversation.
She replied to my inquiry that Mrs.
Dixon had not returned horne when she
LEFT there on Tuesday, but she expected
to find her arrived, her sisters children
being now so much better.
She said this so swcetly, and was such
a pleasant, ladylikc young woman, that
essaycd to make myself agreeable by
sapiently rcmarking upon tie prevalence
OF measles and whooping- cough. and
hoping that her little one had escapcd the
epidemic.
At this she gave me q quick, inorir-
ing glance and blushet.
81 mean the little fellow that you had
i'll your arms when | saw you. | sup
posed it was yours, us the lady called YOU
her sons wife"
A swift, laughing glance lighted her
face.
"Tliat was a mistake Mrs. I.nndon's
daughter-in-aw had just stepped out
and left the little boy with me-"
II was now my turn to feel cmtar
rassed, though this was almost swallowed
up in an unaccountablc sense of salts
faction ut iinc'ing that my companion was
not "Tom's wife"
"Pray excuse my absurd mistaken 7
said. 1T was only because Mrs. Lnn-
don told mc that she would send her
sons wife, and you came"
She laughed, and we chatted on quite
pleasantly, until at Greenvillc she left
the cars.
1t was not strange that I should on the
following day have suggested to Mr..
Holden the ACCESSIBILITY Of my going to
Grecnvillc to inquire again of Mrs. Dixon
III regard to Miss Broollcs, of whom she
might have received information since
my first interview with her.
1t was little more than an hours ride.
and Il pleasant excursion Cor summers
evening.
On ringing at the door OF Mrs. Dixon's
house 1t was, to my qualification, opened
by my fair travelling companion of the
day previous, and was sure that she
blushcd Mt thc-to her-uncxpected
meeting.
Mrs. Dixon had not yet returned. she
said, though they were expecting her by
the next train, which would be due in
fifteen minutes, if did not object to
waiting.
Then she showed me into the parlor;
and fearing that she was about to leave
me there, I cssayed to detain her by en-
tering into business talk.
'My business with Mn. Dixon is of
rather peculiar nature" -sa.arked.
'Shc has q relative-a Misc Emma
Broohes-whose whereabouts We szo very
anxious to discover"
She looked up with an expression of
surprise.
emma Brookcs?" she said, doubt
fully.
eyes; who lived for some years with
Mrs. Royal. May inquire whether you
know the lady?"