Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-04-26
HOW HE TOLD HER.
by EMMA a. oPPER.

"She'll have to go; amt no way out
O. that. She'll have to skip, said Da e
Kinney. He squintcd in a cross eyed
manner Mt the cracker crumb on his
tawny, ssraggy bcud, and transferred it
carefully to his mouth. There was a
wedge OF cheese on h left knee When
the renee Corners School Board-origi-
nally Fcnnctt's Corners, but thus aptly
abbreviated he d a meeting, it was, by
genera agreement, in o d Hunks's gro
Gerry, where crackers and cheese, and
mayhap IL herring, might re icvc its tie
dunn. But tonight there was an Il c.
Whiting interest.
about the 81 of it," SAID Silas
Saunders. lie preferred tobacco, and
70. ed quid under his tongue "Th.s
amt no place fer her here. WV. |
wouldn't answer fer the consequences if
she sta d; there amt no tel in what
might happen, ncr what cussedncss them
boys mi sht be up to. Look at Corny
Rourkc, six foot two or three if he's an
inch, and chuck fu chuck full He's
Always ben the one to pat the ten hers
out, and there amt no doubt but what
its his idcc tn s me. l}arricadin' the
school house right out bold first day o.
schoo now, who but Corny'd ~
thought o thatl'
There was something of contcmplativc
admiration in his tone
Coin to be done, whocvcr's dom
1t, said Kinney, exploring his cracker
bag. "Coin to git i'll at eight o'clock
tomorrow morn Ii an shut up the door
and fasten the windows, and any teacher
that gifts in IL have to git in through the
kcy-holc or crack; what they said. "
lie had told it before; he had called
the meeting for the purpose of telling il.
But it was interesting to dwell upon.
There was an impressive silence.
WAL, we II have to give her notice
LOU re irs ;sAtiiHr-onc to do It, Thornton
: eh?' Saunders observed to the thirdmem.
Der of the Board. lie was himself n
elsy. g She got along fust-ra sum.
MGR term, he added. He appeared to
feel vague and impotcnt regret Needs
the money, should jedgc.'
''She needn't "a made no calculations
to teach no winter term hcrc-not to
y Fencu Corners" Kinney responded, with
sCne c-s,,enifs;A. N.'lf there h'ain't ben
Winter fer five years, but what there
ben rumpus, and geneE'ly school shut
up, wy, she needn't a. looked fer there
going 10 be-"
II was unansworable, but the store
keeper entered II weak suggestion over
his motley counter.
81 should think that gang ought to be
broke up" he said,
He expected no reioinder, and got
meme. The School Boards attention
was conferred upon no such whimsical
irrelevancy.
cckon YOU'RE the one to notify her,
Thornton" said EaundcIs, again.
He wriggled unquetly ON his stool.
Thornton sat motiOnlcss Whether
in fat or by trick of the ill.burning
lamp on the counter, his good look ing
face, with its heavy light mustache, APP
peared pale. He sat with his arms
crossed on his knees and his eyes on the
floor, silent.
- est SO, j" said Kinney, with an air Of
impartial decision. ''lou can git it Off
y better II saunders or me, Thornton.
You're better lookin' man. anyhow,
and you're better riggel up" he con
cluded with polite amiabeness.
. They made an attempt at careless
dismi sal Of the sub .ect Kinney got up
and threw his cheese rind into the st O sc.
Thornton passed his hand over his mouth
and swallowed hard.
81 OH can jest put it easy" said Kin
ncy, encouragingly. 'iou can tell her
jest how tits, and how it's fer her own
good, and amt to be put of ncr avoided.
You can tell her she done first. class.
summer term. Wy you can tell her
jest what you're anime to-" cried Kin
ney, magnanimously.
Their colleague rose. He was n tall
and powerful young fellow, but there
was an odd laxity in h 8 movements now
as he went toward the door. He held
hi" brim to his lips. too, and turned
I. his face awny from the light. Hanks
stared after him till the door closed.
III s'pose you've found out that jim
Thornton's about thu hashfulest Teller il
Z town. hain't you" he queried
There was no response.
Z "And you've prob'ly suspcioned, sam,
|, as other folks. that he's kind O. swee
1. on the schoolma'um, err would be if he
|; dastp pursued the storekceper.
8 The School Board was silent.
a WAL" he concluded, with o grin
half of disgust, half of admiration, "yo,
couldn't a hired me to ben that mcal
to yeiier dog-not to yellcr dog"
81 Thornton made his way up the roaf
S. thu ough warm and lightly fall ny en- |,
snow that whitened and softened an5
beautified it, dark MS it was from the in
Il frequency of buildings and hubby will
the fro en- mud. lie forgot to pull hi
hat on till he met man i'll n wagon
who stared at him. His face and hal
a were damp with melted flakes. lie wen
a slowly: almo creepingly, for there wa
in his heart terrible sinking dread O
"a what he must do. 1t was almost NOR
81 than he could master.
n.y. Where was ehn> R;oeol,s. L. -,
"a she boarded at Bisscls, and it was no
l far; he could sec its light through IN
52snow-lnden trees. The pain at his hear
5was all but rhysicaI; lie WINGED, an,
Kept his hand on his nervous mouth
here was mist in his eyes, and i
brew into tears. He was not surprise,
them, nor ashamed of them: he,wipc,
lem off mechanically with his rough
irong hand. lie did not know whctbe
by were from pity of her or of him
~; he was not clearly conscious 0